Washington State University reported $461.9 million in research expenditures for fiscal year 2025, a 14.5% increase over the $403.4 million it spent in 2024. The university submitted the figures this week in its annual report to the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, which the National Science Foundation conducts to track research funding sources and spending by field across U.S. institutions.

The 2025 number extends a five-year growth trend. "This increase marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in research investments at WSU," said Vice President for Research Kim Christen. "These latest HERD numbers highlight the scale and strength of our collective efforts across the WSU system to drive exciting, high-impact research."

For R&D managers benchmarking against peer institutions, the baseline matters: WSU ranked 86th nationwide in total R&D expenditures in 2024, the first year the university crossed the $400 million threshold on a 6.5% gain over 2023. The NSF will compile this year's submissions into a national comparative report, so WSU's rank under the new total will not be known until that release.

Where the money comes from

Federal grants supplied more than half of the 2025 total, at $224 million. State and local grants contributed $119.7 million, and institutional spending — WSU's own funds directed to research infrastructure and innovation — accounted for $90.5 million, a figure the university says underscores its internal commitment to the enterprise. Nonprofits added $12.4 million and business funding $12.8 million, a reminder that industry partnerships remain a small share of the portfolio.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture stands as the single largest federal funder at $73.7 million. In 2024, WSU drew more USDA funding than any other research institution in the country for the second consecutive year — a position consistent with its land-grant mission and its agricultural research programs, which include breeding wheat varieties suited to a warming climate.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services followed at $66.5 million, supporting work that includes novel treatments for cancer and brain disorders. The Department of Energy contributed $26 million, and the Department of Defense $12.2 million. Energy Department funding ties to research aimed at protecting the power grid amid rising demand and developing sustainable fuel sources, according to the university.

Discipline breakdown

Life sciences — a category spanning agriculture, biology and health sciences — dominated the expenditure profile at $251.9 million, roughly 55% of the total. Engineering research accounted for $66.6 million, and physical sciences for $39 million. The concentration in life sciences is a structural feature of the portfolio that R&D portfolio planners at comparable land-grant institutions will recognize, and it frames where future growth is most likely to occur.

The research enterprise employed 4,338 people in 2025: 1,228 researchers and 3,110 technicians and support staff. That staffing ratio — roughly 2.5 support personnel per researcher — reflects the lab-heavy, field-trial-intensive character of agricultural and life science work.

Context and caveats

The figures come from WSU's own institutional reporting and represent expenditures, not newly awarded grants, so they lag funding decisions by as much as a year. The university's framing of the growth as evidence of "high-impact research" is an institutional claim; the HERD data itself measures spending volume, not research outcomes. Christen's second statement addresses that gap only in general terms: "WSU research is rooted in real-world impact. From advancing agricultural practices to improving public health, our researchers are developing solutions that directly benefit communities across Washington and around the world."

One caveat for trend-watchers: a 14.5% single-year jump after a 6.5% gain in 2024 suggests the growth rate itself is accelerating, but a single survey year cannot establish whether that pace will hold, particularly given federal budget uncertainty affecting USDA, HHS and DOE grant programs.

The NSF's national compilation of the 2025 HERD submissions will show whether WSU's gain moved it up from 86th place and how its federal funding mix compares with peer land-grant universities.