The survey site is closed while we prepare
for the FY 2026 collection.
For further information, contact Survey Support at
support@herdsurvey.org
or 866-936-9376.
Testing
Welcome to the HERD R&D Survey
The survey is the primary source of comprehensive national information on R&D spending within the higher education sector. Data are published at the institution level to allow universities, colleges, and the public to benchmark institutions against their peers.
The FY 2026 survey is due January 29, 2027
What's New for the FY 2026 Survey
- There were no changes to the survey questions from the FY 2025 version.
- In Definitions and Instructions, guidance was updated to clarify that R&D does not include training grants unless funding trainee work on organized research projects.
- The appearance of the web survey and other survey formats has been modernized.
- Questions that each used to stretch across multiple sections (Questions 9, 11, and 14) are now presented as one section. For example, Questions 9A-B, 9C, 9D, 9E-G, 9H-I, and 9J-K are now presented as one section that includes all rows.
- Additions to Fields of R&D, Examples and Disciplines under Reference Materials.
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The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) is a statistical agency located within NSF.
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Contains instructions, definitions, and a printable preview of all survey questions.
About the HERD Survey
HERD is a survey of institutions that offer an accredited bachelor's or higher degree and have annual R&D expenditures of at least $150,000. The survey was developed in consultation with experts, data users, and university representatives. The survey collects detailed information on R&D expenditures in 40 fields of R&D. The fields of R&D include both science and engineering (S&E) fields and non-science and engineering (non-S&E) fields such as humanities, education, law, and the arts. In addition to expenditure data, the survey also captures the source of funding, type of research conducted, type of costs, and headcounts of research personnel.
The collection of this information is authorized under the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Act of 1950, as amended. The data collected becomes part of NSF's longitudinal statistics on R&D. NSF has provided this information to federal, state and academic decision makers since 1972. The data from this survey are published in detailed tables and reports and are included in databases available to the public.
Your institution's response is entirely voluntary.