UK climbs among national peers in higher ed research rankings

The University of Kentucky climbed several spots in national higher education rankings for research and development (R&D) expenditures. 

Based on UK’s $476.5 million in research expenditures – the funds the university spent to conduct research in fiscal year 2022, as reported to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics:

• UK ranks 61st among 637 public and private universities in the United States, up from 64th in FY21. 

• UK ranks 40th among 410 public universities, up from 43rd in FY21. 

• UK ranks 5th out of 14 Southeastern Conference (SEC) institutions. 

Vice President for Research Lisa Cassis said, “It is incredibly challenging to move up in these national rankings on research and development expenditures. The University of Kentucky’s research enterprise has experienced record growth, but that growth, and related elevation in national ranking, starts with our principal investigators who work across academic boundaries to bring the best ideas to light. This is a testament to the creativity and innovation of the faculty, staff and students who make up our research investigator community at UK. Their tireless work continues to propel the university forward.”

The FY22 rankings were released in December 2023. The National Science Foundation (NSF), through the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), publishes the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey each year ranking the top U.S. universities according to what they spend on research. The HERD survey is considered to be the primary source of information on R&D expenditures within academia. For more information, see NSF Publications & Data.

For more on UK research, see Stats & Rankings.