How to Read BEA's Research and Development Statistics — R&D Value Added by Industry and Sector
BEA experimental R&D statistics (October 22, 2026 update), U.S. R&D value added in current dollars: $746,957 million in 2024, 7.2% above revised 2023 (this page's calculation).
Key figures (BEA R&D statistics, October 2026 update)
As of 2 November 2026, 00:42 KST (data page and value-added file both retrieved then); most recent statistics: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) experimental research and development (R&D) statistics, updated in October 2026 with new 2024 and revised 2023 data; the value-added file reads "Last updated: October 22, 2026" (United States sheet, cell A33). The data page shows no next-update date. Primary source: https://www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/research-and-development[1][2]
| Indicator (United States, R&D value added, millions of current dollars) | Previous (2023, revised; cell) | Current (2024, new experimental; cell) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago: same as previous for an annual series | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research and development, total | 696,468 (P5) | 746,957 (Q5) | +7.2% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Business | 581,360 (P7) | 622,571 (Q7) | +7.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Manufacturing | 207,406 (P8) | 214,793 (Q8) | +3.6% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Information | 120,021 (P14) | 138,869 (Q14) | +15.7% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 214,898 (P15) | 230,754 (Q15) | +7.4% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Government | 63,014 (P20) | 68,136 (Q20) | +8.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
| Higher education institutions (addendum) | 59,083 (P26) | 63,483 (Q26) | +7.4% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: BEA primary statistical record (experimental; cells shown); % change: this page's calculation |
Comparison basis: values are in millions of current dollars, read by program from the United States sheet of BEA's value-added file and rounded half up here to whole millions, with cell addresses shown (each shown value was checked against its unrounded cell); 2023 values are revised and 2024 values are new experimental statistics, as the file states. All changes are this page's calculation from the unrounded cells, rounded to one decimal; current-dollar changes include price changes. Because the series is annual, the previous and year-ago columns are the same comparison. The page and file are both from BEA and count as one source.[2]
In three lines
1. BEA's experimental R&D statistics measure R&D's contribution to GDP (R&D value added), plus R&D employment and compensation, for the nation, all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
2. U.S. R&D value added was $746,957 million in 2024, 7.2% above revised 2023 by this page's calculation, in current dollars.
3. Business accounted for 83.3% of the 2024 total (this page's calculation).[1][2]
What BEA says (in BEA's words)
"BEA is developing statistics that measure research and development economic activity in a framework consistent with gross domestic product (GDP) and other BEA statistics." "The first experimental statistics were released in 2024." "In October 2026, BEA released updated data for 2023 and added data for 2024." "This work is conducted with data and support from the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics."[1]
What value added means. The file's notes and definitions sheet says (cell B7): "R&D value added consists of the value that an industry generates as part of R&D production after it has accounted for its costs of energy, materials, and services used up in production." For the employment measure (cell B8): "Self-employed individuals and temporary workers are not included in employment totals."[3]
Where R&D is counted. The United States sheet's notes say (cells A28-A31): "Research and development (R&D) activity is measured by location of R&D production (performance), which is not necessarily the location of the R&D funder." "R&D performed in U.S. territories is not included." For universities: "Consists of private universities and colleges only." "Public universities and colleges are included in state and local government." "Estimates may not add to totals due to rounding."[2]
Reading in pairs
Revised 2023 vs new 2024. The October 2026 file revises 2023 and adds 2024; values printed in BEA's September 2025 files may differ, and this page uses only the current file.[2]
Current dollars vs volume. The file is in millions of current dollars, so the 7.2% rise in 2024 combines changes in the amount of R&D and in its prices; the file gives no price-adjusted series.[2]
Performer vs funder. Because R&D is recorded where it is performed, the information industry's 15.7% rise and the government's 8.1% rise (this page's calculation) describe where R&D production happened, not who paid for it. The file does not explain the changes.[2]
Experimental vs official. BEA describes these as experimental statistics developed with the National Science Foundation; the page and file give no error or reliability measure.[1][2]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
U.S. R&D value added was $746,957 million in 2024 in current dollars, according to BEA's experimental statistics.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. business R&D value added was $622,571 million in 2024.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. government R&D value added was $68,136 million in 2024.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
BEA released updated R&D data for 2023 and added data for 2024 in October 2026.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
BEA measures R&D activity by where it is performed, not where the funder is located.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
U.S. R&D value added rose 7.2% in current dollars from 2023 to 2024.[2] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from BEA's value-added file
Business accounted for 83.3% of U.S. R&D value added in 2024.[2] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from BEA's value-added file
Timeline
- 2026-10-22
BEA updates its experimental R&D statistics with new 2024 and revised 2023 data.[2]
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- How much of the 7.2% rise is price change?
- When will BEA next update these statistics?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 11/02/2026, 00:46
- Body characters
- 5,348
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 11/02/2026, 00:51
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 11/02/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 11/02/2026 | First version. Read in full BEA's research and development data page and, by program, every cell of the United States sheet and the notes sheet of the October 2026 R&D value-added file; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 11/02/2026 | Revised after review: the definition quotations cite their cells (B7, B8) and the footnote quotations A28-A31; the GDP answer explains that R&D value added is part of the activity GDP already counts; the universities answer follows footnotes 2 and 3; the comparison basis states that shown values were checked against unrounded cells. | Updated |
Frequently asked
How much did R&D contribute to U.S. GDP in 2024 according to BEA?
$746,957 million of R&D value added in current dollars (cell Q5 of the United States sheet), in BEA's experimental statistics updated October 22, 2026.[2]
How fast did U.S. R&D value added grow from 2023 to 2024?
7.2% by this page's calculation from BEA's cells (696,468 to 746,957 million current dollars); the figure includes price changes and the 2023 value is revised.[2]
Which U.S. industries produced the most R&D value added in 2024?
Professional, scientific, and technical services ($230,754 million), manufacturing ($214,793 million) and information ($138,869 million), among the industry lines in BEA's file.[2]
Does BEA's 2024 R&D value added show where R&D was funded?
No: the 2024 figures record R&D by location of performance, which is not necessarily the funder's location; R&D performed in U.S. territories is excluded.[2]
Are BEA's 2024 R&D statistics official GDP components?
Not as separate additions: BEA describes R&D value added as R&D's contribution to GDP, so the $746,957 million measures part of the activity GDP already counts; the R&D statistics themselves are experimental, first released in 2024.[1]
How are U.S. universities counted in BEA's 2024 R&D value added?
Private universities and colleges are the universities line under nonprofit institutions (footnote 2), public ones are in state and local government, and private for-profit ones are in business (footnote 3); the higher education addendum line (63,483 million in 2024) combines public and private nonprofit universities.[2]