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For the third consecutive year, South ��ֱ���� State University has broken its research expenditures record.

In fiscal year 2025, research expenditures totaled $94,255,780 — a 15% increase from last year's record of $82 million and a 27% increase from fiscal year 2023.

“SDSU faculty, staff and students have increased their research activity every year since fiscal year 2021," said Daniel Scholl, vice president for research and economic development. "The total increase of research expenditures by 83% over that period speaks to the growing, leading-edge creativity and innovation of SDSU’s experts.”

Research expenditures — funds spent to conduct research — is the nationally accepted measure to compare research levels amongst colleges and universities. SDSU leads all South ��ֱ���� universities and colleges in research expenditures.

SDSU has a broad portfolio of research activities that touch nearly every sector of society. Some of the major projects include supporting South ��ֱ����'s farmers through the development of new technologies and improved crop varieties. Researchers are also investigating new uses for commodities and agricultural byproducts to expand the state's economy. In the College of Pharmacy and Allied Professions and the College of Natural Sciences, faculty members are making headway in the battle against cancer by developing improved therapeutics and repurposed drugs.

"Active research not only solves practical problems and creates new knowledge and innovation, it also provides high-quality experiential learning opportunities for students, from undergraduates to doctoral candidates," Scholl said.

SDSU researchers receive funding from a variety of federal, state, industry and internal sources. Funding, often through grants, is allocated on a competitive basis by sponsors, with project proposals being selected for their quality and impact.

Grants and contracts with federal agencies, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and others, accounted for $43.4 million of SDSU's research expenditures in fiscal year 2025. State funding provided an additional $21.8 million, and the remainder was supported by $29 million from a variety of other SDSU research partners.

Research proposals submitted for consideration totaled $197.8 million for fiscal year 2025, laying a strong foundation for future years’ research expenditures.

Scholl noted that an increase in research expenditures signals a growing research profile that is trusted and capable of solving problems and advancing knowledge.

“SDSU’s march toward recognition as a Carnegie Very High Research (R1) University is bolstered by this steady growth in research activity," Scholl added. " Active research not only solves practical problems and creates new knowledge and innovation, it also provides high quality experiential learning opportunities for students from undergraduates to doctoral levels."