For AY2007-08, the ten universities with the largest expenditures accounted for 28.5% of the engineering total and awarded 26.9% of the engineering doctoral degrees. The twenty largest accounted for 45.2% (42.3% of the doctorates) and the thirty largest accounted for 57.7% (54.5% of the doctorates). The 193 colleges submitting survey data awarded 94.9% of the engineering doctoral degrees in AY2007-08.

This report analyzes the research expenditures in twelve engineering disciplines. Aerospace, biological, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, management, materials (science and engineering) and mechanical engineering were included along with computer science within engineering colleges. The expenditure data in some instances are for academic departments and thus include more than one engineering discipline (e.g., environmental engineering included with civil engineering).

Research Expenditures (Actual) in Engineering Disciplines

The graph below shows the growth since AY1998-99 in research expenditures (actual k$) for the twelve disciplines included in this study.

Over the period shown, the increase of overall engineering was 89% (approximately the same as chemical engineering). Six disciplines exceeded this growth rate; bioengineering (383%), biomedical engineering (350%), computer engineering (107%), computer science (97%, mostly through AY2001-02), engineering management (553%) and mechanical (97%) engineering.

Research expenditures (actual k$) per faculty member are shown in the graph above for the twelve disciplines studied. Data are also shown for engineering as a whole which increased 41% in expenditures per faculty member over the period shown. Those disciplines that exhibited growth greater than overall engineering were biological (239%), biomedical (59%), chemical (63%) and mechanical (60%) engineering.

Summary

The annual research expenditures in engineering colleges have increased 7.3% and 4.5% in actual and constant dollars, respectively, since AY1998-99. For AY2007-08, the ten universities with the largest expenditures accounted for 28.5% of the engineering total and awarded 26.9% of the engineering doctoral degrees. The twenty largest accounted for 45.2% (42.3% of the doctorates) and the thirty largest accounted for 57.7% (54.5% of the doctorates).

This report analyzes the research expenditures in twelve engineering disciplines. Aerospace, biological, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, management, materials (science and engineering) and mechanical engineering were included along with computer science within engineering colleges. The expenditure data in some instances are for academic departments and thus include more than one engineering discipline (e.g., environmental engineering included with civil engineering).

Data for expenditures per faculty member in each discipline are presented along with total expenditures. Comparisons are made relative to engineering as a whole as well as between individual disciplines.

Acknowledgments

The data used in this study originated from the annual surveys of the American Society for Engineering Education. Engineering Trends acknowledges the efforts of this organization in providing credible data and expresses its gratitude for their services to the engineering profession. Persons seeking further information about their surveys and the availability of survey data should visit the ASEE Web site (www.asee.org).

Footnote

Engineering Trends data are compiled mainly from information submitted by universities to the annual surveys of EWC and ASEE. On the very rare occasions where errors in data appear, Engineering Trends corrects the error, if possible, or deletes the data if the error is large enough to alter significantly the trend of the university or the US total.