| 1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | |
| 55,697 | 73,327 | 75,668 | 72,922 | 89,660 | 121,871 | 127,390 | 130,427 | 132,253 | 136,493 | 140,435 | 141,410 | |
| Private | 44,373 | 55,441 | 56,987 | 54,516 | 69,938 | 98,881 | 103,336 | 105,700 | 106,732 | 110,545 | 114,508 | 115,186 |
| 40,489 | 47,942 | 49,101 | 47,134 | 61,364 | 89,550 | 93,249 | 95,252 | 95,959 | 99,392 | 103,045 | 103,405 | |
| 2,149 | 3,968 | 4,183 | 3,615 | 3,934 | 3,814 | 4,212 | 4,394 | 4,505 | 4,571 | 4,583 | 4,643 | |
| 679 | 1,147 | 1,117 | 1,144 | 1,796 | 2,025 | 2,383 | 2,526 | 2,517 | 2,492 | 2,494 | 2,414 | |
| 213 | 556 | 604 | 406 | 598 | 730 | 590 | 562 | 562 | 612 | 673 | 726 | |
| 843 | 1,828 | 1,982 | 2,217 | 2,246 | 2,762 | 2,902 | 2,966 | 3,189 | 3,478 | 3,713 | 3,998 | |
| Government | 11,324 | 17,886 | 18,681 | 18,406 | 19,722 | 22,990 | 24,054 | 24,727 | 25,521 | 25,948 | 25,927 | 26,224 |
| 8,720 | 12,539 | 12,118 | 11,286 | 11,138 | 13,202 | 13,334 | 13,494 | 13,803 | 13,905 | 13,684 | 13,763 | |
| 206 | 308 | 516 | 615 | 607 | 657 | 710 | 775 | 795 | 805 | 805 | 819 | |
| 1,895 | 4,356 | 5,388 | 5,802 | 6,742 | 7,318 | 8,020 | 8,406 | 8,847 | 9,138 | 9,304 | 9,602 | |
| 503 | 683 | 659 | 703 | 1,235 | 1,813 | 1,990 | 2,052 | 2,076 | 2,100 | 2,134 | 2,040 |
1. Includes FFRDC's administered by industry.
2. Nonprofit institutions are divided into four subgroups: Private universities and colleges, FFRDC's administered by universities and colleges, FFRDC's administered by nonprofit institutions, and other nonprofit institutions.
FFRDC Federally funded research and development center