National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

What National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) does

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) is a federal statistical agency within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), established in 1980 as the nation's primary source of objective data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. Operating under the statutory authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, NCSES collects data through mandatory surveys of federal agencies, universities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Its scope spans six core areas: government S&E funding, higher education R&D, innovation and global competitiveness, R&D activity, the S&E workforce, and STEM education.

NCSES's product portfolio includes interactive web-based data tools (Data Explorer, Chart Builder, Table Builder, State Indicators, Academic Institution Profiles), data access products (Public Use Data Files, Restricted Use Data Licensing, the Survey of Earned Doctorates Restricted Data Analysis System), and major publications (Science and Engineering Indicators biennial report, The State of U.S. Science and Engineering, National Patterns of R&D Resources, and the Survey of Federal Funds for R&D). The Survey of Federal Funds for R&D is an annual census of all 30 federal agencies conducting R&D programs, with historical data series spanning 1951 to 2024. NCSES also conducts the Business Enterprise Research and Development Survey and Annual Business Survey through interagency agreements with the U.S. Census Bureau, and its R&D data is integrated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis's National Income and Product Accounts for federal GDP calculations.

NCSES operates under a government funding model with no commercial revenue. All public data products are freely available, while restricted use microdata is accessible through a licensing program. The agency serves federal government policymakers, the research community, business and industry, and the general public. Its primary user segments include policymakers needing objective data for budget and policy decisions, academic researchers requiring comprehensive S&E statistics, and industry users tracking R&D trends and workforce metrics. Key data points include $194.2 billion in federal R&D obligations in FY 2024, $993 billion in projected domestic R&D performance for 2024, and a U.S. STEM workforce of 37 million workers representing 26% of the total workforce.

Name

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

Legal name

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Website

https://ncses.nsf.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NCSES is the U.S. federal statistical agency within NSF that collects, analyzes, and disseminates authoritative data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise through mandatory surveys, interactive data tools, and biennial reports, serving policymakers, researchers, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Statistical Services

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Federal statistical agency
• Science and engineering data
• Research and development statistics
• STEM workforce data
• Interactive data tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriation: NCSES is funded through annual federal appropriations as a statistical agency within the National Science Foundation. The agency does not generate revenue but operates under NSF's budget authority.
2. Restricted Use Data Licensing: Revenue from licensing restricted use microdata to researchers and institutions requiring access to confidential survey data under data use agreements.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NCSES operates as the U.S. federal statistical agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating authoritative data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. It conducts surveys of federal agencies, businesses, universities, and nonprofit organizations, and publishes interactive data tools, reports, public-use microdata files, and restricted-use licensed microdata covering R&D, STEM workforce, higher education research, and innovation metrics.

Product overview

NCSES serves as the primary federal statistical agency for science and engineering data within the National Science Foundation. The organization offers a portfolio of interactive web-based data tools (Data Explorer, Chart Builder, Table Builder, State Indicators, Academic Institution Profiles), data access products (Public Use Data Files, Restricted Use Data Licensing, RDAS), and survey/report products (Survey of Federal Funds for R&D, National Patterns of R&D Resources, Science and Engineering Indicators, The State of U.S. Science and Engineering). Together, these products enable users to explore, analyze, and download U.S. science and engineering data across government funding, R&D activity, workforce, higher education, innovation, and STEM education areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data Explorer

Quantifiable outcome

• Federal R&D obligations increased 4.4% to $194.2 billion in FY 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Synectics for Management Decisions, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSynectics performed data collection services for the Survey of Federal Funds for R&D (Volume 74, FYs 2024-25) under contract to NCSES. The contractor conducted agency outreach, maintained the web-based data collection system, and performed data processing.
• U.S. Census BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Census Bureau conducts the Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) Survey and Annual Business Survey (ABS) for NCSES under an interagency agreement. These surveys cover companies with 10+ employees and 1-9 employees respectively.
• U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSES data is integrated with BEA's National Income and Product Accounts for trend analyses, including GDP data. R&D statistics are used in federal government calculations of U.S. GDP at national and state levels.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS): Federal statistical agency within HHS producing health statistics through surveys and vital records. Closely comparable in operating model: designated statistical center, mandatory authority to collect, public dissemination of survey microdata, and licensing of restricted use data.
• U.S. Census Bureau: Principal federal statistical agency conducting decennial and recurring surveys. NCSES partners directly with Census to operate the BERD and Annual Business Surveys, and both share the federal statistical mission of producing authoritative, mandatory data products for policymaking.
• Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA): Federal statistical agency within the Department of Commerce producing GDP and national income statistics. A direct NCSES partner integrating R&D data into GDP; shares the federal statistical agency mandate, appropriation model, and interagency data integration.
• National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): USDA's federal statistical agency producing agricultural census and surveys. Comparable as a designated federal statistical agency with mandatory survey authority, public data tools, restricted data licensing, and similar appropriation-based funding model.
• U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): Federal statistical agency within DOE publishing energy data including R&D. Mirrors NCSES in producing sector-specific statistical reports, interagency data use, and biennial/annual reporting cycles supported by statutory authority.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): Federal statistical agency producing workforce, compensation, and economic data. Comparable to NCSES in statutory mission, mandatory survey authority, public dissemination via web tools and publications, and integration with BEA and Census.

Regional players

• Office for National Statistics (UK): UK national statistical office producing economy, population, and society statistics, including science and innovation indicators. Comparable in mission and tools but covers a different geography; serves as a useful international benchmark for NCSES practice and product design.

Broad incumbents

• Eurostat: Statistical office of the European Union producing comparable cross-country R&D and innovation statistics. Directly comparable to NCSES for international R&D comparisons and OECD Science, Technology and R&D (STAN) reporting, but operates at supranational scale.
• Statistics Canada: Canada's national statistical office producing economic, social, and science-related statistics. Functions as a counterpart national statistical agency collecting R&D and S&T data via surveys integrated into OECD reporting; comparable mission but with broader topic coverage than NCSES.
• OECD Science, Technology and R&D Statistics: OECD directorate aggregating S&T indicators across member countries including the U.S. via NCSES feeds. Comparable as a higher-level aggregator that depends on data NCSES supplies but adds cross-country comparative analysis NCSES does not perform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCSESgov
• Facebookfacebook.com/US.NSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-center-for-science-and-engineering-statistics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)