Table 19. Federal obligations for research, by detailed field of science and engineering: FYs 2015–17

(Dollars in thousands)

Field 2015 Preliminary
2016 2017
All fields 63,645,313.2 67,760,679.2 69,743,813.9
Computer sciences and mathematics 3,862,681.9 4,208,334.3 4,426,594.8
Computer sciences 2,645,607.3 NA NA
Mathematics 1,005,897.7 NA NA
Other computer sciences and mathematics 211,176.8 NA NA
Engineering 11,955,646.7 13,113,658.2 13,691,364.3
Aeronautical engineering 1,825,121.8 NA NA
Astronautical engineering 660,628.5 NA NA
Chemical engineering 374,590.2 NA NA
Civil engineering 457,595.8 NA NA
Electrical engineering 883,251.2 NA NA
Mechanical engineering 309,625.9 NA NA
Metallurgy and materials engineering 1,756,880.3 NA NA
Other engineering 5,687,953.1 NA NA
Environmental sciences 4,413,746.5 4,677,812.4 4,910,970.0
Atmospheric sciences 1,567,884.9 NA NA
Geological sciences 643,308.2 NA NA
Oceanography 726,008.1 NA NA
Other environmental sciences 1,476,545.3 NA NA
Life sciences 30,472,971.4 32,041,601.2 32,766,606.1
Agricultural sciences 1,320,265.3 NA NA
Biological sciences (excluding environmental biology) 14,839,724.9 NA NA
Environmental biology 819,086.6 NA NA
Medical sciences 10,934,694.7 NA NA
Other life sciences 2,559,199.8 NA NA
Physical sciences 6,510,295.6 6,757,326.4 6,934,119.4
Astronomy 1,230,155.9 NA NA
Chemistry 967,745.5 NA NA
Physics 3,040,197.6 NA NA
Other physical sciences 1,272,196.6 NA NA
Psychology 1,994,853.5 2,119,530.3 2,161,942.9
Biological aspects 19,069.2 NA NA
Social aspects 58,541.2 NA NA
Other psychological sciences 1,917,243.2 NA NA
Social sciences 1,136,277.7 1,287,269.2 1,239,835.5
Anthropology 29,919.3 NA NA
Economics 336,813.9 NA NA
Political science 16,026.4 NA NA
Sociology 128,239.8 NA NA
Other social sciences 625,278.3 NA NA
Other sciences nec 3,298,839.9 3,555,147.2 3,612,380.8