Table 65. Federal obligations for research performed at universities and colleges for selected agencies, by detailed field of science and engineering: FYs 2015–17

(Dollars in thousands)

Field 2015 Preliminary
2016 2017
All fields 25,336,599.3 26,632,676.6 27,496,161.5
Computer sciences and mathematics 1,417,539.8 1,475,127.9 1,542,249.5
Computer sciences 994,570.9 NA NA
Mathematics 377,287.2 NA NA
Other computer sciences and mathematics 45,681.7 NA NA
Engineering 2,456,693.5 2,583,350.4 2,772,934.1
Aeronautical engineering 195,446.4 NA NA
Astronautical engineering 53,048.4 NA NA
Chemical engineering 75,149.9 NA NA
Civil engineering 61,465.8 NA NA
Electrical engineering 229,845.9 NA NA
Mechanical engineering 128,884.2 NA NA
Metallurgy and materials engineering 399,264.3 NA NA
Other engineering 1,313,588.6 NA NA
Environmental sciences 1,170,231.8 1,204,268.1 1,248,710.6
Atmospheric sciences 276,101.7 NA NA
Geological sciences 167,165.1 NA NA
Oceanography 326,094.0 NA NA
Other environmental sciences 400,871.0 NA NA
Life sciences 15,914,238.8 16,787,878.4 17,187,259.8
Agricultural sciences 334,188.8 NA NA
Biological sciences (excluding environmental biology) 8,165,367.1 NA NA
Environmental biology 310,484.0 NA NA
Medical sciences 5,497,949.9 NA NA
Other life sciences 1,606,249.1 NA NA
Physical sciences 1,765,362.1 1,820,544.5 1,890,935.7
Astronomy 228,091.2 NA NA
Chemistry 474,506.5 NA NA
Physics 833,091.6 NA NA
Other physical sciences 229,672.8 NA NA
Psychology 1,165,350.8 1,232,900.0 1,258,849.4
Biological aspects 14,773.1 NA NA
Social aspects 13,019.6 NA NA
Other psychological sciences 1,137,558.1 NA NA
Social sciences 418,095.8 437,739.1 454,369.9
Anthropology 20,987.7 NA NA
Economics 70,384.2 NA NA
Political science 11,621.0 NA NA
Sociology 26,010.1 NA NA
Other social sciences 289,092.8 NA NA
Other sciences nec 1,029,086.7 1,090,868.2 1,140,852.5