Table 76. Federal obligations for basic 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
15,246,776.4
15,878,601.5
16,381,242.1
Computer sciences and mathematics
1,147,490.6
1,175,588.4
1,234,105.7
Computer sciences
775,079.6
NA
NA
Mathematics
335,673.4
NA
NA
Other computer sciences and mathematics
36,737.5
NA
NA
Engineering
1,480,109.8
1,520,179.7
1,578,054.3
Aeronautical engineering
110,142.3
NA
NA
Astronautical engineering
20,316.0
NA
NA
Chemical engineering
47,058.3
NA
NA
Civil engineering
43,998.4
NA
NA
Electrical engineering
138,472.4
NA
NA
Mechanical engineering
88,374.5
NA
NA
Metallurgy and materials engineering
339,498.2
NA
NA
Other engineering
692,249.7
NA
NA
Environmental sciences
987,339.7
1,010,325.3
1,059,360.3
Atmospheric sciences
253,389.3
NA
NA
Geological sciences
165,060.3
NA
NA
Oceanography
309,649.3
NA
NA
Other environmental sciences
259,240.7
NA
NA
Life sciences
8,419,985.0
8,888,512.4
9,108,540.7
Agricultural sciences
130,901.2
NA
NA
Biological sciences (excluding environmental biology)
4,499,145.3
NA
NA
Environmental biology
210,632.3
NA
NA
Medical sciences
2,766,836.7
NA
NA
Other life sciences
812,469.4
NA
NA
Physical sciences
1,642,136.8
1,621,591.9
1,688,942.7
Astronomy
218,242.9
NA
NA
Chemistry
411,629.5
NA
NA
Physics
799,923.1
NA
NA
Other physical sciences
212,341.4
NA
NA
Psychology
627,686.1
668,424.5
680,760.1
Biological aspects
13,357.4
NA
NA
Social aspects
12,126.3
NA
NA
Other psychological sciences
602,202.5
NA
NA
Social sciences
238,696.3
249,480.8
257,618.0
Anthropology
20,943.5
NA
NA
Economics
32,210.4
NA
NA
Political science
11,621.0
NA
NA
Sociology
13,289.2
NA
NA
Other social sciences
160,632.4
NA
NA
Other sciences nec
703,332.0
744,498.6
773,860.4