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Table 56. Federal obligations for research performed at universities and colleges for selected agencies, by detailed field of science and engineering: FYs 2016–17

(Dollars in thousands)

Field 2016 Preliminary
2017
All fields 26,272,988.3 26,439,158.3
Computer sciences and mathematics 1,473,298.5 1,490,640.9
Computer sciences 1,034,999.9 NA
Mathematics 384,435.0 NA
Other computer sciences and mathematics 53,863.5 NA
Engineering 2,501,182.4 2,485,487.9
Aeronautical engineering 211,905.3 NA
Astronautical engineering 52,232.4 NA
Chemical engineering 74,293.4 NA
Civil engineering 38,063.2 NA
Electrical engineering 256,845.8 NA
Mechanical engineering 120,761.3 NA
Metallurgy and materials engineering 421,609.7 NA
Other engineering 1,325,471.3 NA
Environmental sciences 1,209,670.5 1,185,538.9
Atmospheric sciences 284,778.2 NA
Geological sciences 169,608.5 NA
Oceanography 335,376.5 NA
Other environmental sciences 419,907.4 NA
Life sciences 16,660,213.8 16,821,426.7
Agricultural sciences 332,924.4 NA
Biological sciences (excluding environmental biology) 8,706,705.3 NA
Environmental biology 276,120.7 NA
Medical sciences 5,632,054.3 NA
Other life sciences 1,712,409.0 NA
Physical sciences 1,810,532.2 1,804,515.6
Astronomy 248,497.7 NA
Chemistry 467,908.5 NA
Physics 869,536.3 NA
Other physical sciences 224,589.7 NA
Psychology 1,210,495.9 1,214,842.1
Biological aspects 17,588.3 NA
Social aspects 10,460.2 NA
Other psychological sciences 1,182,447.3 NA
Social sciences 367,738.1 389,049.2
Anthropology 22,023.7 NA
Economics 72,880.1 NA
Political science 13,455.5 NA
Sociology 25,529.2 NA
Other social sciences 233,849.7 NA
Other sciences nec 1,039,857.0 1,047,656.9
NA = not available; data were not collected at that level for that fiscal year.
nec = not elsewhere classified.
NOTES: Because of rounding, detail may not add to total. Seven agencies are required to report data for this section of the survey: the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the National Science Foundation. Research obligations of these seven agencies represented over 97% of total federal research obligations to universities and colleges in FYs 2016–17.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, FYs 2016–17.