Penn State social sciences are among the top universities in the nation in research expenditures, according to the latest National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) research expenditures, released in January 2022.
The rankings, for the 2020 fiscal year, show psychology ranked second, sociology fourth, and anthropology 12th. As a whole, social sciences at Penn State ranked 26th nationally.
“Once again these rankings reflect the excellence that defines Penn State’s research enterprise and sets it apart,” said Lora Weiss, senior vice president for Research. “The breadth and depth of our expertise is matched by the dedication and resilience of our world-class faculty. Our unique interdisciplinary approach enables us to creatively and effectively address the world’s most pressing challenges.”
The HERD survey is the primary source of information on research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. The survey collects information on R&D expenditures by field of research and source of funds and also gathers information on types of research, expenses, and headcounts of R&D personnel. The survey is an annual census of institutions that expended at least $150,000 in separately accounted for R&D in the fiscal year.