Purdue research expenditures rise 9% in 2024-25 in sharp contrast to Big Ten, national trend

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University continued its run of strong research funding and partnerships during fiscal year 2025, with the university’s research expenditures and overall research portfolio setting records.

In sharp contrast to peer institutions across the Big Ten and nationally, Purdue’s research expenditures surged 9% to $656 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, President Mung Chiang reported on Friday (Aug. 8) to trustees. This figure includes only federal and industry research funding and does not include other sources such as state, philanthropy or internal support. Reflecting increased activity with partner funding agencies, universities, companies and others, research expenditures spotlight Purdue’s growing level of activity as the lead institution on many large center and multi-institutional projects. In contrast to many peer institutions among the nation’s top research universities, the research enterprise at Purdue remains intact and continues to grow.

Purdue submitted a record 4,500 proposals for $3.1 billion, up 5% over last year. This represents a significant effort across Purdue’s research enterprise in its strategic efforts to identify new collaborations, partnerships and other funding sources for research programs.

Importantly, Purdue also signed 10 new or renewed master research agreements with industry, including a landmark $250 million grant from Eli Lilly and Company on AI-based medicine discovery and manufacturing. This partnership with the Indianapolis-based medicine company represented the largest university-industry research grant in U.S. history.

Overall research partnerships also continue to grow, especially those involving master research agreements with industry and non-profits. The number of active research agreements, or MSAs, surged to 60 — another record. Those involve work in defense, engineering, computing/AI, life and health sciences, and other fields.

Sponsored awards enable Purdue’s research teams to conduct nearly 3,000 research projects that improve economic well-being, health and national security in Indiana and throughout the nation.

Intellectual property disclosures, another key barometer of Purdue’s thriving entrepreneurship culture, also jumped 20% to 479, while the number of patent applications rose to 863, the Office of Technology Commercialization reported. In the same period, 267 patents were issued by governments while the number of technologies licensed commercially surged 20% to 269.

Eighteen startup companies based on Purdue research also were launched, up two from the previous year.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.