UT Research by the Numbers
The discoveries and achievements of UT’s talented faculty, staff, and students are taking UT to the next level.
At a glance
$386.95M
total research expenditures
(FY 2024)
$189.01M
federal research expenditures
(FY 2024)
No. 7
in the nation for US Department of Energy Funding
(NSF HERD 2023)
No. 9
in the nation for National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships
(FY 2025)
No. 14
in the nation among public universities without a medical school
(NSF HERD 2023)
3
of the top 10 graduate programs in the nation
(US News & World Report 2025)
No. 14
in the nation among public universities for innovation
(US News & World Report 2025)
95
UT Extension programs in all 95 Tennessee counties
9
world-class core facilities
IEPU
APLU designation as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University
(since 2020)
Carnegie
Classification for Community Engagement
(since 2015)
Economic impact
$107.19M
capital raised by UT-affiliated start-ups
(FY 2024)
$8.62M
industry-sponsored research expenditures
(FY 2024)
5
innovation gateways advancing Tennessee’s economic growth
157
US patents granted
(FY 2021-2025)
130
invention disclosures filed
(FY 2025)
80
start-ups created and supported in UT programs
(FY 2025)
31
licenses and options executed
(FY 2025)
9
members of the National Academy of Inventors
(FY 2025)
Education and workforce development
2,776
graduate students enrolled in UT doctoral programs (FY 2025)
4,324
undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in entrepreneurship courses (FY 2025)
No. 3
nuclear engineering graduate program in the nation (US News & World Report 2025)
No. 4
printmaking program in the nation (US News & World Report 2025)
No. 6
supply chain graduate program in the nation (US News & World Report 2025)
Faculty excellence
141
Fulbright US Scholars (FY 2025)
111
American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows (FY 2025)
93
National Science Foundation CAREER Awards (FY 2025)
43
faculty hires in seven transdisciplinary cluster initiatives
Top 10
in the US for National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships (since 2004)
10
members of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (FY 2025)
9
Rhodes Scholars
7
Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers (FY 2025)
1
Turing Award
US national laboratory partnerships
100
US national laboratory scientists with joint appointments at UT
(FY 2025)
51
joint patents and licenses with national laboratory researchers
(FY 2025)
12
UT faculty with joint appointments in national laboratories
(FY 2025)
50
new researchers to be hired by 2030 for convergent research initiatives with ORNL
Accelerate the momentum
Industry, government, and community organizations have experienced the power of collaborating with a leading land-grant research university.