Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) vs United States: R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size

Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 2024
United States
1.97 million Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 2022
Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) rank
3rd
United States rank
1st

R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size over time

  • Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
  • United States
500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M199020072024

How they compare

United States currently reports 1.97 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) against 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026), a difference of 278,460 Full-time equivalent (FTE).

That makes United States's figure about 1.2 times Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)'s.

Across all 9 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) ranks 3rd and United States ranks 1st of 4 regions.

United States has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) United States Difference Ahead
2010s 1.17 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) 1.36 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) 196,307 Full-time equivalent (FTE) United States
2020s 1.52 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) 1.91 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) 390,070 Full-time equivalent (FTE) United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size, Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) or United States?
United States, at 1.97 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) against 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) as of 2022.
What is the difference in r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size between Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) and United States?
278,460 Full-time equivalent (FTE), with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) and United States?
9 years are reported by both, from 2011 to 2022.
How do Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) and United States rank globally for r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size?
Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) ranks 3rd and United States ranks 1st of 4 regions.
Where does this data come from?
Eurostat, published as R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size class and sex. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) vs United States: R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 19 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/r-and-d-personnel-and-researchers-in-business-enterprise-sector-by-size-class-and-sex/euro-area-21-countries-from-2026/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size class and sex
Unit
Full-time equivalent (FTE)
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
56 places, 1,751 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed