Top 50 NIH-Funded Institutions of FY 2025: Who’s Leading U.S. Biomedical Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to drive cutting-edge biomedical research in the United States, funding universities, medical schools, and research hospitals that push the boundaries of science. Despite proposed budget cuts and policy uncertainties, NIH grants remain the backbone of research innovation.
GEN – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News recently published the Top 50 NIH-Funded Institutions for FY 2025, detailing funding amounts, awards, and year-over-year changes.
1. FY 2025 NIH Funding Overview
The FY 2025 fiscal year began under uncertainty, with an initial proposal to cut NIH funding by nearly 40%. Congressional action ultimately preserved funding at around $48 billion, protecting thousands of research jobs and ongoing projects. Despite these challenges, U.S. biomedical research thrived, as reflected in the top NIH-funded institutions.
2. Top 50 NIH-Funded Institutions Table (FY 2025)
| Rank | Institution | FY 2025 Awards | FY 2025 Funding | FY 2024 Funding | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | 1,355 | $843,061,683 | $857,947,550 | −1.7% |
| 2 | University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | 1,409 | $811,379,767 | $814,929,934 | −0.4% |
| 3 | Washington University in St. Louis | 1,121 | $721,123,172 | $732,416,824 | −1.5% |
| 4 | University of Michigan | 1,238 | $716,248,479 | $733,944,984 | −2.4% |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | 1,206 | $710,436,938 | $691,186,108 | +2.8% |
| 6 | Yale University | 1,096 | $679,347,931 | $645,860,184 | +5.2% |
| 7 | University of Pittsburgh | 1,112 | $665,641,437 | $661,207,841 | +0.7% |
| 8 | Massachusetts General Hospital | 1,023 | $640,488,083 | $655,235,087 | −2.3% |
| 9 | Stanford University | 1,062 | $631,094,928 | $613,087,148 | +2.9% |
| 10 | Columbia University Health Sciences | 934 | $592,839,078 | $639,122,474 | −7.2% |
| 11 | Duke University | 932 | $591,811,105 | $580,240,770 | +2.0% |
| 12 | University of California, San Diego | 924 | $561,206,829 | $560,905,361 | +0.1% |
| 13 | University of Washington | 876 | $509,155,820 | $572,511,103 | −11.1% |
| 14 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 822 | $505,435,341 | $496,007,005 | +1.9% |
| 15 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 907 | $496,022,993 | $531,331,717 | −6.6% |
| 16 | Emory University | 845 | $480,046,333 | $488,003,286 | −1.6% |
| 17 | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | 689 | $475,084,508 | $489,895,569 | −3.0% |
| 18 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | 522 | $451,429,969 | $483,917,664 | −6.7% |
| 19 | New York University School of Medicine | 589 | $437,048,819 | $490,227,441 | −10.8% |
| 20 | Brigham and Women’s Hospital | 625 | $408,923,933 | $388,162,121 | +5.3% |
| 21 | Northwestern University at Chicago | 653 | $400,283,606 | $419,497,487 | −4.6% |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 642 | $394,053,672 | $408,486,498 | −3.5% |
| 23 | University of Minnesota | 687 | $367,166,792 | $380,177,972 | −3.4% |
| 24 | University of Southern California | 486 | $365,195,294 | $356,438,477 | +2.5% |
| 25 | University of Colorado Denver | 771 | $356,023,542 | $349,635,650 | +1.8% |
| 26 | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 268 | $354,314,992 | $304,988,696 | +16.2% |
| 27 | The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | 576 | $318,460,058 | $299,934,824 | +6.2% |
| 28 | Weill Medical College of Cornell University | 515 | $310,453,906 | $314,704,675 | −1.4% |
| 29 | Oregon Health & Science University | 458 | $307,413,866 | $277,032,651 | +11.0% |
| 30 | Baylor College of Medicine | 545 | $301,088,859 | $326,123,057 | −7.7% |
| 31 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 537 | $297,422,992 | $334,417,936 | −11.1% |
| 32 | University of California at Davis | 504 | $297,095,438 | $277,681,916 | +7.0% |
| 33 | The Ohio State University | 525 | $288,841,912 | $260,901,807 | +10.7% |
| 34 | Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) | 413 | $288,485,494 | $278,615,843 | +3.5% |
| 35 | University of Florida | 546 | $277,796,798 | $267,145,245 | +4.0% |
| 36 | University of Chicago | 429 | $267,146,793 | $268,513,190 | −0.5% |
| 37 | University of Utah | 532 | $255,157,021 | $275,111,410 | −7.3% |
| 38 | Indianapolis University Indianapolis | 395 | $245,813,481 | $246,388,431 | −0.2% |
| 39 | Boston Children’s Hospital | 405 | $238,508,221 | $229,894,668 | +3.7% |
| 40 | Sloan Kettering Institute | 322 | $238,427,558 | $204,712,597 | +16.5% |
| 41 | University of California, Irvine | 431 | $232,624,931 | $256,390,021 | −9.3% |
| 42 | University of Virginia | 424 | $229,477,925 | $193,343,481 | +18.7% |
| 43 | University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center | 358 | $216,247,564 | $190,932,740 | +13.3% |
| 44 | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences | 378 | $209,347,321 | $183,842,080 | +13.9% |
| 45 | The University of Maryland, Baltimore | 371 | $193,909,633 | $198,556,669 | −2.3% |
| 46 | University of Massachusetts (UMass) Chan Medical School | 342 | $188,661,178 | $193,362,252 | −2.4% |
| 47 | Albert Einstein College of Medicine | 272 | $186,959,542 | $193,669,301 | −3.5% |
| 48 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | 316 | $183,817,343 | $163,358,703 | +12.5% |
| 49 | University of Arizona | 292 | $183,405,230 | $170,451,989 | +7.6% |
| 50 | Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC) | 274 | $178,911,320 | $191,173,327 | −6.4% |
3. Key Observations
Top Funded Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, UCSF, and Washington University in St. Louis lead in NIH grants, reflecting decades of excellence in biomedical research.
Biggest Year-Over-Year Gains: University of Virginia (+18.7%), Sloan Kettering Institute (+16.5%), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (+16.2%), highlighting growth in strategic research programs.
Biggest Declines: University of Washington (−11.1%), University of Alabama at Birmingham (−11.1%), and NYU School of Medicine (−10.8%), largely due to indirect cost caps and shifts in NIH priorities.
Geographic Trends: California dominates with seven institutions, followed by New York (6) and Massachusetts (5). Texas is emerging as a major NIH-funded hub.
4. Conclusion
The FY 2025 NIH funding list reflects both the resilience and dynamic nature of U.S. biomedical research. While top institutions maintain their leadership, emerging hubs and rapid growth in states like Texas and Virginia indicate that the landscape is evolving. NIH grants not only fund research but also enable scientific innovation, workforce development, and life-saving discoveries.
For researchers, students, and policymakers, this list serves as a benchmark of excellence and a roadmap for future biomedical leadership.
