How much federal funding does Harvard actually receive every year?

Harvard receives a significant amount of federal funding each year, but the total varies annually based on grants, contracts, and changing government priorities. In recent years, Harvard's federal funding has been around $650 million to $750 million annually. Most of this money comes in the form of research grants, which support faculty projects in medical, scientific, engineering, and social science fields. The main sources are agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Defense.

A smaller portion of federal support includes student aid (like Pell Grants and federal work-study funds) and occasional special awards for specific initiatives or facilities. For example, Harvard Medical School and the School of Public Health are among the largest recipients within the university, given their extensive biomedical research portfolios. You might find the most detailed breakdown by searching for Harvard’s "Annual Financial Report" or by looking at the government's USASpending.gov database, which tracks federal contracts and grants by recipient.

Larger research universities like MIT, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins generally receive even more federal research dollars than Harvard, but Harvard's total is still among the top recipients nationwide. The amount an institution receives usually reflects both its research intensity and its historic strengths in certain fields.

For undergraduates, federal research funding usually doesn't affect day-to-day academics directly, because most dollars are designated for graduate-level or postdoctoral research. However, it can boost undergraduate opportunities in several ways. Undergrads at Harvard often find research positions, work-study jobs, or summer projects funded by these grants, especially in science labs. Access to cutting-edge research facilities and faculty who are leaders in their fields is another benefit indirectly tied to high federal funding.

In short, Harvard’s receipt of hundreds of millions from the federal government mainly supports research, but it does trickle down to enrich the undergraduate experience—especially if you’re interested in hands-on projects or considering research as part of your academic path.