R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Singapore

Singapore: R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D was 61,693 Persons in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
61,693 Persons
Change on year
up 3.5%
World rank
20th
of 25 countries
All-time high
61,693 Persons
in 2023
All-time low
10,748 Persons
in 1993
Years of data
31
1993–2023

R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Singapore, 1993–2023

20.0k40.0k60.0k1993200820231993: 10.7k Persons1994: 11.4k Persons1995: 13.0k Persons1996: 15.4k Persons1997: 17.2k Persons1998: 19.0k Persons1999: 20.6k Persons2000: 25.2k Persons2001: 25.2k Persons2002: 26.8k Persons2003: 28.8k Persons2004: 31.0k Persons2005: 34.5k Persons2006: 36.2k Persons2007: 38.3k Persons2008: 40.5k Persons2009: 41.4k Persons2010: 43.2k Persons2011: 44.8k Persons2012: 45.0k Persons2013: 47.2k Persons2014: 47.9k Persons2015: 50.5k Persons2016: 50.0k Persons2017: 49.3k Persons2018: 49.7k Persons2019: 53.2k Persons2020: 53.6k Persons2021: 55.5k Persons2022: 59.6k Persons2023: 61.7k Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

Singapore recorded 61,693 Persons for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in 2023. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 30.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Singapore peaked at 61,693 Persons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10,748 Persons, in 1993.

Singapore ranks 20th of 25 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Singapore, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Singapore, 1993 to 2023.
Year Persons Change
1993 10,748 Persons
1994 11,384 Persons +5.9%
1995 13,025 Persons +14.4%
1996 15,419 Persons +18.4%
1997 17,219 Persons +11.7%
1998 19,007 Persons +10.4%
1999 20,612 Persons +8.4%
2000 25,220 Persons +22.4%
2001 25,162 Persons -0.2%
2002 26,824 Persons +6.6%
2003 28,825 Persons +7.5%
2004 31,006 Persons +7.6%
2005 34,522 Persons +11.3%
2006 36,191 Persons +4.8%
2007 38,255 Persons +5.7%
2008 40,502 Persons +5.9%
2009 41,384 Persons +2.2%
2010 43,159 Persons +4.3%
2011 44,846 Persons +3.9%
2012 44,986 Persons +0.3%
2013 47,246 Persons +5.0%
2014 47,867 Persons +1.3%
2015 50,484 Persons +5.5%
2016 49,964 Persons -1.0%
2017 49,295 Persons -1.3%
2018 49,701 Persons +0.8%
2019 53,210 Persons +7.1%
2020 53,608 Persons +0.7%
2021 55,510 Persons +3.5%
2022 59,609 Persons +7.4%
2023 61,693 Persons +3.5%

Singapore compared with similar countries

  • Singapore's 61,693 Persons is below the median for high income countries, which is 132,622 Persons, 47% of the median. (21 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 15,345 Persons 10,748 Persons 20,612 Persons 7
2000s 32,789 Persons 25,162 Persons 41,384 Persons 10
2010s 48,076 Persons 43,159 Persons 53,210 Persons 10
2020s 57,605 Persons 53,608 Persons 61,693 Persons 4

Countries ranked near Singapore

  1. 17 Norway 89,864 Persons compare
  2. 18 South Africa 89,604 Persons compare
  3. 19 Argentina 73,558 Persons compare
  4. 21 Ireland 55,482 Persons compare
  5. 22 Romania 48,103 Persons compare
  6. 23 Bulgaria 35,179 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Singapore

All data for Singapore →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Singapore?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Singapore was 61,693 Persons in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d recorded in Singapore?
The highest recorded value was 61,693 Persons in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d recorded in Singapore?
The lowest recorded value was 10,748 Persons in 1993.
How does Singapore rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d?
Singapore ranks 20th out of 25 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d rising or falling in Singapore?
Over the last ten years it is up 30.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Singapore data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Singapore. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-formal-qualification-r-and-d-personnel/singapore/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
34 places, 789 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

This table presents research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in headcounts;D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by formal qualification (university and other diplomas by ISCED classification).