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

Spain: R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D was 431,848 Persons in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
431,848 Persons
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
4th
of 25 countries
All-time high
431,848 Persons
in 2023
All-time low
87,797 Persons
in 1988
Years of data
33
1988–2023

R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Spain, 1988–2023

100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1988200520231988: 87.8k Persons1989: 99.8k Persons1990: 108.5k Persons1991: 115.3k Persons1992: 119.4k Persons1993: 122.3k Persons1994: 134.6k Persons1995: 147.0k Persons1997: 155.1k Persons1999: 178.2k Persons2001: 209.0k Persons2002: 232.0k Persons2003: 250.0k Persons2004: 267.9k Persons2005: 282.8k Persons2006: 309.9k Persons2007: 331.2k Persons2008: 352.6k Persons2009: 358.8k Persons2010: 360.2k Persons2011: 353.9k Persons2012: 342.9k Persons2013: 333.1k Persons2014: 332.9k Persons2015: 338.2k Persons2016: 341.8k Persons2017: 354.3k Persons2018: 369.3k Persons2019: 377.9k Persons2020: 378.3k Persons2021: 398.7k Persons2022: 419.6k Persons2023: 431.8k Persons

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Spain is 431,848 Persons, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Spain peaked at 431,848 Persons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 87,797 Persons, in 1988.

Spain ranks 4th of 25 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

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

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Spain, 1988 to 2023.
Year Persons Change
1988 87,797 Persons
1989 99,819 Persons +13.7%
1990 108,546 Persons +8.7%
1991 115,274 Persons +6.2%
1992 119,440 Persons +3.6%
1993 122,275 Persons +2.4%
1994 134,587 Persons +10.1%
1995 147,046 Persons +9.3%
1997 155,117 Persons +5.5%
1999 178,189 Persons +14.9%
2001 209,011 Persons +17.3%
2002 232,019 Persons +11.0%
2003 249,969 Persons +7.7%
2004 267,943 Persons +7.2%
2005 282,804 Persons +5.5%
2006 309,893 Persons +9.6%
2007 331,192 Persons +6.9%
2008 352,611 Persons +6.5%
2009 358,803 Persons +1.8%
2010 360,229 Persons +0.4%
2011 353,911 Persons -1.8%
2012 342,901 Persons -3.1%
2013 333,134 Persons -2.8%
2014 332,871 Persons -0.1%
2015 338,179 Persons +1.6%
2016 341,809 Persons +1.1%
2017 354,333 Persons +3.7%
2018 369,291 Persons +4.2%
2019 377,862 Persons +2.3%
2020 378,296 Persons +0.1%
2021 398,661 Persons +5.4%
2022 419,649 Persons +5.3%
2023 431,848 Persons +2.9%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 431,848 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 132,622 Persons, 3.3× the median. (21 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 431,848 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 136,238 Persons, 3.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 93,808 Persons 87,797 Persons 99,819 Persons 2
1990s 135,059 Persons 108,546 Persons 178,189 Persons 8
2000s 288,249 Persons 209,011 Persons 358,803 Persons 9
2010s 350,452 Persons 332,871 Persons 377,862 Persons 10
2020s 407,114 Persons 378,296 Persons 431,848 Persons 4

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 1 Japan 1.18 million Persons compare
  2. 2 Türkiye 418,603 Persons compare
  3. 2 Russian Federation 682,464 Persons compare
  4. 3 Italy 518,829 Persons compare
  5. 3 Poland 321,391 Persons compare
  6. 5 France 390,631 Persons compare
  7. 5 Croatia 28,059 Persons compare
  8. 6 Lithuania 25,940 Persons compare
  9. 6 Chinese Taipei 388,265 Persons compare
  10. 7 Belgium 164,518 Persons compare
  11. 7 Slovenia 25,863 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Spain?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Spain was 431,848 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 Spain?
The highest recorded value was 431,848 Persons in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 87,797 Persons in 1988.
How does Spain rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d?
Spain ranks 4th 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 Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain 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 Spain. 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/spain/

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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).