R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Germany

Germany: R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel was 1.17 million Persons in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1.17 million Persons
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
2nd
of 30 countries
All-time high
1.17 million Persons
in 2023
All-time low
664,731 Persons
in 2003
Years of data
11
2003–2023

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Germany, 2003–2023

0250.0k500.0k750.0k1.0M1.2M2003201320232003: 664.7k Persons2005: 673.4k Persons2007: 721.7k Persons2009: 777.3k Persons2011: 835.1k Persons2013: 860.8k Persons2015: 915.9k Persons2017: 971.2k Persons2019: 1.0M Persons2021: 1.1M Persons2023: 1.2M 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 function — r&d personnel in Germany is 1.17 million Persons, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 35.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Germany peaked at 1.17 million Persons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 664,731 Persons, in 2003.

Germany ranks 2nd of 30 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Germany, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Germany, 2003 to 2023.
Year Persons Change
2003 664,731 Persons
2005 673,414 Persons +1.3%
2007 721,712 Persons +7.2%
2009 777,327 Persons +7.7%
2011 835,127 Persons +7.4%
2013 860,842 Persons +3.1%
2015 915,857 Persons +6.4%
2017 971,157 Persons +6.0%
2019 1.04 million Persons +6.9%
2021 1.07 million Persons +3.5%
2023 1.17 million Persons +8.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 709,296 Persons 664,731 Persons 777,327 Persons 4
2010s 924,187 Persons 835,127 Persons 1.04 million Persons 5
2020s 1.12 million Persons 1.07 million Persons 1.17 million Persons 2

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 1 Japan 1.32 million Persons compare
  2. 3 Russian Federation 679,333 Persons compare
  3. 3 United Kingdom 739,816 Persons compare
  4. 4 France 678,466 Persons compare
  5. 4 Türkiye 418,603 Persons compare
  6. 5 Poland 326,075 Persons compare
  7. 5 Italy 518,829 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More reference data data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Germany?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Germany was 1.17 million Persons in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 1.17 million Persons in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 664,731 Persons in 2003.
How does Germany rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel?
Germany ranks 2nd out of 30 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany 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 function — 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 function — R&D Personnel in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-function-r-and-d-personnel-total-economy/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
42 places, 1,049 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

This table contains research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in both headcounts and full-time equivalent on R&D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by function (researchers, technicians and other support staff).