Mississippi least invested in research: report

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) –Though groundbreaking research happens throughout Mississippi, a new report from SmileHub found that the state still lags behind the rest of the country.

Research has largely faced roadblocks on a national level in 2025. The Trump administration cut billions of dollars of research grants across the country. Despite shortfalls in funding from the federal government, Mississippi scored low on investments into research and development nationwide. As in 2024, a weak research infrastructure led to the state being ranked the worst place for R&D nationally by SmileHub.

Mississippi has the 18th most research universities per capita. Its score largely stemmed from being ranked among the lowest number of STEM workers and graduates per capita. Below is a further breakdown of Mississippi’s research environment compared to all states.

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46th – Research Charities per Capita
48th – Research Facilities per Capita
50th – Share of STEM Professionals
42nd – Average Salary for Researchers
18th – Research Universities per Capita
49th – Share of Science and Engineering Graduates
44th – Research and Development Spending per Capita

According to the National Institutes of Health, the public sector is responsible for more than half of all basic scientific milestones. The private sector spurred just half of the same progress. Roughly $940 billion is spent on research and development in the U.S.

Research, however, still occurs in Mississippi. In July, Mississippi State University (MSU) and the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command announced a partnership to develop new technologies for the U.S. Navy.

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