R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA 2024 (Latest Data & Historical Trends)
Comparison of R&D expenditure as percentage of GDP between China and the USA from 2010 to 2024. China data from NBS; USA data from NSF/OECD.
Quick Answer
China's R&D spending was 2.6% of GDP in 2025, versus USA's 3.5%. China's percentage has grown from 0.7% in 1995, while USA has been stable at 3-3.5%. In absolute terms, USA spends $700 billion versus China's $460 billion. China targets 3% by 2030. Comparative data from OECD and National Bureau of Statistics.
Data table
Latest data preview
Showing the latest 5 observations from 2010 to 2024. Use CSV or API for the complete machine-readable series.
| Period | China | Usa |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2.68 | 3.45 |
| 2023 | 2.64 | 3.52 |
| 2022 | 2.55 | 3.46 |
| 2021 | 2.44 | 3.51 |
| 2020 | 2.40 | 3.45 |
Show full historical table
| Period | China | Usa |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.71 | 2.84 |
| 2011 | 1.78 | 2.77 |
| 2012 | 1.91 | 2.71 |
| 2013 | 1.99 | 2.72 |
| 2014 | 2.02 | 2.76 |
| 2015 | 2.06 | 2.79 |
| 2016 | 2.11 | 2.85 |
| 2017 | 2.13 | 2.90 |
| 2018 | 2.19 | 2.93 |
| 2019 | 2.24 | 3.05 |
| 2020 | 2.40 | 3.45 |
| 2021 | 2.44 | 3.51 |
| 2022 | 2.55 | 3.46 |
| 2023 | 2.64 | 3.52 |
| 2024 | 2.68 | 3.45 |
About This Dataset
Comparison of R&D expenditure as percentage of GDP between China and the USA from 2010 to 2024. China data from NBS; USA data from NSF/OECD.
The latest row (2024) reports China: 2.68% and USA: 3.45%.The dataset spans 15 data points from 2010 to 2024, updated yearly.
API
curl https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/rd-expenditure-gdp-comparison 📚 How to Cite This Data
Citation Format:
China Data Portal (2026). R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA. Retrieved from https://chinadata.live/data/rd-expenditure-gdp-comparison/
Primary Source:
World Bank, UNESCO
Data as of:
2024
API Access:
GET https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/rd-expenditure-gdp-comparison Frequently Asked Questions
What does the R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA dataset report for 2024?
The latest row (2024) reports China: 2.68% and USA: 3.45%. This dataset includes 15 data points covering 2010 to 2024.
Where does R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA data come from?
R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA data is sourced from World Bank, UNESCO and structured by China Data Portal for charting, CSV download, and API access.
Where can I download R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA data?
You can download R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA data from China Data Portal via our free API at https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/rd-expenditure-gdp-comparison. Data is available in JSON and CSV formats.
What is the data range for R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA?
The R&D Expenditure % GDP: China vs USA dataset covers 2010 to 2024, with 15 data points. Data source: World Bank, UNESCO.