Research Adds $10 Billion to Oregon Economy
A new federal analysis ranks Oregon eighth nationally for the economic role research plays, with electronics manufacturing carrying much of that value.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Economic Indicators
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Research contributed nearly $10 billion in economic value to Oregon in 2024, according to a new U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis methodology for measuring research and development by state. Oregon ranks No. 8 nationally, while Washington and California lead the country.
Why it matters
Researchers tend to be highly educated and highly paid, and research ideas attract capital that can create new businesses and industries. Oregon's dependence on electronics makes its research economy sensitive to decisions by major semiconductor employers.
Research and development represents 3.0% of Oregon's economic output, compared with 2.5% of national GDP, and electronics manufacturing contributed $4.3 billion in 2024, or 43% of research's value to the state. The full effect of Intel's recent cuts on that figure has not yet been measured.
The players
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
The federal statistical agency that developed the new methodology for measuring research and development and estimating its contribution to each state's economy.
Intel
The semiconductor manufacturer whose advanced research operations in Hillsboro have been a major part of Oregon's research economy and whose recent cuts have reduced jobs in the state.
The details
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis developed a new methodology for measuring research and development in the U.S. economy and estimating each state's contribution. Intel has its most advanced semiconductor research in Hillsboro and historically employed more than 2,000 scientists with Ph.D.s in Oregon, but has cut research spending across the company and eliminated several thousand Oregon jobs over the past two years.
Timeline
2024: Research contributed nearly $10 billion to Oregon's economy.
Over the past two years: Intel cut research spending and eliminated several thousand Oregon jobs.
Big Picture
The Bureau of Economic Analysis's new methodology allows states such as Oregon to be compared directly on research's contribution, placing Oregon eighth nationally behind Washington and California. The measurement shows how concentrated research value can be in a single manufacturing sector.
For Oregon households, research-driven jobs tend to be highly paid, so changes in research employment can shift local incomes and tax revenue. Residents working in or near Hillsboro's semiconductor sector are the most directly affected by Intel's reductions.
The takeaway
Oregon's research economy depends heavily on electronics, so readers tracking state economic health should watch semiconductor employment as a leading indicator. Official Bureau of Economic Analysis state data is the best place to monitor how these figures change over time.
Further reading
For more on how such measures are tracked, see Economic Indicators coverage for Oregon.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Oregon Live.
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