The University of California was named the top institution in the United States for receiving utility patents, according to a new ranking released by the National Academy of Inventors on March 19.
Patents are considered important for maintaining America’s competitive advantage over other global economies such as China and India. They also help ensure that Americans have early access to leading innovations in health, technology, and other fields.
The University of California leads not only in federal research funding but also in delivering results through innovation. The university produces nearly twice as many patents as the second-place U.S. university and generates more patents than government agencies and nonprofits, including the Department of Energy. According to the National Academy of Inventors, UC is also ranked number one globally. “UC leads on foundational science (75 Nobel Prizes, more than any other university) while also leading on commercialization, impacting daily life,” the release said.
This achievement is partly attributed to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which allowed universities, small businesses, and nonprofits to own inventions from federally funded research and license new technology to companies. The policy incentivized institutions to reinvest revenue from licensing back into innovation and commercialization efforts. Before this act, federal agencies had licensed only 1,400 inventions; by 2024, U.S. universities licensed 9,500 inventions in a single year.
Currently, UC holds rights to over 6,800 active patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. From 1996 to 2020, university-held patents generated $1.9 trillion in economic output, created 6.5 million jobs in the United States, and led to more than 19,000 startups according to The Association of University Technology Managers.
The National Academy of Inventors compiles its Top 100 U.S. Universities List annually using patent data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The organization includes more than 4,600 individual members affiliated with over 260 institutions worldwide; among them are 162 faculty members from UC.
