Flinn Foundation Press Room

Biosciences By the Numbers

Through Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, the annual progress of the state’s bioscience initiative is being closely gauged in areas such as job and firm creation, federal research-grant funding, and venture-capital investment. Below are popular statistical questions and answers drawing from the latest data in Battelle’s annual metrics update.

How many Arizonans work in the biosciences?

Including hospitals, which are part of Arizona’s bioscience definition, 89,674 individuals worked in the biosciences in 2008, the most recent year for which full data is available. With hospitals excluded, the number was 14,717 working in drugs and pharmaceuticals; research and testing; medical devices and equipment; and agricultural feedstock and chemicals.
What do they earn?

In 2008 in Arizona, compared to the total private-sector average of $41,920 in annual wages, Arizona bioscience jobs averaged $55,749, up 6.1% in one year. Excluding hospitals, wages for bioscience jobs were even higher—$59,828.
How many bioscience companies does Arizona have?

841.
How fast is Arizona’s bioscience sector growing?

From 2002 to 2008, Arizona's overall employment rose 15%, not enough to keep up with the state's population growth of 19%. But during that time, bioscience jobs in Arizona far outpaced population growth, rising 31%, compared to 12% for the rest of the country. Bio firms increased 32% during the same period, compared to 22% for the nation.
Where does Arizona rank in getting NIH grants?

Arizona received $157.6 million in NIH grants in 2008. This total represents a 14% increase since the 2002, when Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap was launched. The state’s goal is to match or exceed the growth rate of the nation’s top-10 states. Between 2002 and 2008, Arizona outpaced the top-10 states by 4%.
How about venture capital?

In 2008, Arizona bioscience firms attracted $65 million in venture-capital funding. However, in 2009, that amount plunged to $16.4 million as the venture-capital industry contracted sharply in the global recession. Although important initiatives have been launched to draw additional funds to Arizona, the state continues to receive less than 0.5% of the nation’s venture capital pool.
How much has Arizona invested in the biosciences?

In the 2002 Roadmap report, Battelle recommended that $1.4 billion would be needed in private and public investments over 10 years to fully implement the Roadmap plan. Though no precise figure exists, Battelle estimates that between half and two-thirds of this total has been achieved.