March 18, 2005
#05-18

Press Release, 05-18

USPTO Releases List of Top 10 Universities Receiving Most Patents in 2004

PRESS RELEASE

University of California leads U.S. academic institutions for 11^th consecutive year

The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the top 10 U.S. universities receiving the most patents during calendar year 2004. Listed below are the 10 universities receiving the most patents for inventions in 2004, along with their 2003 ranking. The University of California tops the list for the 11th consecutive year.

"The development and commercialization of technology are essential to a strong economy," said Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO." Academic institutions are generators of discovery and innovation, and their patented inventions benefit all Americans through new jobs and new products that improve our lives daily.”

This report presents a preliminary list of the U.S. universities receiving the most patents for inventions (i.e., utility patents) during the 2004 calendar year. All campuses are included.

 PRELIMINARY LIST OF TOP PATENTING U.S. UNIVERSITIES
Calendar Year 2004

Rank in 2004*	Number of Patents in 2004*	U.S. University*	(Rank in 2003)	(Number of Patents in 2003)
1	424	University of California	(1)	(439)
2	135	California Institute of Technology	(2)	(139)
3	132	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	(3)	(127)
4	101	University of Texas	(4)	(96)
5	94	Johns Hopkins University	(7)	(70)
6	75	Stanford University	(5)	(85)
7	67	University of Michigan	(8)	(63)
8	64	University of Wisconsin	(6)	(84)
9	58	University of Illinois	(20)	(39)
10	52	Columbia University	(9)	(61)

*The listed patent counts are preliminary counts that are subject to correction. The final listing of patent counts for U.S. universities in 2004 should be available in late December of 2005.

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