Top NASA colleges, universities, and professional schools contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $13.4M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 611310, down 30.9% from $19.5M in the preceding 12 months. 49 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 11 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top NASA contractors for NAICS 611310
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $5.9M | $10.1M | 43.7% | — |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | $1.8M | $3.9M | 13.6% | — |
| 3 | Auburn University | $698K | $605K | 5.2% | — |
| 4 | Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie | $497K | $486K | 3.7% | — |
| 5 | University of Toledo | $391K | $58K | 2.9% | ▲ 23 |
| 6 | University of Washington | $339K | $246K | 2.5% | ▲ 2 |
| 7 | University System of New Hampshire | $306K | $39K | 2.3% | ▲ 30 |
| 8 | University of Hawaii | $289K | $62K | 2.1% | ▲ 18 |
| 9 | The Regents of the University of Colorado | $228K | $0 | 1.7% | New |
| 10 | University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | $225K | $50K | 1.7% | ▲ 20 |
| 11 | Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia | $200K | $260K | 1.5% | ▼ 4 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin System | $198K | $216K | 1.5% | ▼ 2 |
| 13 | Montana State University | $170K | $170K | 1.3% | ▼ 1 |
| 14 | University of California, SAN Diego | $155K | $0 | 1.1% | New |
| 15 | Wichita State University | $128K | $104K | 0.9% | ▲ 4 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- University of Toledo$58K → $391K (+$333K) · now #5
- University System of New Hampshire$39K → $306K (+$267K) · now #7
- The Regents of the University of Colorado$0 → $228K (+$228K) · now #9
Largest declines
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology$10.1M → $5.9M (−$4.2M) · now #1
- California Institute of Technology$3.9M → $1.8M (−$2.1M) · now #2
- University of Miami$435K → $0 (−$435K) · no latest-period obligations
New to this market
11 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, SAN Diego | Jul 28, 2026 | $155K |
| New York University | Jul 16, 2026 | $105K |
| University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Aug 19, 2026 | $79K |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Jun 22, 2026 | $65K |
| Research Foundation for the State University of New York, the | Jan 13, 2026 | $50K |
| University of Kansas Medical Center, the | Feb 17, 2026 | $48K |
| University of Puerto Rico | May 20, 2026 | $34K |
| The University of Southern Mississippi | Jan 13, 2026 | $31K |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $13.4M | $19.5M | Down $6.0M (30.9%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| NNG14FC03C | Massachusetts Institute of Technology TRANSITING EXOPLANET SURVEY SATELLITE (TESS) PROJECT. THIS CONTRACT IS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE PHASE B BRIDGE PHASE OF THE TESS MISSION. EFFORTS INCLUDED, BUT LIMITED TO, ARE AS… | $25.9M | Dec 1, 2026 |
| 80GSFC25CA011 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT IS TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF NASA'S VERY LONG BASELINE INTERFEROMETRY (VLBI) STATIONS. | $7.5M | Jun 21, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top NASA contractors for NAICS 611310?
In the latest 12 months, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($5.9M), California Institute of Technology ($1.8M), Auburn University ($698K) received the most NASA obligations for colleges, universities, and professional schools.
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 75.9% of positive obligations, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology alone held 43.7%. 11 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large NASA NAICS 611310 contracts ending soon?
2 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is NNG14FC03C (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $25.9M obligated), ending Dec 1, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
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$12.3MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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