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NAICS 541712 · Professional Services
SBA loans for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences
187 SBA loans worth $59.4M have been approved in this industry since FY2010 - the #557 most-financed NAICS code in the country.
Median loan
$150,000
-17% vs all industries
Typical range
$25K-$680K
Middle 80%
Median rate
6.00%
7(a) initial note rate
Median term
7 yr
Charge-off rate
11.8%
vs 7.6% all industries
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA data, as of 2026-06-30. Approvals from FY2010 onward. How we calculate this.
Lenders
Most active in this industry
| Lender | Loans | Approved | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 28 | $8.4M | |
| Small Business Access Partners, Inc. | 1 | $4.5M | |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 15 | $4.0M | |
| The Huntington National Bank | 9 | $3.3M | |
| Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. | 1 | $3.1M | |
| Portage Community Bank | 3 | $2.5M | |
| Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. | 4 | $2.2M | |
| Truist Bank | 4 | $2.0M | |
| The Yellowstone Bank | 1 | $1.4M | |
| America First Federal Credit Union | 2 | $1.3M |
Geography
Where these loans were made
| State | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 22 | |
| Florida | 17 | |
| Massachusetts | 15 | |
| Ohio | 13 | |
| Texas | 11 | |
| Utah | 9 | |
| Colorado | 8 | |
| Maryland | 8 |
An SBA 7(a) lender for loans this size
70% of the SBA loans approved in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences since FY2010 were under $350,000. SmartBiz makes SBA 7(a) loans up to $500,000. It is shown here as a separate, labelled option, outside the data rankings on this page. You apply on their site - we do not take applications and never see your information.
Check options with SmartBizWe may be paid if you apply through this link. It does not change what we publish, and no lender can buy a place in our rankings. Details.
Approvals by fiscal year
Loan count. Final bar is a partial fiscal year.
Loan sizes
- Under $50K22%
- $50K - $150K25%
- $150K - $350K23%
- $350K - $1M25%
- $1M - $2M4%
- Over $2M2%
Nearby
Other professional services industries
Common questions
- How much do SBA lenders typically lend to a research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences business?
- The median SBA approval in NAICS 541712 is $150,000, with the middle 80% of loans between $25,000 and $680,000. Across all industries the median is $180,000.
- Which lenders are most active in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences?
- By dollars approved: Wells Fargo Bank, Small Business Access Partners, Inc., Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, The Huntington National Bank, Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.. A lender's experience in your NAICS code matters - underwriters who have seen a hundred deals like yours ask better questions and move faster.
- Is research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences considered a risky industry by SBA lenders?
- Of FY2010-FY2019 approvals in this industry that have reached a terminal status, 11.8% were charged off, versus 7.6% across all SBA lending. That is materially above average, which in practice tends to mean tighter underwriting, more collateral, or a larger equity injection.
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