General highlights

In 2011, U.S. nonfarm businesses with employees spent a total of $289.9 billion on noncapitalized and capitalized information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, including computer software. This represents an increase of 10.6 percent from the revised 2010 estimate of $262.2 billion.¹ (See Summary Table 1a and 1b below.)

Noncapitalized ICT spending in 2011 was $100.2 billion (34.6 percent of total spending), which is an increase of 8.2 percent from the revised 2010 estimate of $92.6 billion. Capitalized ICT spending in 2011 was $189.7 billion (65.4 percent of total spending), an 11.8 percent increase from 2010. Note: If an increase or decrease compared with 2010 is not stated in the text, then there was no statistically significant difference between 2011 and 2010 data.²)

Noncapitalized expenditures. Of total noncapitalized ICT spending in 2011 ($100.2 billion), purchases of ICT equipment accounted for $19.2 billion (19.2 percent), an increase of 11.7 percent from 2010. Operating leases and rental payments accounted for $15.7 billion (15.7 percent). Computer software expenditures accounted for $65.2 billion (65.1 percent), an increase of 10.1 percent from 2010.

• Purchases of ICT equipment. Computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $13.2 billion (68.8 percent) of the $19.2 billion spent on noncapitalized ICT purchases, an increase of 18.6 percent from 2010. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $5.7 billion. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatuses accounted for $0.3 billion.
• Operating leases and rental payments. Of the $15.7 billion spent on noncapitalized operating leases and rental payments, computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $10.2 billion. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $4.2 billion, a 4.0 percent decrease from 2010. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus accounted for $1.3 billion.
• Computer software expenditures. Of the $65.2 billion spent on noncapitalized computer software, $29.9 billion was for purchases and payroll for developing software, an increase of 7.3 percent from 2010. $35.3 billion was for software licensing and service/maintenance agreements, an increase of $3.9 billion (12.6 percent) from 2010. (See Summary Table B below, Table 1a and 1b.)

Capitalized expenditures. Of total capitalized ICT spending in 2011 ($189.7 billion), purchases of ICT equipment accounted for $117.5 billion (61.9 percent). This is an increase of 11.1 percent from 2010. Capitalized purchases and payroll for developing software accounted for $72.2 billion (38.1 percent), an increase of 13.0 percent from 2010.

• Purchases of ICT equipment. Of the $117.5 billion spent on capitalized ICT purchases, computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $57.2 billion, an increase of 7.4 percent from 2010. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $55.0 billion, which is a 16.2 percent increase from 2010. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus accounted for $5.3 billion.(See Summary Table C below, Table 1a and 1b.)

Complete sector level data are provided in Summary Charts A, B, and C below and in the publication Tables 2a-4h.

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Endnotes

¹The revised total expenditures estimate for 2009 reflects an downward revision of $1.4 billion in noncapitalized expenditures to $88.3 billion and an upward revision of $2.7 billion in capitalized expenditures to $166.9 billion. The revisions reflect additional information and/or corrections submitted by respondents subsequent to the initial published estimates.

² Estimated measures of sampling variability have been calculated for each estimate and are used to construct 90-percent confidence intervals (or ranges) for all estimates of change. If the estimated range of change contains zero (0), then it is uncertain whether there was an increase or a decrease; that is, the change is not statistically different from zero (0), and the current estimate is not statistically different from the prior estimate at the 90-percent confidence level. See the "Reliability of the Estimates" section of the Sampling and Estimation Methodologies appendix for more information on confidence intervals and statistical significance.

The Company Statistics Division prepared this report. Charles A. Funk, Assistant Division Chief for Surveys and Programs, was responsible for the overall planning, management, and coordination. Primary assistance for planning and implementation were under the direction of Valerie C. Strang, Chief, Business Investment Branch, assisted by Venita Holland, Sara Prebble, Derrick Roy, and Victor Souphom, Section Chiefs, Business Investment Branch. Primary staff assistance was provided by Ayub Abdallah, Brian Bonner, Larry S. Chomsisengphet, Beth Evans, William Gainor, Ashley Hildebrandt, Carly Johnston, Jungjin Kang, Kimberly Keller, Demetrius Lambeth, Harold Laney Jr., Joshua Lewis, Conrad Munger, Omar Nix, Sherrita Powell, Alan Tominack, and Matt Wills. Additional assistance was provided by Marie Rustin.

General direction for statistical methodology was provided by Carol Caldwell, Assistant Division Chief for Research and Methodology, and Mark S. Sands, Chief, Statistical Research and Methods Branch. Jeffrey L. Dalzell, Tameka Johnson, Justin Smith, and Yarissa Gonzalez developed and implemented the sample design, nonresponse adjustment and estimation methodology.

The Economic Planning and Coordination Division, William Samples, Chief, Mailout and Data Capture Branch, coordinated survey mailout and data collection with Section Chiefs Stephanie Studds, Christopher Berbert, and Amanda Williams. Primary assistance was provided by Loretta Brawner, Bernadette Gray, and Dameka Hemsley.

The staff of the National Processing Center, Angela Feldman-Harkins, Assistant Division Chief for Processing, performed mailout preparation and receipt operations, clerical and analytical review activities, and data entry.

The Economic Statistical Methods and Programming Division, Kenneth Keer, Chief, Current Manufacturing and Company Statistics Annuals Branch, developed and implemented computer processing systems. Nestor Baez Jr., Supervisory Computer Specialist Systems Analyst, supervised the preparation of computer programs. Stephen Potemkin was responsible for frame creation and sample selection. Tony Duong, Barbara Harris, Kavita Khaneja, and Diane Musachio were assigned primary programming responsibilities.

Finally, a special acknowledgment is due to the many businesses whose cooperation was essential to the success of this report.

If you have any questions concerning the statistics in this report, call 301-763-3324.