National estimates of activities of science and engineering faculty in universities and four-year colleges for 1978-1979 are examined, based on a National Science Foundation survey of faculty members in 20 science and engineering (S/E) fields. Individual respondents provided information for only one 7-day period; however, the survey sample was spread over an entire year. Findings include the following: over the survey period, full-time S/E faculty in universities devoted an average of 48 hours per week to professional activities, while faculty in four-year colleges averaged about 43 hours; university faculty spend about one-third of their professional time (16 hours per week) in research, and federally-sponsored time accounted for about 9 of these hours; four-year college faculty averaged about 5 hours per week in research, reflecting in part a low level of federal support at this level; overall, about 3 out of 10 research hours were not supported by federal or other sponsors, including the faculty member's own institution; four-year college faculty spent about 22 hours per week in instructional activities, roughly 7 hours more than their university counterparts; authoring publications for compensation consumed one-half of the approximately 4 hours spent per week by university faculty in earning outside income, while consulting accounted for another one-third of such activities; and although the average work week was about 15 hours shorter in the summer months, the average weekly number of hours spent in research varied little by season. Information is also provided by academic discipline, and comparisons are made regarding sponsored and unsponsored research. Detailed statistical tables, technical notes, and the questionnaire are included. (SW)