This study explores the individual and institutional factors that affect the scientific production of Ecuadorian universities. Through the design and application of a linear regression model, the affectation of each variable to the production as a whole is exposed. The results show that the institutional factors, projects and laboratories are significant and that they positively influence the final product of the scientific research process. Researchers and the number of PhDs that universities have are still of little significance despite their impact. The result says that women are less productive than men and that researchers produce more between the ages of 30 and 39. It is also established that the number of collaborators can have a negative effect. This information may allow decision-makers to consider incentives within the public policy framework of the National Higher Education System to promote higher levels of scientific production.