What does the do?

Refreshed annually

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for supporting science and engineering nationwide for the purpose of scientific progress, advancement of national health and welfare, and national security. The agency fulfills this objective primarily through making grants, funding approximately 25% of all federally supported research conducted by US colleges and universities. It was established in 1950.

In FY 2025,

$9.95B

was spent by the National Science Foundation
In FY 2025,

0.1%

of federal spending was by the National Science Foundation

How much does the National Science Foundation spend?

NSF spent $9.95 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 0.1% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 22nd among federal agencies in total spending.

The National Science Foundation accounted for 0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of NSF net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2025

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the National Science Foundation’s federal spending has increased from $3.65 billion in 1980 to $9.95 billion in 2025.

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The National Science Foundation’s federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by NSF, adjusted for inflation (2025 dollars), FYs 1980–2025

Since 1980, National Science Foundation's spending has increased 172.7%, while overall spending has increased 196.9%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2025, NSF accounted for 0.1% of all federal spending. That’s 0.013 percentage points lower than 1980 and 0.041 points lower than in 2015.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The National Science Foundation's share of federal spending in FY 2025 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to NSF, FYs 1980–2025

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2025, all of the National Science Foundation's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net NSF spending.

How did the National Science Foundation spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to NSF, FY 2025

How many people work for the National Science Foundation?

Some 1,000 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Science Foundation as of May 2026. This is 24.8% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the National Science Foundation has decreased 24.8% since 2012.

Number of federal employees working for NSF, May 2012–2026

NSF accounts for 0.055% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. NSF constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in May 2026 than in 2012 (0.07%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the National Science Foundation’s share of the workforce (0.055%) is smaller than its share of the budget (0.1%).

Who leads the National Science Foundation?

The NSF is headed by a director, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The director serves for six years and is part of the NSF Executive Office of the Director team, which includes advisors and senior leadership.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.