Government
Data updated April 3, 2025

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating civil transportation accidents across the United States. It determines the causes of accidents, issues safety recommendations, conducts safety studies, and assists victims and their families. The NTSB covers aviation, highway, marine, pipeline, and railroad incidents. It was established in 1967.

In FY 2024,

$139M

was spent by the National Transportation Safety Board
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the National Transportation Safety Board

How much does the National Transportation Safety Board spend?

The National Transportation Safety Board spent $138.8 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.002% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 59th among federal agencies in total spending.

The National Transportation Safety Board accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of NTSB net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

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 Transportation Safety Board’s federal spending has increased from $69.2 million in 1980 to $138.8 million in 2024.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by NTSB, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, National Transportation Safety Board's spending has increased 100.7%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, NTSB accounted for 0.002% of all federal spending. That’s 0.0007 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.00095 points lower than in 1980.
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 Transportation Safety Board’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to NTSB, FYs 1980–2024

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 2024, all of the National Transportation Safety Board's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all NTSB spending.

How did the National Transportation Safety Board spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NTSB, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Transportation Safety Board?

Some 438 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Transportation Safety Board as of September 2024. This is 13.8% more people than the agency staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Transportation Safety Board has increased 13.8% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for NTSB, September 2010–2024

NTSB accounts for 0.019% 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. NTSB constituted a similar share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.019%).
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 Transportation Safety Board's share of the workforce (0.019%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.002%).

Who leads the National Transportation Safety Board?

The NTSB is led by a Chairman, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Board consists of five members, each serving five-year terms, with the president designating one member to serve as Chairman and another as Vice Chairman for two-year terms.

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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.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

    Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury logo