What does the do?

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent executive branch responsible for regulating the use of radioactive materials for civilian purposes and ensuring public and environmental health and safety. It oversees the operation and waste management of nuclear power plants and other nuclear material uses (including medical and academic). It was established in 1974.

In FY 2025,

$169M

was spent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
In FY 2025,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

How much does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission spend?

NRC spent $169 million in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 0.0024% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 55th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of NRC 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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s federal spending has decreased from $1.51 billion in 1980 to $169 million in 2025.

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s federal spending in FY 2025 was lower than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's spending has decreased 88.8%, 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, NRC accounted for 0.0024% of all federal spending. That’s 0.061 percentage points lower than 1980 and 0.00099 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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission's share of federal spending in FY 2025 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to NRC, 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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net NRC spending.

How did the Nuclear Regulatory Commission spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to NRC, FY 2025

How many people work for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission?

Some 2,000 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as of May 2026. This is 37.7% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has decreased 37.7% since 2012.

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

NRC accounts for 0.1% 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. NRC constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in May 2026 than in 2012 (0.2%).
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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s share of the workforce (0.1%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0024%).

Who leads the Nuclear Regulatory Commission?

The NRC is led by a Chairman, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. This position is part of a five-member commission, with each member serving staggered five-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.