Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Peace Corps (PC) is an independent federal agency responsible for sending trained American volunteers abroad to support community-led projects in areas such as education, health, agriculture, and economic development. It also fosters cross-cultural understanding between Americans and the communities they serve. It was established in 1961.

In FY 2024,

$482M

was spent by the Peace Corps
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Peace Corps

How much does the Peace Corps spend?

The Peace Corps spent $481.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0071% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 45th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Peace Corps accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of PC 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 Peace Corps' federal spending has increased from $392 million in 1980 to $481.6 million in 2024.

The Peace Corps’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, Peace Corps' spending has increased 22.9%, 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, PC accounted for 0.0071% of all federal spending. That’s 0.0029 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.0099 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 Peace Corps’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to PC, 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 Peace Corps' spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all PC spending.

How did the Peace Corps spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to PC, FY 2024

How many people work for the Peace Corps?

Some 994 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Peace Corps as of September 2024. This is 6.5% more people than the agency staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Peace Corps has increased 6.5% since 2010.

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

PC accounts for 0.043% 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. PC constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.045%).
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 Peace Corps' share of the workforce (0.043%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0071%).

Who leads the Peace Corps?

The Peace Corps is led by a Director, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Director typically serves at the president’s discretion and may remain in the role until they resign, are replaced, or a successor is appointed and confirmed.

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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