Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent agency responsible for providing postal services to the American public. Its primary mission is to deliver mail and packages to every address in the nation, ensuring equal service to all citizens. The USPS operates a vast network of post offices and employs hundreds of thousands of workers to manage mail sorting, delivery, and customer service. It was established in its current form in 1971, following the reorganization of the Post Office Department into its current form. The Post Office Department was established in 1792.

In FY 2024,

$3.97B

was spent by the US Postal Service
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the US Postal Service

How much does the Postal Service spend?

The US Postal Service spent $3.97 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.058% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 28th among federal agencies in total spending.

The US Postal Service accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of USPS 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 US Postal Service’s federal spending has decreased from $4.85 billion in 1980 to $3.97 billion in 2024.

The US Postal Service’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the US Postal Service's spending has decreased 18.3%, 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, USPS accounted for 0.058% of all federal spending. That’s 0.1 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.2 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 US Postal Service's share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to USPS, 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 US Postal Service's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net USPS spending.

How did the US Postal Service spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to USPS, FY 2024

Who leads the United States Postal Service?

The USPS is led by the Postmaster General. The Postmaster General is selected and appointed by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Postmaster General also sits on the board. This position can only be dismissed by the Board of Governors. The term of the Postmaster General typically continues until they resign, are replaced by the Board of Governors, or retire.

Keep exploring

Enter some text...
Enter some text...

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