What does the Department of Veterans Affairs do?

Updates published annually

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for providing healthcare services, benefits programs, and access to national cemeteries for the nation's veterans and their dependents. It was established as the Veterans Administration in 1930 and elevated to cabinet status in 1989.

In FY 2024,

$325B

was spent by the Department of Veterans Affairs

In FY 2024,

4.8%

of federal spending was by the Department of Veterans Affairs

How much does the Department of Veterans Affairs spend?

The Department of Veterans Affairs spent $324.9 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 4.8% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 5th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Department of Veterans Affairs accounted for 4.8% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of VA 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 Department of Veterans Affairs' federal spending has increased from $82.3 billion in 1980 to $324.9 billion in 2024.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Department of Veterans Affairs' spending has increased 294.8%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

The department’s spending grew more than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, VA accounted for 4.8% of all federal spending. That’s 0.6 percentage points higher than 2014 and 1.2 points higher 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 Department of Veterans Affairs’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to VA, 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, the Department of Veterans Affairs transferred 0.7% of its total spending to states and local governments.

The chart below outlines all VA spending.

How did the Department of Veterans Affairs spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to VA, FY 2024

Read related content about the Department of Veterans Affairs:

Supporting veterans: Over 93% of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual spending funds pensions, compensation, medical care, and education programs for veterans.
Disabled veteran compensation: The average annual veteran disability compensation payment ranges from $1,425 to $48,227 per person.

How many people work for the Department of Veterans Affairs?

Some 483,000 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Department of Veterans Affairs as of September 2024. This is 56.4% more people than the department staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Department of Veterans Affairs has increased 56.4% since 2010.

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

VA accounts for 20.9% 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. VA constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (14.9%).

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 Department of Veterans Affairs' share of the workforce (20.9%) is larger than its share of the budget (4.8%).

Who leads the Department of Veterans Affairs?

The VA is led by the secretary of Veterans Affairs, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. They are one of the 15 cabinet members who serve at the president's discretion. This appointed position typically ends when the appointee resigns, is replaced, or when a new president takes office and appoints their own cabinet. Some cabinet members serve temporarily during transitions between administrations.

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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