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What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for managing the civil service of the federal government. Its functions include coordinating the recruitment of new government employees, managing health insurance and retirement benefits programs, and providing resources for job seekers. Established in 1979, it serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager for the federal government.

In FY 2024,

$118B

was spent by the Office of Personnel Management
In FY 2024,

1.7%

of federal spending was by the Office of Personnel Management

How much does the Office of Personnel Management spend?

The Office of Personnel Management spent $118.3 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 1.7% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 8th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Office of Personnel Management accounted for 1.7% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of OPM 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 Office of Personnel Management’s federal spending has increased from $58.4 billion in 1980 to $118.3 billion in 2024.

The Office of Personnel Management’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Office of Personnel Management's spending has increased 102.6%, 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, OPM accounted for 1.7% of all federal spending. That’s 0.6 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.8 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 Office of Personnel Management’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to OPM, 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 Office of Personnel Management's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all OPM spending.

How did the Office of Personnel Management spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to OPM, FY 2024

Read related content about the Office of Personnel Management:

How many people work for the Office of Personnel Management?

Some 3,000 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Office of Personnel Management as of September 2024. This is 51.8% fewer people than the department staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Office of Personnel Management has decreased 51.8% since 2010.

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

OPM 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. OPM constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.3%).
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 Office of Personnel Management's share of the workforce (0.1%) is smaller than its share of the budget (1.7%).

Who leads the Office of Personnel Management?

OPM is headed by the director of the Office of Personnel Management, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. The director oversees federal human resources management and policy implementation across the federal workforce. This appointed position typically ends when the appointee resigns, is replaced, or when a new president assumes office and appoints their own leadership, though some directors may serve temporarily during transitions between administrations. OPM is an independent agency, meaning it operates within the executive branch but outside the president's cabinet, giving it some level of autonomy.

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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.

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