What does the do?

Refreshed 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 2025,

$120B

was spent by the Office of Personnel Management
In FY 2025,

1.7%

of federal spending was by the Office of Personnel Management

How much does the Office of Personnel Management spend?

Office of Personnel Management spent $119.7 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 1.7% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked eighth among federal agencies in total spending.

The Office of Personnel Management accounted for 1.7% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of OPM 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 Office of Personnel Management’s federal spending has increased from $60 billion in 1980 to $119.7 billion in 2025.

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The Office of Personnel Management’s federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, Office of Personnel Management's spending has increased 99.6%, 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, OPM accounted for 1.7% of all federal spending. That’s 0.7 percentage points lower than 2015 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 2025 was lower than in FY 1980.

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

How did the Office of Personnel Management spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to OPM, FY 2025

How many people work for the Office of Personnel Management?

Some 2,000 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the Office of Personnel Management as of May 2026. This is 65.8% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the Office of Personnel Management has decreased 65.8% since 2012.

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

OPM accounts for 0.098% 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 May 2026 than in 2012 (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 (0.098%) 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.