Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of healthcare for all Americans. The agency conducts research to provide evidence-based information on healthcare outcomes, quality, cost, use, and access. It also develops tools and resources to help healthcare providers and policymakers make informed decisions. It was established in 1989.

In FY 2024,

$370M

was spent by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of Dept. of Health and Human Services spending was by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

How much does the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality spend?

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality spent a net total of $370.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.022% of the $1.72 trillion spent by the Department of Health and Human Services, which itself was 25.4% of all federal spending. The AHRQ ranked 10th among HHS subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ranked 10th among Department of Health and Human Services divisions in net spending in 2024.

HHS net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s federal spending has increased from $12.7 million in 1990 to $370.1 million in 2024.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1990.

Yearly federal net spending by AHRQ, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1990–2024

Since 1990, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's spending has increased 2,809.3%, while overall spending has increased 122.5%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. AHRQ spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1990, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, AHRQ accounted for 0.0055% of overall federal spending.

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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 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1990.

Net spending by AHRQ as a share of federal spending, FYs 1990–2024

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 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net AHRQ spending.

How did the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to AHRQ, FY 2024

How many people work for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality?

Some 298 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as of September 2024. This is 10.8% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has decreased 10.8% since 2010.

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

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality accounts for 0.013% 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. The division constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in 2024 compared to 2010 (0.016%).
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 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's share of the workforce (0.013%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0055%).

Who leads the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality?

The AHRQ is led by a director. This individual is appointed by the president of the United States and does not require Senate confirmation. The AHRQ director reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There is no fixed term for this position.

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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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