What does the Bureau of Economic Analysis do?

Updates published annually

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Commerce responsible for providing important economic statistics including the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States. The agency collects and analyzes data on economic performance, trade, and industry, which helps inform public policy and business decisions. It was established in 1972.

In FY 2024,

$238M

was spent by the Bureau of Economic Analysis

In FY 2024,

1.6%

of Dept. of Commerce spending was by the Bureau of Economic Analysis

How much does the Bureau of Economic Analysis spend?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis spent a net total of $238.3 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 1.6% of the $14.8 billion spent by the Department of Commerce, which itself was 0.2% of all federal spending. The BEA ranked 8th among DOC 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 Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked 8th among Department of Commerce divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOC 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 Bureau of Economic Analysis’s federal spending has increased from $81.4 million in 1980 to $238.3 million in 2024.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Bureau of Economic Analysis's spending has increased 192.7%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

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. BEA spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, BEA accounted for 0.0035% of overall federal spending.

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 Bureau of Economic Analysis’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by BEA as a share of federal spending, 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 Bureau of Economic Analysis's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all net BEA spending.

How did the Bureau of Economic Analysis spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to BEA, FY 2024

How many people work for the Bureau of Economic Analysis?

Some 473 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Bureau of Economic Analysis as of September 2024. This is 9.2% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Bureau of Economic Analysis has decreased 9.2% since 2010.

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

The Bureau of Economic Analysis accounts for 0.02% 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 September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.025%).

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 Bureau of Economic Analysis' share of the workforce (0.02%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0035%).

Who leads the Bureau of Economic Analysis?

The BEA is led by a director. This individual is appointed by the President of the United States and does not require Senate confirmation. The BEA director reports to the Secretary of Commerce. 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.

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