Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is a subdivision of the Department of the Treasury responsible for designing and producing paper currency (but not coins — those are produced by US Mint), and ensuring enough are in circulation. The agency ensures the integrity and security of the nation's currency and other government documents through advanced printing techniques and technologies. It was established in 1862.

In FY 2024,

-$162M

in net spending was recorded by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

How much does the Bureau of Engraving and Printing spend?

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing spent a net total of -$162.3 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing ranked 8th among TREAS 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 Engraving and Printing ranked 8th among Department of the Treasury divisions in net spending in 2024.

TREAS 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 Engraving and Printing’s federal spending has decreased from $17.7 million (in 2024 dollars) in 1980 to -$162.3 million in 2024.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by Bureau of Engraving and Printing, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's net spending has decreased by $180 million, while overall federal spending has increased from $2.31 trillion (in 2024 dollars) to $6.78 trillion, or 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. In 2024, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing offset 0.0024% of all federal spending with negative net 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 Bureau of Engraving and Printing offset 0.0024% of overall federal spending in FY 2024.

Net spending by Bureau of Engraving and Printing 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 Engraving and Printing's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net Bureau of Engraving and Printing spending.

How did the Bureau of Engraving and Printing spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to Bureau of Engraving and Printing, FY 2024

How many people work for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing?

Some 1,932 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing as of September 2024. This is 0% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has increased 0% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for Bureau of Engraving and Printing, September 2010–2024

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing accounts for 0.084% 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 (0.091%).
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 Engraving and Printing's share of the workforce (0.084%) is larger than its share of the budget (-0.0024%).

Who leads the Bureau of Engraving and Printing?

The BEP is led by a Director. This individual is appointed by the president of the United States and does not require Senate confirmation. The BEP director reports to the Secretary of the Treasury. 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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