What does the Drug Enforcement Administration do?

Updates published annually

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Justice responsible for enforcing the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States. The agency aims to reduce the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets. It also works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and collaborates with other agencies to combat drug-related crimes. It was established in 1973.

In FY 2024,

$2.61B

was spent by the Drug Enforcement Administration

In FY 2024,

5.9%

of Dept. of Justice spending was by the Drug Enforcement Administration

How much does the Drug Enforcement Administration spend?

The Drug Enforcement Administration spent a net total of $2.61 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 5.9% of the $44 billion spent by the Department of Justice, which itself was 0.6% of all federal spending. The DEA ranked 5th among DOJ 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 Drug Enforcement Administration ranked 5th among Department of Justice divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOJ 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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s federal spending has increased from $794.6 million in 1980 to $2.61 billion in 2024.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, Drug Enforcement Administration's spending has increased 228.3%, 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. DEA spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, DEA accounted for 0.038% 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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by DEA 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 Drug Enforcement Administration's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all net DEA spending.

How did the Drug Enforcement Administration spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to DEA, FY 2024

How many people work for the Drug Enforcement Administration?

Some 8,912 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Drug Enforcement Administration as of September 2024. This is 10.3% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Drug Enforcement Administration has decreased 10.3% since 2010.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration accounts for 0.4% 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 (0.5%).

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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s share of the workforce (0.4%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.038%).

Who leads the Drug Enforcement Administration?

The DEA is led by an Administrator. This individual is nominated by the President of the United States and requires confirmation by the Senate. The Administrator reports to the Attorney General and is responsible for overseeing the enforcement of the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States. 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