Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is a subdivision of the Department of Labor responsible for providing job training, and labor market information to prospective job seekers. The agency aims to strengthen the workforce. It offers programs and initiatives to support job seekers, employers, and communities in achieving economic stability and growth. It was established in its current form in 1975.

In FY 2024,

$46.4B

was spent by the Employment and Training Administration
In FY 2024,

85.5%

of Dept. of Labor spending was by the Employment and Training Administration

How much does the Employment and Training Administration spend?

The Employment and Training Administration spent a net total of $46.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 85.5% of the $54.3 billion spent by the Department of Labor, which itself was 0.8% of all federal spending. The ETA ranked first among DOL 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 Employment and Training Administration ranked first among Department of Labor divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOL 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 Employment and Training Administration’s federal spending has decreased from $111.1 billion in 1980 to $46.4 billion in 2024.

The Employment and Training Administration’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Employment and Training Administration's spending has decreased 58.2%, 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. ETA spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, ETA accounted for 0.7% 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 Employment and Training Administration’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by ETA 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, the Employment and Training Administration transferred 22.8% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net ETA spending.

How did the Employment and Training Administration spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to ETA, FY 2024

How many people work for the Employment and Training Administration?

Some 1,141 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Employment and Training Administration as of September 2024. This is 9.8% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Employment and Training Administration has decreased 9.8% since 2010.

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

The Employment and Training Administration accounts for 0.049% 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 (0.06%).
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 Employment and Training Administration's share of the workforce (0.049%) is smaller than its share of the budget (0.7%).

Who leads the Employment and Training Administration?

The ETA is led by an Assistant Secretary. This individual is appointed by the President of the US and confirmed by the Senate. 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

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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