What does the Federal Bureau of Investigation do?

Updates published annually

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a subdivision of the US Department of Justice responsible for investigating and enforcing federal laws, protecting and defending the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, upholding and enforcing the criminal laws of the United States, and providing leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international partners. The FBI also focuses on cybercrime, public corruption, civil rights violations, and other major crimes. It was established in 1908.

In FY 2024,

$11.4B

was spent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

In FY 2024,

25.9%

of Dept. of Justice spending was by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

How much does the Federal Bureau of Investigation spend?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation spent a net total of $11.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 25.9% of the $44 billion spent by the Department of Justice, which itself was 0.6% of all federal spending. The FBI ranked first 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation ranked first 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s federal spending has increased from $2.37 billion in 1980 to $11.4 billion in 2024.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's spending has increased 381.1%, 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. FBI spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, FBI accounted for 0.2% 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by FBI 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all net FBI spending.

How did the Federal Bureau of Investigation spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to FBI, FY 2024

How many people work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

Some 37,414 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as of September 2024. This is 7.1% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation has increased 7.1% since 2010.

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

The Federal Bureau of Investigation accounts for 1.6% 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 (1.7%).

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s share of the workforce (1.6%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.2%).

Who leads the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

The FBI is led by a director. This individual is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by the Senate. The FBI director reports to the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. The director serves a term of ten years.

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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