Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, geographically isolated, or medically vulnerable. The agency provides funding to health providers, supports health workforce training, and oversees discounted prescription drug progams. It was established in 1982.

In FY 2024,

$14.6B

was spent by the Health Resources and Services Administration
In FY 2024,

0.8%

of Dept. of Health and Human Services spending was by the Health Resources and Services Administration

How much does the Health Resources and Services Administration spend?

The Health Resources and Services Administration spent a net total of $14.6 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.8% of the $1.72 trillion spent by the Department of Health and Human Services, which itself was 25.4% of all federal spending. The HRSA ranked 4th among HHS 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 Health Resources and Services Administration ranked 4th among Department of Health and Human Services divisions in net spending in 2024.

HHS 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 Health Resources and Services Administration’s federal spending has increased from $6.37 billion in 1982 to $14.6 billion in 2024.

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1982.

Yearly federal net spending by HRSA, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1982–2024

Since 1982, Health Resources and Services Administration spending has increased 129%, while overall spending has increased 177%.
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. HRSA spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1982, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, HRSA accounted for 0.2% 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 Health Resources and Services Administration’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1982.

Net spending by HRSA as a share of federal spending, FYs 1982–2024

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 Health Resources and Services Administration transferred 21.4% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net HRSA spending.

How did the Health Resources and Services Administration spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to HRSA, FY 2024

How many people work for the Health Resources and Services Administration?

Some 2,689 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Health Resources and Services Administration as of September 2024. This is 57.5% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Health Resources and Services Administration has increased 57.5% since 2010.

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

The Health Resources and Services Administration accounts for 0.1% 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 larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.081%).
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 Health Resources and Services Administration's share of the workforce (0.1%) is smaller than its share of the budget (0.2%).

Who leads the Health Resources and Services Administration?

The HRSA is led by an administrator, who is nominated by the president of the United States and requires Senate confirmation. The IHS director reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

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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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