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What does the do?

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a subdivision of the Department of Commerce responsible for promoting innovation and industrial competitiveness through science. It was established in 1901.

In FY 2024,

$2.32B

was spent by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
In FY 2024,

15.6%

of Dept. of Commerce spending was by the National Institute of Standards and Technology

How much does the National Institute of Standards and Technology spend?

The National Institute of Standards and Technology spent a net total of $2.32 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 15.6% of the $14.8 billion spent by the Department of Commerce, which itself was 0.2% of all federal spending. The NIST ranked second among DOC 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 National Institute of Standards and Technology ranked second among Department of Commerce divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOC 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 National Institute of Standards and Technology’s federal spending has increased from $402.6 million in 1980 to $2.32 billion in 2024.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the National Institute of Standards and Technology's spending has increased 475.4%, 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. NIST spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, NIST accounted for 0.034% 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 National Institute of Standards and Technology’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by NIST 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 National Institute of Standards and Technology's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net NIST spending.

How did the National Institute of Standards and Technology spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NIST, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Institute of Standards and Technology?

Some 3,894 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Institute of Standards and Technology as of September 2024. This is 23.1% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Institute of Standards and Technology has increased 23.1% since 2010.

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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology accounts for 0.2% 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 (0.1%).
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 National Institute of Standards and Technology's share of the workforce (0.2%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.034%).

Who leads the National Institute of Standards and Technology?

The NIST is led by a director. This individual is appointed by the president of the United States and requires Senate confirmation. The NIST director reports to the Secretary of Commerce.

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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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