What does the National Institutes of Health do?

Updates published annually

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a subdivision of the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for conducting and supporting medical research to improve public health. The agency funds and conducts research in various fields of biomedical science, including the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. It also provides training for researchers and disseminates health information to the public. It was established in 1887.

In FY 2024,

$48.2B

was spent by the National Institutes of Health

In FY 2024,

2.8%

of Dept. of Health and Human Services spending was by the National Institutes of Health

How much does the National Institutes of Health spend?

The National Institutes of Health spent a net total of $48.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 2.8% of the $1.72 trillion spent by the Department of Health and Human Services, which itself was 25.4% of all federal spending. The NIH ranked third 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 National Institutes of Health ranked third 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 National Institutes of Health’s federal spending has increased from $12.5 billion in 1980 to $48.2 billion in 2024.

The National Institutes of Health’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the National Institutes of Health's spending has increased 283.8%, 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. NIH spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, NIH accounted for 0.7% 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 National Institutes of Health’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by NIH 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 Institutes of Health's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all net NIH spending.

How did the National Institutes of Health spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NIH, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Institutes of Health?

Some 21,097 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Institutes of Health as of September 2024. This is 8.6% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Institutes of Health has increased 8.6% since 2010.

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

The National Institutes of Health accounts for 0.9% 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 similar share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.9%).

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 Institutes of Health's share of the workforce (0.9%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.7%).

Who leads the National Institutes of Health?

The NIH is led by the Director of the National Institutes of Health. This individual is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The NIH Director reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 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