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What does the do?

Updates published annually

The National Park Service (NPS) is a subdivision of the US Department of the Interior responsible for managing and preserving national parks, monuments, and other historical sites across the United States. The agency's primary mission is to conserve the natural and cultural resources within these areas for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. It also works to protect the ecological integrity of these sites while providing recreational opportunities for the public. It was established in 1916.

In FY 2024,

$4.48B

was spent by the National Park Service
In FY 2024,

26.2%

of Dept. of the Interior spending was by the National Park Service

How much does the National Park Service spend?

The National Park Service spent a net total of $4.48 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 26.2% of the $17.1 billion spent by the Department of the Interior, which itself was 0.3% of all federal spending. The NPS ranked first among DOI 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 Park Service ranked first among Department of the Interior divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOI 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 Park Service’s federal spending has decreased from $4.85 billion in 1980 to $4.48 billion in 2024.

The National Park Service’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, the National Park Service's spending has decreased 7.5%, 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. NPS spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, NPS accounted for 0.066% 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 Park Service’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by NPS 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 National Park Service transferred 7.6% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net NPS spending.

How did the National Park Service spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NPS, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Park Service?

Some 21,866 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Park Service as of September 2024. This is 18.7% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Park Service has decreased 18.7% since 2010.

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

The National Park Service 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 smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (1.3%).
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 Park Service's share of the workforce (0.9%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.066%).

Who leads the National Park Service?

The National Park Service (NPS) is led by a Director. This individual is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The Director of the NPS reports to the Secretary of the Interior. The term length for the Director is not fixed, and they serve at the pleasure of the President.

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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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