What does the do?

Refreshed annually

The Department of Defense (DOD) is cabinet-level executive branch agency tasked with maintaining and overseeing the military forces of the United States. Its primary functions include overseeing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force; creating military policies; and managing the defense budget. It was established in 1947.

In FY 2025,

$951B

was spent by the Department of Defense
In FY 2025,

13.5%

of federal spending was by the Department of Defense

How much does the Department of Defense spend?

The Department of Defense spent $950.6 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 13.5% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked fourth among federal agencies in total spending.

The Department of Defense accounted for 13.5% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of DOD net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2025

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Department of Defense’s federal spending has increased from $599.1 billion in 1980 to $950.6 billion in 2025.

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The Department of Defense’s federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by DOD, adjusted for inflation (2025 dollars), FYs 1980–2025

Since 1980, the Department of Defense's spending has increased 58.7%, while overall spending has increased 196.9%.
The department’s spending grew less overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2025, DOD accounted for 13.5% of all federal spending. That’s 11.8 percentage points lower than in 1980 and 3.5 points lower than in 2015.
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 Department of Defense's share of federal spending in FY 2025 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to DOD, FYs 1980–2025

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 2025, the Department of Defense transferred less than 0.05% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net DOD spending.

How did the Department of Defense spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to DOD, FY 2025

How many people work for the Department of Defense?

Some 685,000 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the Department of Defense as of May 2026. This is 10.4% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the Department of Defense has decreased 10.4% since 2012.

Number of federal employees working for DOD, May 2012–2026

DOD accounts for 33.9% 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. DOD constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in May 2026 than in 2012 (36.3%).
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 Department of Defense’s share of the workforce (33.9%) is larger than its share of the budget (13.5%).

Who leads the Department of Defense?

DOD is led by the secretary of Defense, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. The defense secretary is one of the 15 cabinet members serving at the president's discretion. This appointed position typically ends when the appointee resigns, is replaced, or when a new president takes office and appoints their own cabinet. Some cabinet members serve temporarily during transitions between administrations.

In addition to the secretary and deputy secretary of defense, DOD leadership includes the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's highest-ranking military officer and foremost military advisor.

The DOD is housed in the Pentagon.

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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.