Curtis W. Copeland
Specialist in American National Government
Understanding the characteristics and trends of the federal workforce is important because, among other things, agencies accomplish their missions via that workforce. Total personnel costs (direct compensation and benefits) for all current and retired civilian and military federal employees were estimated at nearly $590 billion in 2010. Current non-postal civilian personnel costs in the executive branch alone were estimated at nearly $230 billion. According to Office of Personnel Management’s FedScope database, three Cabinet departments—the Departments of Defense (DOD), Veterans Affairs (DVA), and Homeland Security (DHS)—accounted for about 60% of the 2.1 million executive branch civilian employees in December 2010. The duty stations for more than 35% of these employees were in four states (California, Virginia, Texas, and Maryland) and the District of Columbia, and DOD was the top federal employer in most states. DOD also employed more than 90% of federal civilian employees in foreign countries, and was the top federal employer in U.S. territories. The federal workforce grew by more than 350,000 employees between 2000 (the low point during the last 12 years) and 2010, with the growth concentrated in homeland security-related agencies, DOD, DVA, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Civilian employment in other departments and agencies has declined since 1998 (the first year in which FedScope data are available). Legislation has been introduced in the 112th Congress (H.R. 657) that attempts to reduce the size of the federal workforce, but the legislation exempts DOD, DVA, and DHS.
The number of employees in blue-collar and clerical federal jobs declined between 1998 and 2010, but the number of employees in professional and administrative jobs increased during this period. The percentage of the federal workforce that was made up of minorities also increased, but the percentage that was women declined slightly. Although women and minorities represented an increasing portion of the growing professional and administrative groups, the representation of women and minorities in the Senior Executive Service was less than their presence in the overall workforce. The federal workforce was somewhat older in 2010 than it was in 1998, but the average length of service declined from 15.2 years in 1998 to 13.5 years in 2010. The number of white-collar employees in the General Schedule pay system declined between 1998 and 2010, while the number of employees in single-agency pay systems increased (from 3.3% of the workforce in 1998 to 15.4% in 2010). The average salary of the workforce was $74,817 in 2010, but average salaries varied substantially between and within federal agencies and pay systems. Most of the highest paid employees work in a few agencies and occupations.
Although the federal workforce has grown somewhat in recent years, a 2006 study estimated that the “hidden” federal workforce of contractors and grantees grew by more than 50% between 1999 and 2005, when it reportedly included more than 10.5 million jobs in 2005. That figure is almost four times as large as the combined total of all three branches of government and the U.S. Postal Service. Additional data on the contractor workforce may be available soon.
This report will be updated when September 2011 data for the federal workforce become available.
Date of Report: April 19, 2011
Number of Pages: 28
Order Number: RL34685
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
Specialist in American National Government
Understanding the characteristics and trends of the federal workforce is important because, among other things, agencies accomplish their missions via that workforce. Total personnel costs (direct compensation and benefits) for all current and retired civilian and military federal employees were estimated at nearly $590 billion in 2010. Current non-postal civilian personnel costs in the executive branch alone were estimated at nearly $230 billion. According to Office of Personnel Management’s FedScope database, three Cabinet departments—the Departments of Defense (DOD), Veterans Affairs (DVA), and Homeland Security (DHS)—accounted for about 60% of the 2.1 million executive branch civilian employees in December 2010. The duty stations for more than 35% of these employees were in four states (California, Virginia, Texas, and Maryland) and the District of Columbia, and DOD was the top federal employer in most states. DOD also employed more than 90% of federal civilian employees in foreign countries, and was the top federal employer in U.S. territories. The federal workforce grew by more than 350,000 employees between 2000 (the low point during the last 12 years) and 2010, with the growth concentrated in homeland security-related agencies, DOD, DVA, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Civilian employment in other departments and agencies has declined since 1998 (the first year in which FedScope data are available). Legislation has been introduced in the 112th Congress (H.R. 657) that attempts to reduce the size of the federal workforce, but the legislation exempts DOD, DVA, and DHS.
The number of employees in blue-collar and clerical federal jobs declined between 1998 and 2010, but the number of employees in professional and administrative jobs increased during this period. The percentage of the federal workforce that was made up of minorities also increased, but the percentage that was women declined slightly. Although women and minorities represented an increasing portion of the growing professional and administrative groups, the representation of women and minorities in the Senior Executive Service was less than their presence in the overall workforce. The federal workforce was somewhat older in 2010 than it was in 1998, but the average length of service declined from 15.2 years in 1998 to 13.5 years in 2010. The number of white-collar employees in the General Schedule pay system declined between 1998 and 2010, while the number of employees in single-agency pay systems increased (from 3.3% of the workforce in 1998 to 15.4% in 2010). The average salary of the workforce was $74,817 in 2010, but average salaries varied substantially between and within federal agencies and pay systems. Most of the highest paid employees work in a few agencies and occupations.
Although the federal workforce has grown somewhat in recent years, a 2006 study estimated that the “hidden” federal workforce of contractors and grantees grew by more than 50% between 1999 and 2005, when it reportedly included more than 10.5 million jobs in 2005. That figure is almost four times as large as the combined total of all three branches of government and the U.S. Postal Service. Additional data on the contractor workforce may be available soon.
This report will be updated when September 2011 data for the federal workforce become available.
Date of Report: April 19, 2011
Number of Pages: 28
Order Number: RL34685
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
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