Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of in United States

United States: Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of was 2.47 million National currency in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
2.47 million National currency
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
7th
of 29 countries
All-time high
2.47 million National currency
in 2024
All-time low
129,805 National currency
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of in United States, 1970–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M197019972024

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in National currency.

Analysis

United States recorded 2.47 million National currency for annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 44.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United States peaked at 2.47 million National currency in 2024 and was at its lowest, 129,805 National currency, in 1970.

United States ranks 7th of 29 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of in United States, year by year

Annual values for Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of employees in United States, 1970 to 2024.
Year National currency Change
1970 129,805 National currency
1971 142,836 National currency +10.0%
1972 156,100 National currency +9.3%
1973 167,563 National currency +7.3%
1974 180,978 National currency +8.0%
1975 199,817 National currency +10.4%
1976 213,528 National currency +6.9%
1977 230,051 National currency +7.7%
1978 250,739 National currency +9.0%
1979 271,293 National currency +8.2%
1980 298,542 National currency +10.0%
1981 329,139 National currency +10.2%
1982 357,640 National currency +8.7%
1983 380,392 National currency +6.4%
1984 408,447 National currency +7.4%
1985 442,219 National currency +8.3%
1986 470,007 National currency +6.3%
1987 498,543 National currency +6.1%
1988 535,394 National currency +7.4%
1989 577,502 National currency +7.9%
1990 625,026 National currency +8.2%
1991 667,631 National currency +6.8%
1992 707,659 National currency +6.0%
1993 730,825 National currency +3.3%
1994 755,941 National currency +3.4%
1995 777,866 National currency +2.9%
1996 798,821 National currency +2.7%
1997 828,478 National currency +3.7%
1998 865,629 National currency +4.5%
1999 915,615 National currency +5.8%
2000 973,339 National currency +6.3%
2001 1.04 million National currency +6.9%
2002 1.11 million National currency +6.9%
2003 1.18 million National currency +6.2%
2004 1.24 million National currency +5.3%
2005 1.30 million National currency +4.7%
2006 1.36 million National currency +4.5%
2007 1.44 million National currency +5.4%
2008 1.51 million National currency +5.1%
2009 1.56 million National currency +3.3%
2010 1.61 million National currency +3.3%
2011 1.62 million National currency +0.6%
2012 1.62 million National currency +0.1%
2013 1.67 million National currency +2.7%
2014 1.71 million National currency +2.5%
2015 1.76 million National currency +3.0%
2016 1.80 million National currency +2.3%
2017 1.85 million National currency +2.6%
2018 1.92 million National currency +4.1%
2019 1.98 million National currency +2.9%
2020 2.05 million National currency +3.4%
2021 2.11 million National currency +3.0%
2022 2.17 million National currency +2.9%
2023 2.31 million National currency +6.7%
2024 2.47 million National currency +6.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 194,271 National currency 129,805 National currency 271,293 National currency 10
1980s 429,782 National currency 298,542 National currency 577,502 National currency 10
1990s 767,349 National currency 625,026 National currency 915,615 National currency 10
2000s 1.27 million National currency 973,339 National currency 1.56 million National currency 10
2010s 1.75 million National currency 1.61 million National currency 1.98 million National currency 10
2020s 2.22 million National currency 2.05 million National currency 2.47 million National currency 5

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 4 Netherlands 97,515 National currency compare
  2. 4 Russia 10.17 million National currency compare
  3. 5 Lithuania 9,149 National currency compare
  4. 5 Hungary 8.40 million National currency compare
  5. 6 Slovenia 7,644 National currency compare
  6. 6 Costa Rica 5.21 million National currency compare
  7. 7 Latvia 5,333 National currency compare
  8. 8 Sweden 813,478 National currency compare
  9. 8 Estonia 4,872 National currency compare
  10. 9 Czechia 775,674 National currency compare
  11. 10 Norway 702,202 National currency compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More public sector data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United States?
Annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United States was 2.47 million National currency in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 2.47 million National currency in 2024.
What is the lowest annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 129,805 National currency in 1970.
How does United States rank for annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of?
United States ranks 7th out of 29 countries with data for 2024.
Is annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is up 44.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United States data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of employees. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of in United States. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/annual-government-expenditure-by-function-cofog-compensation-of-employees/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of employees
Unit
National currency
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
40 places, 1,137 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

This table provides a breakdown of government expenditure according to the Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG), which shows how much governments spend in areas such as health, education, environmental protection, defence and servicing public debt. The presentation is on a country-by-country basis. Users are recommended to select one country (or area) at a time in the ‘Reference area’ filter. Data is presented for each country in national currency as well as in euros for the European Union and the euro area. Data are also available, for most countries, for the sub-sectors of general government. Specific categories of expenditure (such as health and education) can be selected using the ‘Expenditure’ filter, while details of the type of expenditure such as compensation of employees (payment of wages and salaries and employers’ social contributions) can be selected using the ‘Transaction’ filter. For government final consumption expenditure a breakdown is also provided, in the ‘Transaction’ filter, between individual and collective consumption expenditure. Data is for General Government. For most countries, results are also available for the General Government sub-sectors: central, local and state (regional) government and social security. These sub-sectors can be selected using the ‘Institutional sector’ filter. These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the SNA_TABLE11 dataset. See ANA Changes for information on changes in methodology: ANA Changes Explore also the Government Finances and Public Sector Debt webpage: Government Finances and Public Sector Debt webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org