Rankings
Top federal sub-agencies by spending: FY2021
FY2021 · complete year · data as of 2026-07-12
≈ computed · obligations
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services obligated $1.4T in FY2021, the largest of any federal sub-agency. The bureaus, commands and administrations INSIDE the departments: the level at which spending decisions are actually made, and the level most spending coverage skips. Computed
Ranked from USASpending records. FY2020 to FY2026 are loaded. Rank vs FY2020 is each name's change in position from FY2020; a dash means the name was not in FY2020's data.
Quick findings
Computed- The top 10 account for 80% of the $5.3T combined total of all 100 sub-agencies listed.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation rose the most, from #224 in FY2020 to #87 in FY2021.
- U.S. Census Bureau fell the most among those listed, from #59 in FY2020 to #92 in FY2021.
| Rank | Name | FY2021 | FY2020 | Change | Rank vs FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Serviceswithin Health and Human Services | $1.4T | $1.4T | −1% | same |
| 02 | Social Security Administrationwithin Social Security Administration | $1.2T | $1.1T | +3% | same |
| 03 | Departmental Officeswithin the Treasury | $439.2B | $176.2B | +149% | ▲ 1 |
| 04 | Small Business Administrationwithin Small Business Administration | $334.1B | $580.4B | −42% | ▼ 1 |
| 05 | Department of Educationwithin Education | $313.1B | $110.3B | +184% | ▲ 4 |
| 06 | Food and Nutrition Servicewithin Agriculture | $174.6B | $122.9B | +42% | same |
| 07 | Administration for Children and Familieswithin Health and Human Services | $123.6B | $65.1B | +90% | ▲ 7 |
| 08 | Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administrationwithin Veterans Affairs | $122.5B | $118.2B | +4% | ▼ 1 |
| 09 | Department of the Armywithin Defense | $114.5B | $105.7B | +8% | ▲ 1 |
| 10 | Department of the Navywithin Defense | $112.7B | $151.2B | −25% | ▼ 5 |
| 11 | Under Secretary for Health/Veterans Health Administrationwithin Veterans Affairs | $84B | $68.9B | +22% | ▲ 2 |
| 12 | Department of the Air Forcewithin Defense | $80.3B | $79.4B | +1% | ▼ 1 |
| 13 | Centers for Disease Control and Preventionwithin Health and Human Services | $57.2B | $26.3B | +118% | ▲ 10 |
| 14 | Federal Highway Administrationwithin Transportation | $51.4B | $47.9B | +7% | ▲ 1 |
| 15 | Health Resources and Services Administrationwithin Health and Human Services | $49.6B | $115B | −57% | ▼ 7 |
| 16 | Federal Emergency Management Agencywithin Homeland Security | $48.5B | $76.6B | −37% | ▼ 4 |
| 17 | Department of Veterans Affairswithin Veterans Affairs | $47.7B | $39.5B | +21% | ▲ 1 |
| 18 | Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Developmentwithin Housing and Urban Development | $43.7B | $15B | +191% | ▲ 12 |
| 19 | Department of Energywithin Energy | $42.4B | $39.6B | +7% | ▼ 2 |
| 20 | National Institutes of Healthwithin Health and Human Services | $40.1B | $39.4B | +2% | ▼ 1 |
| 21 | Defense Logistics Agencywithin Defense | $39.1B | $42.2B | −7% | ▼ 5 |
| 22 | Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housingwithin Housing and Urban Development | $36.3B | $34.3B | +6% | ▼ 1 |
| 23 | Federal Transit Administrationwithin Transportation | $31B | $38.9B | −20% | ▼ 3 |
| 24 | Farm Service Agencywithin Agriculture | $25.6B | $15.7B | +64% | ▲ 4 |
| 25 | Agency for International Developmentwithin Agency for International Development | $23.3B | $21.2B | +10% | ▼ 1 |
| 26 | National Aeronautics and Space Administrationwithin National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $20.4B | $20.1B | +1% | ▼ 1 |
| 27 | Department of Statewithin State | $20.2B | $18.3B | +10% | same |
| 28 | Defense Health Agencywithin Defense | $16B | $15.5B | +4% | ▲ 1 |
| 29 | Federal Aviation Administrationwithin Transportation | $15.4B | $18.5B | −17% | ▼ 3 |
| 30 | Federal Acquisition Servicewithin General Services Administration | $14.7B | $14.4B | +2% | ▲ 1 |
| 31 | Employment and Training Administrationwithin Labor | $13.8B | $12.1B | +14% | ▲ 4 |
| 32 | Railroad Retirement Boardwithin Railroad Retirement Board | $13.5B | $13.5B | 0% | ▲ 1 |
| 33 | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrationwithin Health and Human Services | $13B | $6.5B | +98% | ▲ 7 |
| 34 | Missile Defense Agencywithin Defense | $8.8B | $12.3B | −28% | same |
| 35 | Indian Health Servicewithin Health and Human Services | $8.7B | $5.4B | +61% | ▲ 8 |
| 36 | National Science Foundationwithin National Science Foundation | $8.4B | $8B | +5% | ▲ 1 |
| 37 | Federal Communications Commissionwithin Federal Communications Commission | $7.8B | $33.1B | −77% | ▼ 15 |
| 38 | Environmental Protection Agencywithin Environmental Protection Agency | $6.1B | $6B | +2% | ▲ 4 |
| 39 | Agricultural Marketing Servicewithin Agriculture | $6.1B | $8.5B | −28% | ▼ 3 |
| 40 | Defense Information Systems Agencywithin Defense | $6B | $7.7B | −21% | ▼ 2 |
| 41 | Federal Railroad Administrationwithin Transportation | $6B | $3.5B | +71% | ▲ 7 |
| 42 | Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Educationwithin the Interior | $5.3B | $3.8B | +41% | ▲ 5 |
| 43 | Natural Resources Conservation Servicewithin Agriculture | $4.9B | $7.1B | −31% | ▼ 4 |
| 44 | Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Responsewithin Health and Human Services | $4.9B | $13.8B | −65% | ▼ 12 |
| 45 | United States Mintwithin the Treasury | $4.8B | $3.1B | +58% | ▲ 10 |
| 46 | U.S. Special Operations Commandwithin Defense | $4.5B | $4.8B | −5% | ▼ 2 |
| 47 | Administration for Community Livingwithin Health and Human Services | $4.1B | $3.4B | +22% | ▲ 3 |
| 48 | Ustranscomwithin Defense | $3.9B | $4.4B | −12% | ▼ 3 |
| 49 | U.S. Coast Guardwithin Homeland Security | $3.8B | $3.4B | +11% | ▲ 2 |
| 50 | U.S. Customs and Border Protectionwithin Homeland Security | $3.5B | $3.9B | −12% | ▼ 4 |
| 51 | Office of Procurement Operationswithin Homeland Security | $3.5B | $3.3B | +4% | ▲ 1 |
| 52 | Public Buildings Servicewithin General Services Administration | $3.4B | $3B | +15% | ▲ 4 |
| 53 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationwithin Commerce | $3.2B | $3.1B | +4% | ▲ 1 |
| 54 | Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administrationwithin Health and Human Services | $3.1B | $2.2B | +43% | ▲ 10 |
| 55 | Internal Revenue Servicewithin the Treasury | $3B | $2.4B | +27% | ▲ 6 |
| 56 | Forest Servicewithin Agriculture | $3B | $3.2B | −6% | ▼ 3 |
| 57 | Washington Headquarters Serviceswithin Defense | $2.6B | $2.5B | +1% | ▲ 1 |
| 58 | Office of Justice Programswithin Justice | $2.6B | $3.5B | −26% | ▼ 9 |
| 59 | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementwithin Homeland Security | $2.5B | $2.3B | +10% | ▲ 3 |
| 60 | Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisonswithin Justice | $2.5B | $2.2B | +14% | ▲ 3 |
| 61 | Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Managementwithin Labor | $2.5B | $2.5B | −2% | ▼ 1 |
| 62 | Federal Bureau of Investigationwithin Justice | $2.4B | $2B | +21% | ▲ 5 |
| 63 | Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissionerwithin Housing and Urban Development | $2.3B | $6.4B | −64% | ▼ 22 |
| 64 | Transportation Security Administrationwithin Homeland Security | $2.1B | $1.9B | +14% | ▲ 6 |
| 65 | Offices, Boards and Divisionswithin Justice | $2.1B | $2.7B | −22% | ▼ 8 |
| 66 | U.S. International Development Finance Corporationwithin U.S. International Development Finance Corporation | $2B | $394.5M | +419% | ▲ 44 |
| 67 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicewithin the Interior | $2B | $2B | +1% | ▼ 2 |
| 68 | Food and Drug Administrationwithin Health and Human Services | $1.9B | $1.9B | +2% | same |
| 69 | National Institute of Food and Agriculturewithin Agriculture | $1.9B | $1.7B | +15% | ▲ 4 |
| 70 | Risk Management Agencywithin Agriculture | $1.9B | $1.9B | 0% | ▼ 1 |
| 71 | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencywithin Defense | $1.8B | $1.6B | +11% | ▲ 4 |
| 72 | Maritime Administrationwithin Transportation | $1.8B | $1.8B | 0% | same |
| 73 | Rural Housing Servicewithin Agriculture | $1.8B | $2B | −10% | ▼ 7 |
| 74 | Departmental Officeswithin the Interior | $1.7B | $1.6B | +4% | same |
| 75 | National Park Servicewithin the Interior | $1.6B | $1.3B | +25% | ▲ 2 |
| 76 | Community Development Financial Institutions Fundwithin the Treasury | $1.5B | $544.3M | +168% | ▲ 20 |
| 77 | Rural Utilities Servicewithin Agriculture | $1.3B | $1.9B | −28% | ▼ 6 |
| 78 | U.S. Marshals Servicewithin Justice | $1.3B | $1.2B | +10% | same |
| 79 | Economic Development Administrationwithin Commerce | $1.2B | $1.5B | −18% | ▼ 3 |
| 80 | Office of the Chief Financial Officerwithin Agriculture | $1.1B | $1.1B | +4% | same |
| 81 | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Serviceswithin Homeland Security | $1.1B | $776.8M | +44% | ▲ 6 |
| 82 | Defense Microelectronics Activitywithin Defense | $1.1B | $1.1B | −1% | ▼ 3 |
| 83 | Bureau of Reclamationwithin the Interior | $1B | $922.2M | +9% | same |
| 84 | Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportationwithin Transportation | $1B | $648.3M | +55% | ▲ 7 |
| 85 | Defense Threat Reduction Agencywithin Defense | $989.4M | $1B | −6% | ▼ 4 |
| 86 | U.S. Patent and Trademark Officewithin Commerce | $974.4M | $875.2M | +11% | ▼ 2 |
| 87 | Millennium Challenge Corporationwithin Millennium Challenge Corporation | $962.7M | −$47.1M | — | ▲ 137 |
| 88 | Corporation for National and Community Servicewithin Corporation for National and Community Service | $934.5M | $670.9M | +39% | ▲ 1 |
| 89 | National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationwithin Transportation | $915.9M | $926M | −1% | ▼ 7 |
| 90 | Bureau of Engraving and Printingwithin the Treasury | $848.1M | $395.1M | +115% | ▲ 19 |
| 91 | Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agencywithin Defense | $833M | $534.2M | +56% | ▲ 7 |
| 92 | U.S. Census Bureauwithin Commerce | $778M | $2.5B | −69% | ▼ 33 |
| 93 | National Institute of Standards and Technologywithin Commerce | $776.4M | $601.1M | +29% | ▲ 1 |
| 94 | Foreign Agricultural Servicewithin Agriculture | $738.8M | $395.2M | +87% | ▲ 14 |
| 95 | Drug Enforcement Administrationwithin Justice | $699.8M | $791.9M | −12% | ▼ 9 |
| 96 | Department of Housing and Urban Developmentwithin Housing and Urban Development | $683.7M | $728.5M | −6% | ▼ 8 |
| 97 | Office of Assistant Secretary for Healthwithin Health and Human Services | $668.8M | $414.5M | +61% | ▲ 8 |
| 98 | Federal Prison Industries / Unicorwithin Justice | $643M | $543.4M | +18% | ▼ 1 |
| 99 | Bureau of Land Managementwithin the Interior | $634.9M | $635.8M | 0% | ▼ 7 |
| 100 | U.S. Agency for Global Mediawithin U.S. Agency for Global Media | $631.7M | $453.7M | +39% | ▲ 4 |
Sub-agencies have no page of their own; each row opens its parent department, where the full sub-agency breakdown lives. Not every loaded year carries this breakdown.
Questions
- Which federal sub-agency spends the most in FY2021?
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with $1.4T obligated in FY2021.
- What counts as a sub-agency?
- A sub-tier organisation reporting to a cabinet department or independent agency: a bureau, a military command, an administration. USASpending records both tiers on every award.
- Where does this ranking come from?
- It is computed from USASpending.gov award records, which are U.S. government works and in the public domain. Each figure is the sub-agency's obligations for FY2021. TheFiscalFinder does the ranking; the underlying figures are the government's own.
- How many sub-agencies are shown?
- The top 100 for FY2021. Each row opens that sub-agencie's own page, where the same money is broken out by year, by counterparty and by place.
- Does a high position mean anything is wrong?
- No. This is a description of where public money went in FY2021, computed from public records. It is not an allegation about anyone on it.
Related rankings
Why the labels? The graph is only worth anything if the links are trusted. Facts taken straight from a federal filing are Source; figures we calculate are Computed; links we infer (corporate parents, districts, similar contractors, connections between records) are Inferred, worded carefully, never asserted as fact and never a claim that one thing caused another. Spot an error? Tell us.