Government Employment and Payrolls

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff
Employees (in thousands) October payrolls (in millions)
Year and function Total Federal1State Local Total Federal1State Local
1940 4,474 1,128 3,346 $ 566 177 $389
1945 6,556 3,375 3,181 1,110 642 468
1950 6,402 2,117 1,057 3,228 1,528 613 218 696
1955 7,432 2,378 1,199 3,855 2,265 846 326 1,093
1960 8,808 2,421 1,527 4,860 3,333 1,118 524 1,691
1965 10,589 2,588 2,028 5,973 4,884 1,484 849 2,551
1970 13,028 2,881 2,755 7,392 8,334 2,428 1,612 4,294
1975 14,973 2,890 3,271 8,813 13,224 3,584 2,653 6,987
1980 16,213 2,898 3,753 9,562 19,935 5,205 4,285 10,445
1982 15,841 2,848 3,744 9,249 23,173 5,959 5,022 12,192
1983 16,034 2,875 3,816 9,344 24,525 6,302 5,346 12,878
1984 16,436 2,942 3,898 9,595 26,904 7,137 5,815 13,952
1985 16,690 3,021 3,984 9,685 28,945 7,580 6,329 15,036
1986 16,933 3,019 4,068 9,846 30,670 7,561 6,810 16,298
1987 17,212 3,091 4,116 10,005 32,669 7,924 7,263 17,482
1988 17,588 3,112 4,236 10,240 34,203 7,976 7,842 18,385
1990 18,369 3,105 4,503 10,760 39,228 8,999 9,083 21,146
1995, total 16,9852,8953,97110,11944,9899,2029,00026,787
National defense and
international relations
831 831 (2) (2) 2,6072,607(2) (2)
Postal service 849 849 (2) (2) 2,3972,397(2) (2)
Education 7,101121,4695,62018,831424,17214,617
Instructional employees 4,332n.a.4743,85813,366n.a. 1,92711,439
Highways 54742532901,37316667690
Health and hospitals 1,7303146567604,6249901,6891,945
Police protection 86586906892,8293522872,190
Fire protection 274(2) (2) 274950(2) (2) 950
Sewerage and solid waste
management
233(2) 3230609(2) 10599
Parks and recreation 27226392075747281421
Natural resources 398210152361,17169639580
Financial administration 4851311641901,325409444472
All other 3,4004321,1451,8237,6991,6211,2554,823
1. Civilians only.
2. Not applicable.
NOTE: n.a. = not available.
Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Web: www.census.gov .

Employment Status by Industry, 1929–1998Labor and EmploymentState Distribution: Extended Mass Layoff Events, Separations, and Initial Claimants for Unemployment Insurance, 1998–2000
Labor and Employment
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