In the United States, the federal statistical system (FSS) refers to a decentralized network of federal agencies which produce data and official statistics about the people, economy, natural resources, and infrastructure of the country. It is led by the chief statistician of the United States (CSOTUS) and the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy and is composed of 13 principal statistical agencies and 3 recognized statistical units, 24 Statistical Officials (across 24 major cabinet agencies), approximately 100 additional federal statistical programs engaged in statistical activities, and several cross system interagency and advisory bodies.
Background In contrast to many other countries, the United States does not have a primary statistical agency. Instead, the statistical system is decentralized, with 13 statistical agencies, two of which are independent agencies and the remaining 11 generally located in different government departments. This structure keeps statistical work in close proximity to the various cabinet-level departments that use the information. In addition, three other statistical units of government agencies are recognized by the OMB as having statistical work as part of their mission.
As of fiscal year 2013 (FY13), the 13 principal statistical agencies have statistical activities as their core mission and conduct much of the government's statistical work. A further 89 federal agencies were appropriated at least $500,000 of statistical work in FY11, FY12, or FY13 in conjunction with their primary missions. All together, the total budget allocated to the federal statistical system is estimated to be $6.7 billion for FY13. In FY20, FY21, and FY22, the total budgets allocated to the federal statistical system are estimated to be $12.0, $7.0, and $7.1 billion, respectively. The larger budget size of FY20 is attributable to the 2020 census, amounting to 54% of the FY20 budget.
The federal statistical system is coordinated through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OMB establishes and enforces statistical policies and standards, ensures that resources are proposed for priority statistical programs, and approves statistical surveys conducted by the Federal government under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Chief Statistician of the United States, also housed within OMB, provides oversight, coordination, and guidance for federal statistical activities, working in collaboration with leaders of statistical agencies.
Centralization efforts To streamline operations and reduce costs, several proposals have been made to consolidate the federal statistical system into fewer agencies, or even a single agency. In 2011, President Barack Obama's proposal to reorganize the U.S. Department of Commerce included placing several statistical agencies under one umbrella.
Principal statistical agencies +Principal statistical agenciesSealAgencyDepartmentEstablishedFY13 budget est. (millions)FY22 budget est. (millions)Census BureauU.S. Department of Commerce1903$1,000.4$1,518.8Bureau of Labor StatisticsU.S. Department of Labor1884$618.2$700.1National Center for Education StatisticsU.S. Department of Education1867$317.0$333.6National Agricultural Statistics ServiceU.S. Department of Agriculture1961$179.5$193.7National Center for Health Statistics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)U.S. Department of Health and Human Services1960$161.8$175.4Energy Information AdministrationU.S. Department of Energy1977$116.4$126.8Bureau of Economic AnalysisU.S. Department of Commerce1972$96.5$112.7Economic Research ServiceU.S. Department of Agriculture1961$77.4$90.6Bureau of Justice StatisticsU.S. Department of Justice1979$68.0$54.4National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics(National Science Foundation)Independent agency1950$42.6$72.6Statistics of Income Division(Internal Revenue Service)U.S. Department of the Treasury1862$39.5$41.3Bureau of Transportation StatisticsU.S. Department of Transportation1992$38.0$26.0Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics(Social Security Administration)Independent agency1935$29.3$37.8
+Total staff levels of principal statistical agencies 2019-2022Agency2019202020212022Census Bureau46,117317,66137,57317,403Bureau of Labor Statistics2,1932,2002,2282,360National Center for Education Statistics93939698National Agricultural Statistics Service894870892911National Center for Health Statistics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)501481486481Energy Information Administration333359359366Bureau of Economic Analysis503455495495Economic Research Service316329275332Bureau of Justice Statistics56505353National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics(National Science Foundation)57575454Statistics of Income Division(Internal Revenue Service)139140144138Bureau of Transportation Statistics60616380Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics(Social Security Administration)80706968
+Number of Statisticians, Economists, Research Scientists, and Other Statistical Personnel in Principal Statistical Agencies Year 2022AgencyStatisticiansEconomistsResearch ScientistsOther Statistical PersonnelCensus Bureau2,25211700Bureau of Labor Statistics1651,16910370National Center for Education Statistics55100National Agricultural Statistics Service591010National Center for Health Statistics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)1680870Energy Information Administration84846610Bureau of Economic Analysis8284051Economic Research Service324803Bureau of Justice Statistics33000National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics(National Science Foundation)253014Statistics of Income Division(Internal Revenue Service)214201Bureau of Transportation Statistics2415041Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics(Social Security Administration)2171732 Statistical units These are subcomponents of agencies recognized by the OMB as having statistical work as part of their mission:
Microeconomic Surveys Unit (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services) National Animal Health Monitoring System (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture)
Cross system bodies Interagency Council on Statistical Policy Started in 1989, the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP) was originally created to improve communication among the heads of the principal statistical agencies, and later was charged with advising and assisting the CSOTUS. The Evidence Act expanded membership to include the newly established Statistical Officials across major cabinet agencies, 11 of which are also heads of principal statistical agencies. The ICSP, led by the CSOTUS, supports implementation of the statistical system's vision to operate as a seamless system, working together to provide strategic vision and robust implementation in support of the U.S. Federal statistical system's critical longstanding — and expanding — role for supporting evidence-based decision-making. For example, the ICSP sets strategic goals for modernizing the statistical system, as well as enhancing coordination and collaboration across the system, recognizing the efficiencies and advancements possible when taking advantage of the whole system's statistical infrastructure and expertise.
Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology The mission of the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) includes advising the CSOTUS and ICSP on methodological and statistical issues that affect the quality of Federal data. The FCSM sponsors regular conferences, hosts seminars and workshops, sponsors interest groups on statistical methodology topics of broad Federal interest, and develops best practices and tools to support the Federal statistical system and the broader Federal data community.
Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee The Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee (FESAC), established in 1999, advises the Directors of the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of the Census and the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics on statistical methodology and other technical matters related to the collection, tabulation, and analysis of federal economic statistics. It consists of approximately 16 unpaid members, from the fields of economics, statistics, survey methodology, behavioral science, and computer science. An example of their work was to identify ways to improve response rates for job surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of February 28, 2025, the committee was terminated by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
See also Federal Statistical Research Data Centers Statistical Policy Directive
References
External links
ICSP FCSM FESAC