Federal Workforce at 60-Year Low: What the Numbers Mean

• The federal civilian workforce has fallen to roughly 2.03 to 2.07 million, the lowest headcount since approximately 1966
• 348,219 employees left federal service in 2025, an 80.8% increase from the prior year, while only 116,912 were hired, a 55.6% decline
• The Deferred Resignation Program cost taxpayers an estimated $4.5 billion
• USAID lost 92.4% of its workforce; Education lost 42.6%; USDA lost more than 20,000 employees
• The U.S. population has more than doubled since the 1960s, meaning federal employees per capita are at a historic low
• GAO flagged 20 of 37 high-risk government programs as at risk due to workforce shortfalls

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