How Much Does the US Spend on Military?
In 2024, the United States spent $968 billion on its military — according to SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. That's 3.4% of GDP, 38% of all global military spending, and more than the next 10 countries combined. Every second, the Pentagon spends roughly $30,700.
$968B
2024 Military Spending
3.4%
% of GDP
38%
% of World Total
$2,870
Per American / Year
The Short Answer
The US spent $968 billion on defense in 2024 (SIPRI estimate including supplemental spending). The official DoD base budget was $886 billion, but when you add nuclear weapons managed by the Department of Energy, veterans' care, intelligence agencies, and interest on war debt, the true national security budget exceeds $1.4 trillion — roughly $4,200 per American per year.
US Military Spending Since 2000
| Year | Amount (2024$) | President | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $566.4B | Clinton | — |
| 2001 | $571B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2002 | $641.1B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2003 | $729.7B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2004 | $795.3B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2005 | $831.9B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2006 | $843.9B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2007 | $866.4B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2008 | $929.5B | W. Bush | War on Terror |
| 2009 | $1T | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2010 | $1T | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2011 | $1T | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2012 | $962.4B | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2013 | $888.4B | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2014 | $833.8B | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2015 | $814.8B | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2016 | $812.3B | Obama | War on Terror |
| 2017 | $804B | Trump | War on Terror |
| 2018 | $828.2B | Trump | War on Terror |
| 2019 | $875.2B | Trump | War on Terror |
| 2020 | $916.4B | Trump | War on Terror |
| 2021 | $906.6B | Biden | War on Terror |
| 2022 | $896.1B | Biden | War on Terror / Ukraine Support |
| 2023 | $916B | Biden | War on Terror / Ukraine Support |
| 2024 | $968.4B | Biden | War on Terror / Ukraine / Red Sea |
How Does US Spending Compare to Other Countries?
The US spends more on its military than China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Germany, France, Japan, and South Korea combined. China — the next highest spender — allocates roughly $318 billion, about a third of the US figure. Russia spends $151 billion.
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, 2024 estimates.
Where Does the Money Go?
The Pentagon's budget is divided into major categories. Operations & Maintenance is the largest at $318 billion — this includes the massive cost of private contractors, who now cost the DoD more than uniformed personnel. Research & Development at $145 billion funds hypersonic missiles, AI warfare, cyber operations, and classified programs.
Day-to-day costs, logistics, contractor services, facility upkeep
Pay and benefits for 1.3M active duty troops and 800K reserves
Weapons systems, vehicles, ships, and aircraft purchases
Next-gen weapons, hypersonics, AI, cyber, and space programs
Base construction, housing, and facility upgrades
Black budget programs, nuclear weapons (DOE), intelligence
What Does $968 Billion Actually Mean?
- • $2.65 billion per day — more than the annual GDP of many small nations
- • $110 million per hour — enough to fund 2,200 teachers for a year, every hour
- • $30,700 per second — the median American salary, spent every second on defense
- • 53% of discretionary spending — more than education, health, housing, energy, and EPA combined
- • The Pentagon has never passed a financial audit despite being required by law since 1990
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is US military spending so high?
The US maintains 750+ overseas military bases in 80+ countries, 11 aircraft carrier strike groups, a nuclear triad, and the world's most advanced weapons systems. The military-industrial complex — led by contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX — spends over $100 million per year lobbying Congress to increase budgets. Defense spending has increased virtually every year under both parties since 9/11.
Is US military spending going up or down?
Up — consistently. The FY2024 defense budget of $886 billion was a record. Congress added $44 billion more than the White House requested. FY2025 is projected to exceed $900 billion. In inflation-adjusted terms, the US now spends more on defense than at the peak of the Vietnam War or the Reagan buildup. Only WWII spending was higher.
Does $968B include veterans and nuclear weapons?
The SIPRI figure of $968 billion includes some supplemental spending beyond the base DoD budget. However, it does not include veterans' care ($325B), nuclear weapons managed by the Department of Energy ($50B), the intelligence community ($90B+), Homeland Security ($62B), or interest on war debt ($100B+). When all national-security-related spending is included, the true figure exceeds $1.4 trillion per year. See our full 2024 spending breakdown.