Where $11.2 Trillion in Federal Spending Actually Goes

The federal government spent $11.2 trillion in recent fiscal years. That number is so large it loses meaning. OpenSpending breaks it down into something you can actually understand — every contract, every grant, every agency, searchable and explorable.

The Contractor Monopoly Problem

One of the most eye-opening findings from our analysis: just 10 companies receive $183 billion in federal contracts. The concentration of taxpayer money in a handful of defense and technology contractors raises serious questions about competition, pricing, and accountability.

OpenSpending lets you explore the full contractor landscape:

• Search any company to see their total federal contract value
• Compare contractors within the same industry or agency
• Track how contract values have changed year over year
• Identify sole-source contracts vs. competitive bids

Interest Exceeds Defense: $952 Billion

Here's a number that should concern every American: the federal government now spends $952 billion per year on interest payments alone. That exceeds the entire defense budget.

OpenSpending visualizes this in context — showing how interest payments have grown over time, how they compare to discretionary spending categories, and what it means for the programs Americans depend on. When nearly a trillion dollars goes to servicing debt before a single road is paved or a single student receives a loan, the fiscal picture becomes starkly clear.

The DOGE Reality Check

The Department of Government Efficiency has claimed $55 billion in savings. But our analysis of actual spending data tells a different story: federal spending grew by $390 billion during the same period.

OpenSpending's DOGE tracker compares claimed savings against actual expenditures, providing a reality check grounded in data rather than press releases. Users can:

• See claimed savings vs. actual spending changes by agency
• Track whether "efficiency" measures actually reduced expenditures
• Compare DOGE-targeted agencies to non-targeted ones
• View the net fiscal impact after accounting for all changes

The Interactive Tax Calculator

One of OpenSpending's most popular features is the tax calculator. Enter your annual income, and we'll show you exactly where your federal tax dollars go — broken down by category, agency, and program.

It's one thing to know the government spends $11.2 trillion. It's another to see that $1,247 of your taxes went to interest payments, $983 went to defense, and $42 went to NASA. Making spending personal makes it real.

Every Dollar, Searchable

OpenSpending processes data from USASpending.gov, the Federal Procurement Data System, and agency financial reports to create a unified, searchable platform. Every contract, every grant, every intergovernmental transfer — indexed, categorized, and made accessible.

Visit openspending.us to explore federal spending, check DOGE claims against reality, calculate your tax breakdown, and see where $11.2 trillion actually goes.