Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What percentage of the federal budget is spent on SNAP in 2023 or 2024?
Executive Summary
The available analyses converge: federal outlays for SNAP in fiscal year 2024 were roughly $99–$112 billion, representing about 1.5–1.6% of total federal spending in commonly cited estimates. Fiscal year 2023 SNAP outlays are reported in the $90–$112 billion range depending on inclusion of disaster or temporary benefits, and differences among sources reflect variations in accounting choices and total federal budget baselines [1] [2] [3]. These figures show SNAP is a modest share of overall federal spending while remaining the largest federal nutrition program and a major share of USDA and food-assistance outlays [4].
1. Why the headline numbers vary — unpacking the dollar totals and percentages
Different sources report SNAP spending for FY2023 and FY2024 in a narrow but meaningful band: one analysis cites $112 billion in FY2023 and $95 billion in FY2024, another cites $90.1 billion in FY2023 excluding disaster benefits, and multiple sources converge on about $100 billion for FY2024 [5] [2] [3]. The percentage of the federal budget attributed to SNAP is typically reported as 1.5%–1.6% for FY2024, a figure produced when analysts divide SNAP outlays by the broad measure of total federal spending used in those reports [1] [4]. The numerical spread comes from differences in whether emergency/disaster benefits are included, whether figures are inflation-adjusted, and which total federal spending baseline is used—all legitimate methodological choices that change the percentage by a few tenths of a point [1] [2].
2. Multiple authoritative tallies: how recent reports line up
Published data points from reputable analyses show consistent directionality: USDA and research outlets place FY2024 SNAP outlays at roughly $99.8–$100.3 billion, with benefits comprising about 93–94% of that total and average monthly benefits near $187–$188 per person [3] [6] [1]. Other policy analyses and budget summaries report FY2023 outlays near $112 billion but note a drop into FY2024 as pandemic-era emergency spending and higher caseloads receded [5] [2]. The Government Accountability Office reported $90.1 billion in FY2023 excluding disaster benefits, illustrating how inclusion rules materially alter headline totals and why reported percentages of the overall federal budget can differ [2].
3. What the 1.5%–1.6% share actually means in fiscal context
When analysts state SNAP is 1.5% or 1.6% of federal spending in FY2024, they place SNAP alongside much larger budget categories—Social Security, Medicare, and defense—that individually represent far larger shares. The 1.5%–1.6% figure is accurate within standard accounting conventions used by multiple sources and reflects that SNAP, while vital to millions, is a relatively small slice of total federal outlays [1] [4]. This percentage also corresponds with the program being roughly half of the USDA’s budget and about 70–73% of federal food assistance spending, emphasizing SNAP’s dominance within nutrition programs even as it remains a modest share of total federal spending [4].
4. Policy changes and future projections that could shift the share
Analysts note recent legislative and policy shifts that will alter SNAP spending trajectories: some reports reference proposals or enacted changes that could reduce SNAP outlays by substantial amounts over a decade (e.g., a cited $187 billion reduction over ten years), which would lower future SNAP shares of federal spending if enacted [4]. Other sources forecast continued decline from FY2023 levels to FY2024 primarily as emergency and pandemic-era boosts wind down, a trajectory already reflected in the FY2023-to-FY2024 decline in dollar outlays reported across sources [5] [3]. These dynamics mean the 1.5%–1.6% snapshot for FY2024 is contingent on current law and caseload trends and could move modestly up or down under new policy, economic, or enrollment shifts.
5. Reconciling different voices and what to watch next
The dataset shows consistent core facts: FY2024 SNAP spending ≈ $100 billion and ≈1.5%–1.6% of federal outlays, FY2023 spending ranged higher depending on accounting choices, and SNAP remains the primary federal nutrition program [1] [3] [4]. Variations across reports stem from defensible methodological differences—treatment of disaster benefits, inflation adjustments, and total federal spending baselines—rather than contradictory arithmetic [2] [1]. To track changes, monitor official USDA outlays, Office of Management and Budget totals for federal spending, and legislative actions that explicitly change SNAP eligibility or benefit formulas; those will determine whether SNAP’s share of the federal budget stays near 1.5%–1.6% or shifts in coming years [1] [4].