United States Military Spending
United States spends an estimated 3.4% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $929.2 billion (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1949–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$975.6 billion
Ranked #1 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
3.4%
Ranked #31 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+5.0%
From $929.2B in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$1061.7 billion
Reached in 2010
How the 2026 figures are produced. The share-of-GDP figure is a per-country estimate researched from announced and enacted national defence budgets. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 5%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for United States run to 2025.
United States Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, United States is estimated to have spent $975.6 billion on military and defense, representing 3.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. United States is the #1 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 5.0%, from $929.2 billion to $975.6 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 13.9% in 1952. The historical average military budget is 5.9% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 3.50% | $1,022,079M |
| 2026(estimate) | 3.40% | $975,621M |
| 2025 | 3.12% | $929,163M |
| 2024 | 3.43% | $1,004,901M |
| 2023 | 3.29% | $943,033M |
| 2022 | 3.30% | $922,553M |
| 2021 | 3.40% | $933,334M |
| 2020 | 3.64% | $943,447M |
| 2019 | 3.41% | $901,032M |
| 2018 | 3.30% | $852,585M |
| 2017 | 3.30% | $827,674M |
| 2016 | 3.40% | $836,291M |
| 2015 | 3.46% | $838,865M |
| 2014 | 3.68% | $858,357M |
| 2013 | 4.02% | $914,617M |
| 2012 | 4.46% | $990,831M |
| 2011 | 4.82% | $1,049,103M |
| 2010 | 4.90% | $1,061,674M |
| 2009 | 4.88% | $1,032,168M |
| 2008 | 4.45% | $956,872M |
| 2007 | 4.07% | $891,986M |
| 2006 | 4.04% | $868,803M |
| 2005 | 4.09% | $856,462M |
| 2004 | 4.02% | $818,751M |
| 2003 | 3.83% | $751,203M |
| 2002 | 3.45% | $660,012M |
| 2001 | 3.12% | $587,822M |
| 2000 | 3.11% | $583,087M |
| 1999 | 3.09% | $561,363M |
| 1998 | 3.20% | $559,985M |
| 1997 | 3.41% | $572,922M |
| 1996 | 3.55% | $575,901M |
| 1995 | 3.86% | $609,029M |
| 1994 | 4.22% | $651,999M |
| 1993 | 4.60% | $687,751M |
| 1992 | 4.97% | $726,638M |
| 1991 | 4.88% | $689,542M |
| 1990 | 5.61% | $780,581M |
| 1989 | 5.87% | $814,460M |
| 1988 | 6.07% | $821,399M |
| 1987 | 6.42% | $838,949M |
| 1986 | 6.63% | $845,890M |
| 1985 | 6.45% | $793,444M |
| 1984 | 6.24% | $740,140M |
| 1983 | 6.32% | $703,681M |
| 1982 | 6.81% | $720,586M |
| 1981 | 5.65% | $609,291M |
| 1980 | 5.15% | $547,007M |
| 1979 | 4.95% | $548,272M |
| 1978 | 4.94% | $545,144M |
| 1977 | 5.16% | $541,717M |
| 1976 | 5.19% | $522,016M |
| 1975 | 5.62% | $536,613M |
| 1974 | 5.95% | $567,796M |
| 1973 | 5.89% | $575,308M |
| 1972 | 6.52% | $605,380M |
| 1971 | 6.94% | $606,252M |
| 1970 | 8.03% | $673,818M |
| 1969 | 8.63% | $727,077M |
| 1968 | 9.27% | $760,484M |
| 1967 | 9.42% | $736,820M |
| 1966 | 8.44% | $641,790M |
| 1965 | 7.59% | $542,792M |
| 1964 | 8.05% | $540,425M |
| 1963 | 8.83% | $559,064M |
| 1962 | 9.33% | $566,782M |
| 1961 | 9.16% | $523,074M |
| 1960 | 8.99% | $501,847M |
| 1959 | 9.44% | $514,511M |
| 1958 | 10.07% | $510,932M |
| 1957 | 9.99% | $513,981M |
| 1956 | 9.90% | $499,722M |
| 1955 | 10.16% | $493,268M |
| 1954 | 11.74% | $521,101M |
| 1953 | 13.58% | $603,953M |
| 1952 | 13.86% | $586,599M |
| 1951 | 10.17% | $416,424M |
| 1950 | 5.08% | $194,625M |
| 1949 | 5.27% | $181,096M |