Department of Commerce - Federal Departments

Year Founded: 1903

Employees: 47,781

Outlay: $16B / year

Employee Expense: $5B in 2021

The Federal Government is broken down into fifteen departments, each of which consists of a number of sub-departments and organizational groups tasked with accomplishing the Department's overall goals.

The primary focus of the Department of Commerce is to promote economic growth in the United States. The goals of the DOC include promoting job creation, sustainable economic growth and improving partnerships between businesses, universities, communities and employees. The DOCs tasks include collecting statistics about our economy, businesses and workforce needed to make informed decisions about economic policy and issues patents and trademarks.

The Department of Commerce was originally part of the Department of Commerce and Labor but was separated in to its own department in 1913. There is still an overlap in the type of work that these two departments conduct.

Who does the Department of Commerce hire?

The DOC primarily employs telecommunication specialists, statisticians, economist, safety experts and other related fields. The DOC also hires experienced craft and trades people who can provide guidance regarding safe and reasonable working conditions and help to establish policy.

In 2021, the most common occupation employed by the Department of Commerce was Miscellaneous Clerk And Assistant at 9,324 employees. The second largest occupation was Patent Examining with 8,783 employees.

Most of the Department of Commerce jobs are located in and around the District of Columbia. The DOC has offices in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania as well. There also are smaller satellite offices scattered around the country.

History of the Department of Commerce

The Department of Commerce was created on February 14, 1903 as the Department of Commerce and Labor. The Labor Department would later be split into its own department. The creation of the Commerce and Labor department was opposed by many at the time. Business types called for a Commerce Department to protect business interests while laborers and union types called for a Labor Department to protect workers. The creation of the Department of Commerce and Labor was a compromise that was reluctantly signed by President Taft.

In addition to the Commerce Departments original goal to encourage sustainable economic growth in the United States, the DoC also administers well known agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Patent and Trademark Office.

Originally named Commerce and Labor; Labor later separated

Average Pay of an Employee in the Department of Commerce

Agencies in the Department of Commerce (2021)