The IRS workforce rebounded after a long-term decline in the 2010s, but the agency had cut its workforce by nearly 20% by the end of fiscal year 2025.
IRS employees, FY1997 to FY2025. Employee counts continued to drop after fiscal year 2025, reaching 74,000 in January 2026.
Note: Source: IRS Databook Table 6-3
Note: Employee counts are drawn from the number of employees as of the end of the fiscal year. The fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year. Employee counts continued to drop after the end of the fiscal year, reaching about 74,000 in January 2026.
Note: Employee counts are drawn from the number of employees as of the end of the fiscal year. The fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year. Employee counts continued to drop after the end of the fiscal year, reaching about 74,000 in January 2026.
