Our Workforce

    • Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we have offices in 11 major cities across the country, and employ approximately 3,300 people, two-thirds of whom work at our headquarters.
    • The agency is headed by the Comptroller General, who is appointed to a 15-year term. The long tenure of the Comptroller General gives GAO a continuity of leadership that is rare within government.
    • Our independence as an agency is further safeguarded by the fact that our workforce consists of career employees hired on the basis of their knowledge, skills, and ability.
    • Our diverse staff includes economists, social scientists, accountants, public policy analysts, attorneys, and computer experts as well as specialists in fields ranging from foreign policy to health care.