Fast facts about lobbying statistics
Lobbying spending in the United States has moved from a narrow policy metric to a large-scale signal of how industries, associations, and major firms compete for federal attention.
The latest numbers show that pressure is not just persistent. It is broad, expensive, and increasingly concentrated around a few high-value issues and legislation tracks (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Table of contents
- Fast facts about lobbying statistics
- What the latest federal lobbying statistics say
- Which industries spent the most
- Who spent the most and why it matters
- New York lobbying statistics at a glance
- Top New York spenders and compensation leaders
- Most-lobbied New York topics
- How to read lobbying statistics without overreading them
What the latest federal lobbying statistics say
Big number: U.S. federal lobbying spending reached $4.4 billion in 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
That single figure sets the scale for the rest of the dataset. It means lobbying is not a side activity for Washington insiders. It is a recurring, high-budget operating cost for industries that need access, timing, and legislative visibility.
A few additional trends make the 2024 picture clearer:
- Federal lobbying spending increased by $150 million in 2024 versus the prior year (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
- Federal lobbying spending has increased by more than $1 billion over the past decade (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
- Federal lobbying spending totaled almost $37 billion since 2015 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
- In each quarter of both 2023 and 2024, federal lobbying spending surpassed $1 billion (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Those are not isolated spikes. They show a sustained spending floor that sits above $1 billion every quarter, which suggests that lobbying budgets are planned, defended, and repeated rather than improvised.
Stat callout: Quarterly federal lobbying spending stayed above $1 billion in every quarter of 2023 and 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Federal lobbying at a glance
| Metric | 2024 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. federal lobbying spending | $4.4 billion | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Year-over-year change | +$150 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Spending increase over the past decade | More than $1 billion | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Total since 2015 | Almost $37 billion | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Quarterly floor in 2023 and 2024 | Over $1 billion per quarter | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
Which industries spent the most
The 2024 federal lobbying statistics are especially useful because they show how concentrated the market is at the industry level. The top 20 federal lobbying industries spent $2.87 billion in 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
That means a relatively small set of industries accounted for a very large share of the national total. Within that group, the leaders were not random. They were sectors tied to regulation, government contracts, healthcare reimbursement, capital markets, and technology policy.
Top federal lobbying industries in 2024
| Industry | Federal lobbying spending in 2024 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals and health products | $384.5 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Electronics manufacturing and equipment | $250.6 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Insurance | $154.7 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Securities and investment | $151.7 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Hospitals and nursing homes | $131.6 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Civil servants and public officials | $130.9 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Electric utilities | $130.4 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Business associations | $129.8 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Health services and HMOs | $117.1 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Miscellaneous manufacturing and distributing | $116.6 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Internet companies | $109.6 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Telecom services | $107.9 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Education organizations | $102.4 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Health professionals | $98.8 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Automotive interests | $84.7 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Chemical and related manufacturing | $76.6 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| TV, movies, and music interests | $74.4 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Air transport | $134.3 million | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Oil and gas | $151.1 million increase | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
| Real estate | $151.1 million increase | OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report |
The table shows two important patterns.
First, healthcare-related categories remain dominant. Pharmaceuticals and health products alone spent $384.5 million, which is substantially above the next-ranked industry in the dataset (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Second, the fastest-moving sectors are not always the largest spenders. Oil and gas and real estate posted the biggest federal lobbying increase in 2024, each at $151.1 million of increase in the dataset’s wording (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report). That makes them notable even when they are not the top overall spenders.
Why this industry mix matters
The industry list points to a simple but useful rule: lobbying intensity rises where policy can change costs quickly.
- Healthcare sectors lobby because reimbursement, regulation, and coverage decisions affect margins directly.
- Financial sectors lobby because rules shape capital movement, disclosure, and consumer constraints.
- Utilities, telecom, and internet companies lobby because infrastructure policy and oversight can alter operating conditions.
- Business associations lobby because they aggregate the concerns of many smaller members into one policy voice.
That mix explains why spending stays elevated quarter after quarter. The policy targets are not one-time issues. They are recurring legislative and regulatory environments.
Who spent the most and why it matters
Among individual organizations, the National Association of Realtors stands out. It spent over $86.3 million on lobbying in 2024 and increased its lobbying spending by almost $35 million that year (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
That is a sharp increase, and it matters because it shows how a single trade group can rapidly scale its Washington strategy when the policy environment shifts.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is another long-horizon heavyweight. It has spent over $746 million on lobbying since 2015 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report). That cumulative figure is a reminder that lobbying statistics are best read as multi-year investments rather than isolated annual purchases.
Notable organization-level facts
- The National Association of Realtors spent over $86.3 million in 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
- The organization increased spending by almost $35 million in 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has spent over $746 million since 2015 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
The most-lobbied issue in 2024
The most common federal lobbying issue in 2024 was federal spending (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
That issue drew 4,787 clients in 2024, and 3,797 of those clients signed on during the last quarter of the year (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Those figures show how intensely spending debates cluster at year-end. When clients join late in the year, the timing suggests a scramble to influence appropriations, budget negotiations, or related decisions before the calendar closes.
Why it matters: A lobbying issue with 4,787 clients is not niche. It is a market-wide policy contest (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Most heavily lobbied legislation
The defense authorization bill signed on December 23, 2024 was the most heavily lobbied legislation of the year (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report).
Several large corporate players were among the top lobbyists on that bill, including:
- General Dynamics (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report)
- RTX Corp. (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report)
- Lockheed Martin (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report)
- Amazon (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report)
That list is important because it shows that lobbying is not limited to one type of company. Defense contractors and a large technology company can appear in the same policy arena when the legislation has broad strategic or procurement implications.
New York lobbying statistics at a glance
State-level lobbying can move differently from federal lobbying, but the New York data shows the same basic pattern: high volume, growing activity, and concentrated spending at the top.
New York preliminary lobbying spending reached $377.1 million in 2024, up 4.57% from $360.6 million in 2023 and up by $16.5 million overall (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
That growth is notable because it came alongside very high filing volume.
New York summary table
| Metric | 2024 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary lobbying spending | $377.1 million | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Change from 2023 | +4.57% | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Dollar increase from 2023 | $16.5 million | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Lobbying filings | 77,883 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Change in filings | +5.8% | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Lobbying-related inquiries and responses | 39,491 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Change in inquiries and responses | +3.2% from 38,269 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
The most useful takeaway is that New York lobbying is not just expensive. It is administratively dense. Nearly 77,883 filings in a single year means the system is producing a very large compliance and disclosure footprint (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
Top New York spenders and compensation leaders
New York’s top client spenders help show which organizations are buying the most lobbying attention inside the state.
Top client spenders in New York
| Client | 2024 spending | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1199SEIU Labor Management Initiatives, Inc. Healthcare Education Project | $11,479,165 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Alliance to Protect Home Care, Inc. | $10,576,094 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Genting New York LLC | $3,213,000 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Greater New York Hospital Association, Inc. | $3,010,983 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Queens Future, LLC | $2,615,189 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
The top ten client spenders in New York reached $39.1 million in 2024 (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
That concentration matters because it means the state’s biggest lobbying accounts can shape a meaningful share of the market on their own.
Top retained lobbyists in New York
| Lobbying firm | 2024 compensation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Brown & Weinraub Advisors, LLC | $22.1 million | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Bolton-St. Johns, LLC | $18.1 million | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Kasirer LLC | $17.1 million | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Greenberg Traurig, LLP | $14,506,018 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Ostroff Associates, Inc. | $9,191,134 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Hinman Straub Advisors, LLC | $7,626,025 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, LLC | $6,292,943 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Constantinople & Vallone Consulting LLC | $6,053,744 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno LLC | $6,932,211 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| The Parkside Group, LLC | $5,576,326 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
The top ten retained New York lobbyists received $114.5 million in compensation in 2024 (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
What the top firm data suggests
The New York firm rankings are useful because they show how lobbying services are monetized.
- Brown & Weinraub Advisors, LLC had 342 contractual principal clients and 375 beneficial clients in 2024 (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
- Bolton-St. Johns, LLC had 292 contractual principal clients and 291 beneficial clients in 2024 (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
- Kasirer LLC had 242 contractual principal clients and 250 beneficial clients in 2024 (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
These client counts make the compensation totals more meaningful. High pay is not just tied to one client or one issue. It reflects a broad book of business and a large number of active relationships.
Most-lobbied New York topics
New York’s topic rankings show that lobbying often clusters around broad policy buckets rather than a single niche bill.
Topic and client density in New York
| Topic | Lobbyists | Clients | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Business - General | 980 | 5,350 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Budget/Appropriations | 829 | 5,014 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Real Estate - General | 663 | 3,712 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Health - General | 630 | 4,055 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Economic Development - General | 422 | 2,273 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Education - General | 320 | 1,931 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Labor - General | 244 | 1,447 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Transportation - General | 234 | 1,385 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Energy and Natural Resources - General | 231 | 1,368 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
| Health - Medicine/Medicaid | 185 | 1,047 | New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data |
The topic table makes the scale of lobbying work easier to read.
- Miscellaneous Business - General led with 980 lobbyists and 5,350 clients (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
- Budget/Appropriations followed closely with 829 lobbyists and 5,014 clients (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
- Health - General also remained highly active with 630 lobbyists and 4,055 clients (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
Why topic data is useful
Topic data tells you where political attention is broadest.
When a category such as Budget/Appropriations or Miscellaneous Business - General pulls in thousands of clients, it means a large number of organizations think the issue is relevant enough to pay for advocacy. That is often a better signal than raw spending alone, because it reflects participation as well as budget size.
How to read lobbying statistics without overreading them
Lobbying data is powerful, but it needs careful interpretation.
A few practical rules help keep the numbers grounded:
- Treat year-over-year spending growth as a signal of persistence, not proof of any single outcome (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report; New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).
- Separate total spending from issue concentration. A large total can coexist with highly targeted campaigns on one bill or one budget item.
- Compare clients, compensation, and issue counts together. A firm with many clients is operating differently from a firm with a few very large accounts.
- Read increases in filings and inquiries as a sign of administrative activity, not just headline political intensity.
The data in this dataset points in the same direction across federal and New York levels: lobbying is large, recurring, and organized around the issues where policy has immediate financial consequences.
The federal numbers show a national market that cleared $4.4 billion in 2024 and stayed above $1 billion per quarter through both 2023 and 2024 (OpenSecrets 2024 Annual Report). The New York numbers show a state system with $377.1 million in preliminary spending, 77,883 filings, and a heavy concentration of activity around budget, business, real estate, and health topics (New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government 2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data).