Jonah Patel
The United States Cabinet is composed of 15 executive department leaders, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member. The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the President on issues pertaining to their respective offices, and members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Cabinet includes the departments of State, Treasury, Defense, Attorney General, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Cabinet Positions | 15 |
| Role | To advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office |
| Members | Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War/Army, Attorney General, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Secretary of Homeland Security |
| Salary Level | Set by the Government Salary Reform Act of 1989, which provides an automatic cost of living adjustment for federal employees |
| Appointment | The President appoints the Cabinet members, who are then confirmed by the Senate |
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What You'll Learn
- The President's Cabinet includes the Vice President and 15 department heads
- The President appoints the Cabinet, and the Senate confirms them
- The Cabinet advises the President on issues related to their respective offices
- The Cabinet includes the Departments of State, Treasury, Defense, and more
- The Attorney General is part of the Cabinet and serves as the chief lawyer to the government
The President's Cabinet includes the Vice President and 15 department heads
The US Cabinet is composed of 15 department heads, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member. The President's Cabinet is an advisory body, with members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The role of the Cabinet is to advise the President on issues related to their respective offices.
The 15 departments of the US Cabinet are: State, Treasury, Defense, Attorney General, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security. Each department has a secretary who oversees all department activity and reports to the President.
The Cabinet did not always include the Vice President. In fact, it was not until the 20th century that vice presidents became regularly included as members of the Cabinet. The Vice President is now regarded as a member of the executive branch and is the first in the line of succession to the President.
The heads of the executive departments and most other senior federal officers at the cabinet or sub-cabinet level receive their salary according to a fixed five-level pay plan, known as the Executive Schedule. As of January 2025, the Level I annual pay was set at $250,600, while the Vice President's salary was $235,300.
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The President appoints the Cabinet, and the Senate confirms them
The US Cabinet is a series of departments within the Executive Branch of the government. It is composed of 15 leaders of executive departments, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member, and the heads of the 15 executive departments. The President appoints the Cabinet members, and the Senate confirms them. The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
The Cabinet includes the following departments: State, Treasury, Defense, Attorney General, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security. Each department has a secretary who oversees all department activities and reports to the President. The Secretary of State is the first Cabinet member in the Presidential line of succession after the Vice President.
The heads of the executive departments and most other senior federal officers at the Cabinet or sub-cabinet level receive their salary under a fixed five-level pay plan known as the Executive Schedule, which is codified in Title 5 of the United States Code. Twenty-one positions, including the heads of the executive departments, receive Level I pay, and forty-six positions receive Level II pay. As of January 2025, the Level I annual pay was set at $250,600, while the Vice President's salary was $235,300.
The President may designate additional positions as members of the Cabinet, which can vary under each President. These positions are not in the line of succession and are not necessarily officers of the United States. An example of such a department is the Department of War (1789-1947), which was headed by the Secretary of War and was renamed the Department of the Army by the National Security Act of 1947.
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The Cabinet advises the President on issues related to their respective offices
The US Cabinet is a series of departments within the Executive Branch of the US government. It is composed of 15 leaders of executive departments, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member, and the heads of 15 executive departments. The Cabinet advises and counsels the President on issues related to their respective offices.
The Cabinet's role, as outlined in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, is to advise the President on any subject related to the duties of each member's respective office. The President may designate additional positions to be members of the Cabinet, and these can vary under each President. The Cabinet members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.
The 15 executive departments of the US Cabinet include:
- State
- Treasury
- Defense
- Attorney General
- Interior
- Agriculture
- Commerce
- Labor
- Health and Human Services
- Housing and Urban Development
- Transportation
- Energy
- Education
- Veterans Affairs
- Homeland Security
Each department has a secretary who oversees all department activity and reports to the President. The US Cabinet Secretaries are selected by the President and require a Senate confirmation hearing for approval. The heads of these departments are fundamental to the Presidential line of succession. After the Vice President, Speaker of the House, and Senate President pro tempore, the succession goes down the line of Cabinets, starting with the departments that were created first.
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The Cabinet includes the Departments of State, Treasury, Defense, and more
The US Cabinet is composed of 15 leaders of executive departments, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member. The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The heads of these departments are fundamental to the Presidential line of succession.
The Department of Defense, formerly known as the Department of War, is responsible for overseeing military affairs and national security. The Attorney General, who serves as the head of the Justice Department, is the chief lawyer to the US government and oversees the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Prisons.
The Cabinet also includes the Department of the Interior, which is responsible for managing federal lands, conservation, natural resources, territorial affairs, and matters related to Native Americans. The Department of Agriculture plays a crucial role in agricultural policy and food systems, while the Department of Commerce focuses on economic development and trade.
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The Attorney General is part of the Cabinet and serves as the chief lawyer to the government
The US Cabinet is made up of 15 leaders of executive departments, including the vice president. These 15 heads of executive departments receive Level I pay, which was an annual salary of $250,600 as of January 2025. The Attorney General is a statutory member of the US Cabinet and is seventh in the presidential line of succession.
The Attorney General is the US government's chief lawyer and law enforcement officer. They are responsible for overseeing the Department of Justice, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of Justice Programs, and the US Marshals Service. The Attorney General also represents the US government in legal matters, providing legal advice and opinions to the president, the Cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies.
The Attorney General's role was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, which created the Office of the Attorney General. Initially, the position was part-time and held by a single person. However, the workload quickly became too much for one person, and the role evolved over time into the head of the Department of Justice. Since 1870, the Attorney General has been the head of the Department of Justice, guiding the world's largest law office and the central agency for the enforcement of federal laws.
The Attorney General is nominated by the president and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, is confirmed by a majority vote in the full United States Senate. It is customary for the Attorney General to tender their resignation upon the inauguration of a new president.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 15 offices of the Cabinet in the US, including the Vice President, who is the highest-ranking member.
The US Cabinet Secretaries are selected by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
The US Cabinet's role is to advise the President on issues related to their respective offices.
No, under the 1967 Federal Anti-Nepotism statute, federal officials are prohibited from appointing immediate family members to Cabinet positions.
