The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natural resources, leading such agencies as the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service.

The secretary also serves on and appoints the private citizens on the National Park Foundation Board.

Secretary of the Interior is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule,[3] thus earning a salary of US$246,400, as of January 2024.

[4] The current interior secretary is Doug Burgum, who was sworn in on February 1, 2025.

The line of succession for the secretary of the interior is as follows:[5] Whig (3) Democratic (17) Republican (34)