List of Secretaries of State of the United States


This is a list of Secretaries of State of the United States.

Secretaries of Foreign Affairs (1781–1789)

List of Secretaries of State

List of Secretaries of State by time in office

This is a list of United States Secretaries of State by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater.
Cordell Hull is the only person to have served as Secretary of State for more than eight years. Daniel Webster and James G. Blaine are the only Secretaries of State to have ever served non-consecutive terms. Elihu B. Washburne served as Secretary of State for less than two weeks before becoming Ambassador to France.
# in officeSecretaryLength of service
Rank
471
542
242
84
265
56
377
138
609
5210
7201111
4212
5513
14/19161714
315
4516
28/31147217
6717
6519
5120
2120
3020
4020
4420
6325
6425
1725
928
2729
6630
6831
4632
133
2234
6135
3836
5637
5738
2939
7040
4141
3342
1043
644
1145
5046
5347
3448
249
4950
5951
1852
6953
3554
1255
4334656
1634357
458
5825759
3223960
1521961
4820862
3614163
2011764
237865
624366
393767
251168

Living former Secretaries of State

As of, there are nine living former Secretaries of State, the oldest being George Shultz. The most recent Secretary of State to die was Lawrence Eagleburger, on June 4, 2011. The most recently serving Secretary of State to die was Warren Christopher on March 18, 2011.