<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808244
<NAME> SMITH BARNEY VARIABLE ACCOUNT FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT/HIGH QUALITY PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                          371,000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                         371,000
<RECEIVABLES>                                   15,201
<ASSETS-OTHER>                               1,243,733
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               109
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,630,043
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                            58
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       12,820
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             12,878
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     1,424,128
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          127,737
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          222,969
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                          88,295
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        104,742
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                             0
<NET-ASSETS>                                 1,617,165
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              111,450
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  21,001
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         90,449
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       104,975
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                     (83,469)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          111,955
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       90,206
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                     1,210,791
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         20,511
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    124,615
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              8,832
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         111,955
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         38,858
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      145,254
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                          2,604
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                     106,821
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            9,382
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 21,001
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         2,087,259
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            12.90
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  00.72
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                        (00.02)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             00.04
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        00.90
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.66
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                  01.00
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>