Artist demographics and statistics in the US
Artist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates artist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our artist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about artists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 10,600 artists currently employed in the United States.
- 54.8% of all artists are women, while 45.2% are men.
- The average artist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of artists is White (67.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.1%), Asian (7.6%) and Unknown (5.6%).
- Artists are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- San Rafael, CA pays an annual average wage of $79,430, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women artists earned 93% of what men earned.
- Oregon is the best state for artists to live.
- Artists are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Artist demographics by:
Artist gender statistics
54.8% of artists are women and 45.2% of artists are men.
- Female, 54.8%
- Male, 45.2%
Artist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.8% |
| Male | 45.2% |
Artist gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$64,594
Female income
$59,916
Artist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in artist positions over time. Currently, 54.8% of artists are female.
Artist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 51.91% | 48.09% |
| 2011 | 49.37% | 50.63% |
| 2012 | 52.82% | 47.18% |
| 2013 | 48.74% | 51.26% |
| 2014 | 45.60% | 54.40% |
| 2015 | 47.94% | 52.06% |
| 2016 | 44.70% | 55.30% |
| 2017 | 47.12% | 52.88% |
| 2018 | 46.80% | 53.20% |
| 2019 | 45.20% | 54.80% |
| 2020 | 45.29% | 54.71% |
| 2021 | 45.24% | 54.76% |
Artist related jobs gender ratio
We compared artists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, exhibit builder and senior industrial designer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Decorating Consultant | 9% | 91% |
| Floral Designer | 11% | 89% |
| Floral Manager | 11% | 89% |
| Artist | 45% | 55% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Artist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among artists is White, which makes up 67.8% of all artists. Comparatively, 14.1% of artists are Hispanic or Latino and 7.6% of artists are Asian.
- White, 67.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.1%
- Asian, 7.6%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Black or African American, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Artist race
| Artist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.1% |
| Asian | 7.6% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Black or African American | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Artist race and ethnicity over time
See how artist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Artist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.33% | 2.92% | 6.78% | 10.24% |
| 2011 | 76.89% | 3.55% | 6.67% | 9.79% |
| 2012 | 75.57% | 3.43% | 5.89% | 11.32% |
| 2013 | 76.04% | 3.60% | 6.76% | 10.28% |
| 2014 | 75.24% | 3.46% | 7.07% | 10.50% |
| 2015 | 74.79% | 3.26% | 6.65% | 11.00% |
| 2016 | 74.43% | 2.70% | 8.15% | 10.79% |
| 2017 | 73.73% | 3.56% | 7.48% | 12.13% |
| 2018 | 73.37% | 3.38% | 8.32% | 11.57% |
| 2019 | 73.63% | 3.90% | 7.53% | 11.39% |
| 2020 | 70.65% | 3.24% | 7.90% | 12.14% |
| 2021 | 67.75% | 4.31% | 7.59% | 14.08% |
Artist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian artists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american artists have the lowest average salary at $57,105.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $65,429 |
| White | $64,290 |
| Black or African American | $57,105 |
| Asian | $70,034 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $66,842 |
Average artist age
See how the average age of artists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Artist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38.5 | 34.5 |
| White | 41 | 36 |
| Black or African American | 34 | |
| Asian | 37 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 38.5 |
Artist age breakdown
The average age of artists is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the artist population.
Artist age breakdown
| Artist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 38% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Artist educational attainment
The most common degree for artists is bachelor's degree, with 59% of artists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 14%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Artists by degree level
| Artist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 59% |
| Associate | 14% |
| High School Diploma | 12% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Artist jobs you might like
Artist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, artists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $81,005 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, artists earn a median annual income of $78,583 compared to $64,886 for artists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $81,005 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,297 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $78,583 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,886 |
Artist employment statistics
Most artists work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where artists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where artists work.
Artist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Artist jobs by company type
Employees with the artist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most artists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Artist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 2% |
Artist jobs by industry
The most common industries for artists are media, technology and retail.
Artist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 17% |
| Technology | 17% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Energy | 1% |
Artist turnover and employment statistics
Artist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for artists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Artist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Artist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.96% |
| 2011 | 8.02% |
| 2012 | 8.31% |
| 2013 | 6.45% |
| 2014 | 5.83% |
| 2015 | 5.42% |
| 2016 | 4.83% |
| 2017 | 5.07% |
| 2018 | 4.28% |
| 2019 | 4.56% |
| 2020 | 8.18% |
| 2021 | 8.63% |
Average artist tenure
The average artist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 32,412 artists resumes in Zippia's database.
Artist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Artist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of artists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Artist | 11.32% | - |
| Set Designer | 12.35% | 49,102 |
| Forms Designer | 13.05% | 43,794 |
| Florist Designer | 14.26% | 43,831 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Apparel Fashion Designer | 17.98% | 46,150 |
| Kitchen And Bath Designer | 22.51% | 59,890 |
Similar artist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Set Designer | 12.35% | 49,102 |
| Forms Designer | 13.05% | 43,794 |
| Florist Designer | 14.26% | 43,831 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Apparel Fashion Designer | 17.98% | 46,150 |
| Kitchen And Bath Designer | 22.51% | 59,890 |
Foreign languages spoken by artists
The most common foreign language among artists is Spanish at 49.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.7% and Italian is the third-most popular at 6.1%.
- Spanish, 49.7%
- French, 12.7%
- Italian, 6.1%
- German, 4.7%
- Chinese, 3.8%
- Other, 23.0%
Artist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 49.7% |
| French | 12.7% |
| Italian | 6.1% |
| German | 4.7% |
| Chinese | 3.8% |
| Other | 23.0% |
