Creative director demographics and statistics in the US
Creative director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates creative director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our creative director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about creative directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 33,832 creative directors currently employed in the United States.
- 35.3% of all creative directors are women, while 64.7% are men.
- The average creative director age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of creative directors is White (66.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.5%), Asian (7.8%) and Unknown (5.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 11% of all creative directors are LGBT.
- Creative directors are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Creative director demographics by:
Creative director gender statistics
35.3% of creative directors are women and 64.7% of creative directors are men.
- Male, 64.7%
- Female, 35.3%
Creative director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.7% |
| Female | 35.3% |
Creative director gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$130,482
Female income
$120,903
Creative director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in creative director positions over time. Currently, 35.3% of creative directors are female.
Creative director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.57% | 29.43% |
| 2011 | 68.42% | 31.58% |
| 2012 | 71.32% | 28.68% |
| 2013 | 67.87% | 32.13% |
| 2014 | 65.06% | 34.94% |
| 2015 | 67.16% | 32.84% |
| 2016 | 64.23% | 35.77% |
| 2017 | 66.44% | 33.56% |
| 2018 | 66.15% | 33.85% |
| 2019 | 64.69% | 35.31% |
| 2020 | 64.78% | 35.22% |
| 2021 | 64.73% | 35.27% |
Creative director related jobs gender ratio
We compared creative directors 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% |
| Creative Director | 65% | 35% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Creative director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among creative directors is White, which makes up 66.9% of all creative directors. Comparatively, 14.5% of creative directors are Hispanic or Latino and 7.8% of creative directors are Asian.
- White, 66.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.5%
- Asian, 7.8%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- Black or African American, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Creative director race
| Creative director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.5% |
| Asian | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Creative director race and ethnicity over time
See how creative director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Creative director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.48% | 2.99% | 6.98% | 10.62% |
| 2011 | 76.04% | 3.61% | 6.87% | 10.17% |
| 2012 | 74.71% | 3.49% | 6.10% | 11.70% |
| 2013 | 75.18% | 3.66% | 6.97% | 10.66% |
| 2014 | 74.38% | 3.53% | 7.28% | 10.89% |
| 2015 | 73.94% | 3.32% | 6.85% | 11.38% |
| 2016 | 73.57% | 2.77% | 8.36% | 11.17% |
| 2017 | 72.88% | 3.62% | 7.69% | 12.52% |
| 2018 | 72.51% | 3.44% | 8.52% | 11.95% |
| 2019 | 72.77% | 3.96% | 7.74% | 11.78% |
| 2020 | 69.79% | 3.31% | 8.11% | 12.52% |
| 2021 | 66.90% | 4.37% | 7.80% | 14.47% |
Creative director wage gap by race
According to our data, asian creative directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american creative directors have the lowest average salary at $116,620.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $132,079 |
| White | $129,580 |
| Black or African American | $116,620 |
| Asian | $141,190 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $134,214 |
Average creative director age
See how the average age of creative directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Creative director 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 |
Creative director age breakdown
The average age of creative directors is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the creative director population.
Creative director age breakdown
| Creative Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 38% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Creative director educational attainment
The most common degree for creative directors is bachelor's degree, with 77% of creative directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Creative directors by degree level
| Creative director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Master's | 7% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Creative director jobs you might like
Creative director wage gap by degree level
According to the data, creative directors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $162,062 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, creative directors earn a median annual income of $158,662 compared to $130,032 for creative directors with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $162,062 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $116,063 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $158,662 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $130,032 |
Creative director employment statistics
Most creative directors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where creative directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where creative directors work.
Creative director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Creative director jobs by company type
Employees with the creative director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most creative directors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Creative director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 1% |
Creative director jobs by industry
The most common industries for creative directors are media, professional and retail.
Creative director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 24% |
| Professional | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Creative director turnover and employment statistics
Creative director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for creative directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Creative director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Creative director 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 creative director tenure
The average creative director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 20,707 creative directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Creative director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 11% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Creative director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of creative directors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Director | 11.32% | - |
| Home Stager | 12.35% | 39,061 |
| Logo Designer | 13.05% | 43,786 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Visual Presentation Manager | 16.91% | 4,573 |
| Dance Costume Designer | 17.98% | 44,181 |
| Kitchen And Bath Designer | 22.51% | 59,890 |
Similar creative director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Home Stager | 12.35% | 39,061 |
| Logo Designer | 13.05% | 43,786 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Visual Presentation Manager | 16.91% | 4,573 |
| Dance Costume Designer | 17.98% | 44,181 |
| Kitchen And Bath Designer | 22.51% | 59,890 |
Foreign languages spoken by creative directors
The most common foreign language among creative directors is Spanish at 46.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 6.9%.
- Spanish, 46.6%
- French, 13.9%
- Italian, 6.9%
- Chinese, 5.4%
- German, 4.6%
- Other, 22.6%
Creative director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.6% |
| French | 13.9% |
| Italian | 6.9% |
| Chinese | 5.4% |
| German | 4.6% |
| Other | 22.6% |
