Design director demographics and statistics in the US
Design director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates design director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our design 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 design directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 14,174 design directors currently employed in the United States.
- 40.0% of all design directors are women, while 60.0% are men.
- The average design director age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of design directors is White (70.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.6%), Asian (10.4%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- Design directors are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for design directors.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $167,444, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women design directors earned 94% of what men earned.
- 13% of all design directors are LGBT.
- Washington is the best state for design directors to live.
- Design directors are 59% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Design director demographics by:
Design director gender statistics
40.0% of design directors are women and 60.0% of design directors are men.
- Male, 60.0%
- Female, 40.0%
Design director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 60.0% |
| Female | 40.0% |
Design director gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$134,477
Female income
$125,994
Design director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in design director positions over time. Currently, 40.0% of design directors are female.
Design director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.33% | 37.67% |
| 2011 | 62.57% | 37.43% |
| 2012 | 61.80% | 38.20% |
| 2013 | 64.10% | 35.90% |
| 2014 | 62.05% | 37.95% |
| 2015 | 62.75% | 37.25% |
| 2016 | 61.70% | 38.30% |
| 2017 | 60.77% | 39.23% |
| 2018 | 62.87% | 37.13% |
| 2019 | 59.83% | 40.17% |
| 2020 | 59.89% | 40.11% |
| 2021 | 60.02% | 39.98% |
Design director related jobs gender ratio
We compared design 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% |
| Design Director | 60% | 40% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Design director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among design directors is White, which makes up 70.2% of all design directors. Comparatively, 10.6% of design directors are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of design directors are Asian.
- White, 70.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 10.6%
- Asian, 10.4%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- Black or African American, 3.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Design director race
| Design director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.6% |
| Asian | 10.4% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| Black or African American | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Design director race and ethnicity over time
See how design director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Design director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.32% | 3.37% | 6.45% | 8.15% |
| 2011 | 79.15% | 3.38% | 7.00% | 8.33% |
| 2012 | 78.60% | 3.42% | 6.69% | 9.26% |
| 2013 | 79.01% | 3.39% | 7.37% | 8.05% |
| 2014 | 78.43% | 3.15% | 7.37% | 8.85% |
| 2015 | 77.58% | 3.31% | 7.11% | 9.89% |
| 2016 | 77.09% | 3.54% | 7.72% | 9.34% |
| 2017 | 77.04% | 3.17% | 8.01% | 9.29% |
| 2018 | 74.98% | 3.33% | 8.26% | 10.34% |
| 2019 | 76.12% | 3.50% | 7.60% | 10.19% |
| 2020 | 74.32% | 3.04% | 7.13% | 10.91% |
| 2021 | 70.17% | 3.42% | 10.42% | 10.63% |
Design director wage gap by race
According to our data, asian design directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White design directors have the lowest average salary at $127,676.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $140,123 |
| White | $127,676 |
| Black or African American | $128,137 |
| Asian | $147,115 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $130,403 |
Average design director age
See how the average age of design directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Design director age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | 33 |
| White | 40 | 35 |
| Black or African American | 38 | 34 |
| Asian | 36 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 31 |
Design director age breakdown
The average age of design directors is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the design director population.
Design director age breakdown
| Design Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Design director educational attainment
The most common degree for design directors is bachelor's degree, with 73% of design directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Design directors by degree level
| Design director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 73% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Master's | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Design director jobs you might like
Design director wage gap by degree level
According to the data, design directors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $167,233 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, design directors earn a median annual income of $148,433 compared to $128,073 for design directors with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $167,233 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $148,433 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $128,073 |
Design director employment statistics
Most design directors work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where design directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where design directors work.
Design director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Design director jobs by company type
Employees with the design director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most design directors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Design director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 35% |
| Private | 59% |
| Government | 1% |
Design director jobs by industry
The most common industries for design directors are retail, professional and technology.
Design director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 22% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Media | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Education | 5% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Design director turnover and employment statistics
Design director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for design directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Design director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Design director unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.84% |
| 2011 | 7.82% |
| 2012 | 7.12% |
| 2013 | 5.32% |
| 2014 | 4.78% |
| 2015 | 4.60% |
| 2016 | 4.15% |
| 2017 | 3.61% |
| 2018 | 3.55% |
| 2019 | 3.78% |
| 2020 | 6.80% |
| 2021 | 7.79% |
Average design director tenure
The average design director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,102 design directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Design director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 9% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Design director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of design 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Artist | 11.32% | 7,209 |
| Stage Set Designer | 12.35% | 45,818 |
| Design Director | 13.05% | - |
| Floral Arranger | 14.26% | 469 |
| Director Of Display | 16.91% | 5,175 |
| Fashion Director | 17.98% | 9,325 |
| Home Designer | 22.51% | 86,223 |
Similar design director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Artist | 11.32% | 7,209 |
| Stage Set Designer | 12.35% | 45,818 |
| Floral Arranger | 14.26% | 469 |
| Director Of Display | 16.91% | 5,175 |
| Fashion Director | 17.98% | 9,325 |
| Home Designer | 22.51% | 86,223 |
Foreign languages spoken by design directors
The most common foreign language among design directors is Spanish at 36.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.8% and Italian is the third-most popular at 13.0%.
- Spanish, 36.1%
- French, 14.8%
- Italian, 13.0%
- German, 6.1%
- Chinese, 5.2%
- Other, 24.8%
Design director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 36.1% |
| French | 14.8% |
| Italian | 13.0% |
| German | 6.1% |
| Chinese | 5.2% |
| Other | 24.8% |
