Design internship demographics and statistics in the US
Design internship demographics research summary. Zippia estimates design internship demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our design internship 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 interns after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 33,475 design interns currently employed in the United States.
- 58.3% of all design interns are women, while 41.7% are men.
- The average design internship age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of design interns is White (70.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.6%), Asian (10.4%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- Design interns are most in-demand in Atlanta, GA.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for design interns.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $64,253, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women design interns earned 95% of what men earned.
- 13% of all design interns are LGBT.
- Washington is the best state for design interns to live.
- Design interns are 53% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Design internship demographics by:
Design internship gender statistics
58.3% of design interns are women and 41.7% of design interns are men.
- Female, 58.3%
- Male, 41.7%
Design internship gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 58.3% |
| Male | 41.7% |
Design internship gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,196
Female income
$44,099
Design internship gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in design internship positions over time. Currently, 58.3% of design interns are female.
Design internship gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44.07% | 55.93% |
| 2011 | 44.33% | 55.67% |
| 2012 | 43.52% | 56.48% |
| 2013 | 45.96% | 54.04% |
| 2014 | 43.78% | 56.22% |
| 2015 | 44.52% | 55.48% |
| 2016 | 43.42% | 56.58% |
| 2017 | 42.46% | 57.54% |
| 2018 | 44.65% | 55.35% |
| 2019 | 41.50% | 58.50% |
| 2020 | 41.57% | 58.43% |
| 2021 | 41.70% | 58.30% |
Design internship related jobs gender ratio
We compared design interns 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 Internship | 42% | 58% |
| 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 internship demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among design interns is White, which makes up 70.2% of all design interns. Comparatively, 10.6% of design interns are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of design interns 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 internship race
| Design internship 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 internship race and ethnicity over time
See how design internship racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Design internship 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 internship wage gap by race
According to our data, asian design interns have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White design interns have the lowest average salary at $44,518.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,571 |
| White | $44,518 |
| Black or African American | $44,633 |
| Asian | $49,252 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,194 |
Average design internship age
See how the average age of design interns varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Design internship 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 internship age breakdown
The average age of design interns is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the design internship population.
Design internship age breakdown
| Design Internship Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Design internship educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Design interns by degree level
| Design internship degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 74% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Master's | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Design internship jobs you might like
Design internship wage gap by degree level
According to the data, design interns with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $53,965 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, design interns earn a median annual income of $49,566 compared to $44,617 for design interns with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,965 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,566 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,617 |
Design internship employment statistics
Most design interns work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where design interns work
Below, you can see the size of companies where design interns work.
Design internship jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 33% |
Design internship jobs by company type
Employees with the design internship job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most design interns prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Design internship jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 37% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 2% |
Design internship jobs by industry
The most common industries for design interns are retail, media and technology.
Design internship industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 22% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Media | 10% |
| Technology | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Education | 7% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Design internship turnover and employment statistics
Design internship unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for design interns between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Design internship unemployment rate by year
| Year | Design internship 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 internship tenure
The average design internship stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 21,285 design interns resumes in Zippia's database.
Design internship tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 79% |
| 1-2 years | 12% |
| 3-4 years | 3% |
| 5-7 years | 4% |
| 8-10 years | 1% |
| 11+ years | 0% |
Design internship LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of design interns 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Automotive Artist | 11.32% | 36,617 |
| Scenic Arts Supervisor | 12.35% | 1,424 |
| Design Internship | 13.05% | - |
| Floral Manager | 14.26% | 51,189 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Dance Costume Designer | 17.98% | 44,181 |
| Certified Kitchen Designer | 22.51% | 90,901 |
Similar design internship jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Automotive Artist | 11.32% | 36,617 |
| Scenic Arts Supervisor | 12.35% | 1,424 |
| Floral Manager | 14.26% | 51,189 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Dance Costume Designer | 17.98% | 44,181 |
| Certified Kitchen Designer | 22.51% | 90,901 |
Foreign languages spoken by design interns
The most common foreign language among design interns is Spanish at 32.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.7% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 10.9%.
- Spanish, 32.3%
- French, 12.7%
- Mandarin, 10.9%
- Chinese, 10.6%
- Italian, 5.7%
- Other, 27.8%
Design internship languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 32.3% |
| French | 12.7% |
| Mandarin | 10.9% |
| Chinese | 10.6% |
| Italian | 5.7% |
| Other | 27.8% |
