Designer demographics and statistics in the US
Designer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates designer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our designer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about designers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 101,228 designers currently employed in the United States.
- 43.1% of all designers are women, while 56.9% are men.
- The average designer age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of designers is White (70.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.6%), Asian (10.4%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- Designers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for designers.
- 13% of all designers are LGBT.
On this page
Designer demographics by:
Designer gender statistics
43.1% of designers are women and 56.9% of designers are men.
- Male, 56.9%
- Female, 43.1%
Designer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 56.9% |
| Female | 43.1% |
Designer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$67,012
Female income
$63,584
Designer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in designer positions over time. Currently, 43.1% of designers are female.
Designer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 59.23% | 40.77% |
| 2011 | 59.47% | 40.53% |
| 2012 | 58.68% | 41.32% |
| 2013 | 61.06% | 38.94% |
| 2014 | 58.94% | 41.06% |
| 2015 | 59.66% | 40.34% |
| 2016 | 58.58% | 41.42% |
| 2017 | 57.63% | 42.37% |
| 2018 | 59.79% | 40.21% |
| 2019 | 56.67% | 43.33% |
| 2020 | 56.73% | 43.27% |
| 2021 | 56.86% | 43.14% |
Designer related jobs gender ratio
We compared designers 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% |
| Designer | 57% | 43% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Designer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among designers is White, which makes up 70.2% of all designers. Comparatively, 10.6% of designers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of designers 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%
Designer race
| Designer 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% |
Designer race and ethnicity over time
See how designer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Designer 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% |
Designer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian designers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White designers have the lowest average salary at $64,267.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $69,270 |
| White | $64,267 |
| Black or African American | $64,454 |
| Asian | $72,042 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $65,371 |
Average designer age
See how the average age of designers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Designer 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 |
Designer age breakdown
The average age of designers is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the designer population.
Designer age breakdown
| Designer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Designer educational attainment
The most common degree for designers is bachelor's degree, with 61% of designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 24%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Designers by degree level
| Designer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Master's | 7% |
| High School Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Designer jobs you might like
Designer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, designers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $79,881 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, designers earn a median annual income of $72,562 compared to $64,428 for designers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $79,881 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $72,562 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,428 |
Designer employment statistics
Most designers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where designers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where designers work.
Designer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 15% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 35% |
Designer jobs by company type
Employees with the designer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most designers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Designer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 43% |
| Private | 54% |
| Government | 1% |
Designer jobs by industry
The most common industries for designers are professional, retail and technology.
Designer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 19% |
| Fortune 500 | 17% |
| Retail | 13% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Media | 4% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Designer turnover and employment statistics
Designer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for designers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Designer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Designer 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 designer tenure
The average designer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 48,573 designers resumes in Zippia's database.
Designer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Designer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of designers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Music Artist | 11.32% | 6,282 |
| Set Decorator | 12.35% | 3,544 |
| Designer | 13.05% | - |
| Floral Artist | 14.26% | 3,971 |
| Visual Presentation Manager | 16.91% | 4,573 |
| Fashion Design Internship | 17.98% | 91,499 |
| Director Of Interiors | 22.51% | 10,606 |
Similar designer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Music Artist | 11.32% | 6,282 |
| Set Decorator | 12.35% | 3,544 |
| Floral Artist | 14.26% | 3,971 |
| Visual Presentation Manager | 16.91% | 4,573 |
| Fashion Design Internship | 17.98% | 91,499 |
| Director Of Interiors | 22.51% | 10,606 |
Foreign languages spoken by designers
The most common foreign language among designers is Spanish at 41.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.5% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 7.4%.
- Spanish, 41.7%
- French, 10.5%
- Chinese, 7.4%
- Mandarin, 6.6%
- Italian, 5.3%
- Other, 28.5%
Designer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 41.7% |
| French | 10.5% |
| Chinese | 7.4% |
| Mandarin | 6.6% |
| Italian | 5.3% |
| Other | 28.5% |
