Freelance Designer Demographics and Statistics In The US
Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for freelance designers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 122,236 freelance designers currently employed in the United States.
- 52.0% of all freelance designers are women, while 48.0% are men.
- The average age of an employed freelance designer is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of freelance designers is White (70.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.6%), Asian (10.4%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- In 2021, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 13% of all freelance designers are LGBT.
- Freelance designers are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
Freelance Designer Statistics By Gender
52.0% of freelance designers are women and 48.0% of freelance designers are men.
- Female, 52.0%
- Male, 48.0%
Freelance Designers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 52.0% |
| Male | 48.0% |
Gender Pay Gap For Freelance Designer
Women Earn 95ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Freelance Designer Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the freelance designer position over time.
Freelance Designer Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 50.47% | 49.53% |
| 2011 | 50.72% | 49.28% |
| 2012 | 49.91% | 50.09% |
| 2013 | 52.37% | 47.63% |
| 2014 | 50.17% | 49.83% |
| 2015 | 50.92% | 49.08% |
| 2016 | 49.80% | 50.20% |
| 2017 | 48.83% | 51.17% |
| 2018 | 51.05% | 48.95% |
| 2019 | 47.84% | 52.16% |
| 2020 | 47.91% | 52.09% |
| 2021 | 48.04% | 51.96% |
Freelance Designer Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, exhibit builder and senior industrial designer have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Decorating Consultant | 9% | 91% |
| Floral Designer | 11% | 89% |
| Floral Manager | 11% | 89% |
| Freelance Designer | 48% | 52% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Freelance Designer Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among freelance designers is White, which makes up 70.2% of all freelance designers. Comparatively, there are 10.6% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 10.4% of the Asian ethnicity.
- 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%
Freelance Designer Race
| Freelance 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% |
Freelance Designer Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among freelance designers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Freelance Designer Race 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% |
Freelance Designer Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,767 |
| White | $55,475 |
| Black or African American | $55,636 |
| Asian | $62,145 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,422 |
Freelance Designer JOBS
Average Age of a Freelance Designer
We determined the average age of freelance designers based on ethnicity and gender.
Freelance Designer Age By Race
| 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 |
Freelance Designer Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of freelance designer employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of freelance designers is 40+ years old, which represents 42% of the population.
Freelance Designer Age
| Freelance Designer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Types of Freelance Designer Degree Levels
The most common degree for freelance designers is bachelor's degree 73% of freelance designers earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 18% and rounding it off is master's degree with 5%.
- Bachelors, 73%
- Associate, 18%
- Masters, 5%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Freelance Designers By Education
| Freelance Designer Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 73% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Masters | 5% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Freelance Designer Jobs You Might Like
Freelance Designer Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $68,865 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,591 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,614 |
Freelance Designer Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where freelance designers work. We found most freelance designers work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most freelance designers is the retail industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire freelance designers.
Freelance Designer Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
The Types Of Companies Freelance Designer Work In
Employees with the freelance designer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most freelance designers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Freelance Designer Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 3% |
Top Industries Hiring Freelance Designers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ freelance designers. Those industries include retail, media and professional.
Freelance Designer Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 22% |
| Media | 19% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Freelance Designer Turnover And Employment Statistics
Freelance Designer Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of freelance designers changed.
- Unemployment rate
Freelance Designer Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Freelance 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% |
The Average Number of Years That Freelance Designer Stay in a Job
By looking over 18,794 freelance designers resumes, we figured out that the average freelance designer enjoys staying at their job for 11+ years for a percentage of 29%.
Freelance Designer Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 16% |
| 3-4 years | 8% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 11% |
| 11+ years | 29% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Freelance Designers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to freelance designers.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Art Director | 11.32% | 11,598 |
| Exhibition Designer | 12.35% | 45,425 |
| Freelance Designer | 13.05% | - |
| Floral Manager | 14.26% | 51,189 |
| Merchandising Internship | 16.91% | 58,634 |
| Hat Designer | 17.98% | 43,786 |
| Certified Kitchen Designer | 22.51% | 90,901 |
Freelance Designer LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Art Director | 11.32% | 11,598 |
| Exhibition Designer | 12.35% | 45,425 |
| Floral Manager | 14.26% | 51,189 |
| Merchandising Internship | 16.91% | 58,634 |
| Hat Designer | 17.98% | 43,786 |
| Certified Kitchen Designer | 22.51% | 90,901 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Freelance Designers
The most common foreign language among freelance designers is Spanish at 43.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.5% and Italian is the third-most popular at 6.6%.
- Spanish, 43.8%
- French, 11.5%
- Italian, 6.6%
- Chinese, 5.5%
- Japanese, 5.1%
- Other, 27.5%
Freelance Designer Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 43.8% |
| French | 11.5% |
| Italian | 6.6% |
| Chinese | 5.5% |
| Japanese | 5.1% |
| Other | 27.5% |
Freelance Designer Jobs
Recently Added Freelance Designer Jobs
Freelance Designer Heatmaps
Which State Has The Most Freelance Designers?
By looking through more than 18,794 resumes, we found that the most popular places for freelance designers are New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA.
Number Of Freelance Designer Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 3,337 | $68,370 |
| 2 | New York | 1,343 | $67,277 |
| 3 | Texas | 1,238 | $53,396 |
| 4 | Washington | 868 | $89,729 |
| 5 | Georgia | 788 | $45,157 |
| 6 | Illinois | 768 | $55,712 |
| 7 | Florida | 767 | $50,358 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 756 | $70,860 |
| 9 | Virginia | 681 | $67,810 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 614 | $58,208 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 612 | $62,454 |
| 12 | Michigan | 530 | $59,736 |
| 13 | Ohio | 477 | $57,657 |
| 14 | Oregon | 463 | $65,257 |
| 15 | Minnesota | 427 | $51,541 |
| 16 | Maryland | 421 | $63,920 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 385 | $59,753 |
| 18 | Colorado | 385 | $55,653 |
| 19 | New Jersey | 381 | $69,585 |
| 20 | Arizona | 305 | $54,412 |
| 21 | Missouri | 274 | $48,617 |
| 22 | Indiana | 273 | $49,293 |
| 23 | Utah | 248 | $53,035 |
| 24 | Tennessee | 239 | $52,345 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | 224 | $71,019 |
| 26 | Connecticut | 215 | $55,838 |
| 27 | Alabama | 197 | $44,237 |
| 28 | Iowa | 181 | $46,559 |
| 29 | Kansas | 158 | $48,399 |
| 30 | South Carolina | 157 | $49,020 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 152 | $41,052 |
| 32 | Louisiana | 128 | $47,665 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | 127 | $54,942 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | 125 | $42,550 |
| 35 | Arkansas | 110 | $43,013 |
| 36 | Nebraska | 109 | $51,841 |
| 37 | Nevada | 93 | $64,490 |
| 38 | New Mexico | 92 | $45,339 |
| 39 | Maine | 84 | $48,284 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 79 | $60,437 |
| 41 | Mississippi | 78 | $46,685 |
| 42 | Idaho | 77 | $47,789 |
| 43 | Delaware | 63 | $60,139 |
| 44 | West Virginia | 52 | $64,045 |
| 45 | Montana | 52 | $44,707 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 45 | $37,844 |
| 47 | Vermont | 43 | $53,946 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 39 | $48,892 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 36 | $62,119 |
| 50 | Alaska | 34 | $66,398 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 30 | $52,456 |
Where Are Freelance Designers In High Demand?
Freelance designers are in high demand in New York, NY. There are currently 9 job openings for freelance designers here. We looked over job openings to determine where in the country freelance designers are in the most demand.
