Inventor demographics and statistics in the US
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Inventor demographics by:
Inventor gender statistics
20.5% of inventors are women and 79.5% of inventors are men.
- Male, 79.5%
- Female, 20.5%
Inventor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 79.5% |
| Female | 20.5% |
Inventor gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$61,327
Female income
$53,324
Inventor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in inventor positions over time. Currently, 20.5% of inventors are female.
Inventor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.66% | 33.34% |
| 2011 | 66.89% | 33.11% |
| 2012 | 66.16% | 33.84% |
| 2013 | 68.33% | 31.67% |
| 2014 | 66.39% | 33.61% |
| 2015 | 67.06% | 32.94% |
| 2016 | 66.07% | 33.93% |
| 2017 | 65.19% | 34.81% |
| 2018 | 71.90% | 28.10% |
| 2019 | 81.06% | 18.94% |
| 2020 | 80.03% | 19.97% |
| 2021 | 79.55% | 20.45% |
Inventor related jobs gender ratio
We compared inventors 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% |
| Inventor | 80% | 20% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Inventor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among inventors is White, which makes up 76.7% of all inventors. Comparatively, 10.1% of inventors are Asian and 7.3% of inventors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 76.7%
- Asian, 10.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.3%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Black or African American, 1.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Inventor race
| Inventor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.7% |
| Asian | 10.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Inventor race and ethnicity over time
See how inventor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Inventor 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 | 68.47% | 1.48% | 13.79% | 11.82% |
| 2019 | 73.68% | 1.56% | 12.45% | 10.90% |
| 2020 | 73.69% | 2.05% | 8.19% | 10.92% |
| 2021 | 76.67% | 1.12% | 10.07% | 7.28% |
Inventor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian inventors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino inventors have the lowest average salary at $58,571.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,868 |
| White | $60,819 |
| Black or African American | $59,774 |
| Asian | $68,050 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $58,571 |
Inventor age breakdown
The average age of inventors is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the inventor population.
Inventor age breakdown
| Inventor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Inventor educational attainment
The most common degree for inventors is bachelor's degree, with 55% of inventors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 15%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Inventors by degree level
| Inventor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Doctorate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Inventor jobs you might like
Inventor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, inventors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $84,808 annually. With a Master's degree, inventors earn a median annual income of $74,175 compared to $65,741 for inventors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $74,175 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,741 |
| Doctorate Degree | $84,808 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $57,411 |
Inventor employment statistics
Most inventors work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where inventors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where inventors work.
Inventor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Inventor jobs by company type
Employees with the inventor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most inventors prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Inventor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 75% |
Inventor jobs by industry
The most common industries for inventors are professional, retail and education.
Inventor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 24% |
| Retail | 18% |
| Education | 12% |
| Transportation | 12% |
| Technology | 12% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
Inventor turnover and employment statistics
Inventor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for inventors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Inventor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Inventor 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 | 3.35% |
| 2019 | 0.61% |
| 2020 | 4.03% |
| 2021 | 8.44% |
Average inventor tenure
The average inventor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 293 inventors resumes in Zippia's database.
Inventor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 22% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 21% |
Inventor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of inventors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Inventor | 7.73% | - |
| Creative Services Director | 11.32% | 60,237 |
| Scenic Arts Supervisor | 12.35% | 1,424 |
| Art Director, Senior Graphic Designer | 13.05% | 51,425 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Show Floor Decorator | 16.91% | 18,742 |
| Shoe Designer | 17.98% | 43,835 |
Similar inventor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Services Director | 11.32% | 60,237 |
| Scenic Arts Supervisor | 12.35% | 1,424 |
| Art Director, Senior Graphic Designer | 13.05% | 51,425 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Show Floor Decorator | 16.91% | 18,742 |
| Shoe Designer | 17.98% | 43,835 |
Foreign languages spoken by inventors
The most common foreign language among inventors is Spanish at 25.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 12.5% and French is the third-most popular at 12.5%.
- Spanish, 25.0%
- Japanese, 12.5%
- French, 12.5%
- Sicilian, 6.3%
- Filipino, 6.3%
- Other, 37.4%
Inventor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 25.0% |
| Japanese | 12.5% |
| French | 12.5% |
| Sicilian | 6.3% |
| Filipino | 6.3% |
| Other | 37.4% |
