Lead designer demographics and statistics in the US
Lead designer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates lead designer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our lead 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 lead designers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 41,144 lead designers currently employed in the United States.
- 26.8% of all lead designers are women, while 73.2% are men.
- The average lead designer age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of lead designers is White (70.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.6%), Asian (10.4%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- Lead designers are most in-demand in San Francisco, CA.
- The start-up industry is the highest-paying for lead designers.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $153,913, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women lead designers earned 95% of what men earned.
- 13% of all lead designers are LGBT.
- Nevada is the best state for lead designers to live.
- Lead designers are 49% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Lead designer demographics by:
Lead designer gender statistics
26.8% of lead designers are women and 73.2% of lead designers are men.
- Male, 73.2%
- Female, 26.8%
Lead designer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.2% |
| Female | 26.8% |
Lead designer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$110,985
Female income
$105,900
Lead designer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lead designer positions over time. Currently, 26.8% of lead designers are female.
Lead designer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.07% | 24.93% |
| 2011 | 75.26% | 24.74% |
| 2012 | 74.65% | 25.35% |
| 2013 | 76.47% | 23.53% |
| 2014 | 74.85% | 25.15% |
| 2015 | 75.41% | 24.59% |
| 2016 | 74.57% | 25.43% |
| 2017 | 73.82% | 26.18% |
| 2018 | 75.51% | 24.49% |
| 2019 | 73.05% | 26.95% |
| 2020 | 73.11% | 26.89% |
| 2021 | 73.21% | 26.79% |
Lead designer related jobs gender ratio
We compared lead 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% |
| Lead Designer | 73% | 27% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Lead designer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lead designers is White, which makes up 70.2% of all lead designers. Comparatively, 10.6% of lead designers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of lead 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%
Lead designer race
| Lead 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% |
Lead designer race and ethnicity over time
See how lead designer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lead 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% |
Lead designer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian lead designers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White lead designers have the lowest average salary at $106,916.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $114,319 |
| White | $106,916 |
| Black or African American | $107,194 |
| Asian | $118,396 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $108,554 |
Average lead designer age
See how the average age of lead designers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lead 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 |
Lead designer age breakdown
The average age of lead designers is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the lead designer population.
Lead designer age breakdown
| Lead Designer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Lead designer educational attainment
The most common degree for lead designers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of lead designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Lead designers by degree level
| Lead designer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Master's | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Lead designer jobs you might like
Lead designer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, lead designers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $129,837 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, lead designers earn a median annual income of $119,159 compared to $107,155 for lead designers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $129,837 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $119,159 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $107,155 |
Lead designer employment statistics
Most lead designers work for a public in the technology industry.
Company size where lead designers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lead designers work.
Lead designer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 15% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 47% |
Lead designer jobs by company type
Employees with the lead designer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lead designers prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Lead designer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 49% |
| Private | 45% |
| Government | 1% |
Lead designer jobs by industry
The most common industries for lead designers are technology, manufacturing and professional.
Lead designer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 19% |
| Technology | 16% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Media | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Lead designer turnover and employment statistics
Lead designer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lead designers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lead designer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lead 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 lead designer tenure
The average lead designer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,037 lead designers resumes in Zippia's database.
Lead designer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Lead designer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lead 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Artist | 11.32% | 4,246 |
| Set Designer | 12.35% | 49,102 |
| Lead Designer | 13.05% | - |
| Floral Assistant | 14.26% | 444 |
| Fashion Merchandiser | 16.91% | 68,230 |
| Apparel Designer | 17.98% | 46,436 |
| Home Decorator | 22.51% | 40,825 |
Similar lead designer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Artist | 11.32% | 4,246 |
| Set Designer | 12.35% | 49,102 |
| Floral Assistant | 14.26% | 444 |
| Fashion Merchandiser | 16.91% | 68,230 |
| Apparel Designer | 17.98% | 46,436 |
| Home Decorator | 22.51% | 40,825 |
Foreign languages spoken by lead designers
The most common foreign language among lead designers is Spanish at 45.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.4% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 5.8%.
- Spanish, 45.1%
- French, 9.4%
- Japanese, 5.8%
- Portuguese, 5.4%
- Mandarin, 4.0%
- Other, 30.3%
Lead designer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.1% |
| French | 9.4% |
| Japanese | 5.8% |
| Portuguese | 5.4% |
| Mandarin | 4.0% |
| Other | 30.3% |
