AIGA and Google have released the results of the 2019 Design Census - a free and open-source platform for understanding the complex economic, social, and cultural factors shaping today's design practice.
Building on findings from previous years, this year's Census crafts a holistic picture of the design industry's current state and aims to chart its constant evolution. This year, an added focus on design educators, agency designers, in-house designers, small business owners, and freelance designers provides even deeper insights into how different designers live and work.
According to the census, the average designer's salary is approximately $76,000, though this varies widely by gender, sexual orientation, years experience, and location. Only 11% of women designers hold leadership positions and only 65% of designers report feeling satisfied with their jobs - a 17% drop from 2017.