How many graphic design firms are in the United States and Canada?

August 7, 2007 1:10 AM

How many graphic design firms are in the United States and Canada?

How many graphic design / marketing / advertising firms and freelancers are in the United States and Canada, excluding firms and freelancers that ONLY do multimedia / web? In lieu of an actual answer, I'd also be interested in resources that would help arrive at an answer... directories, organizations (AIGA for example), etc.

posted by JWright to media & arts (5 comments total)

I see the snarks are out in full force. Truly, it would be impossible to determine the number of freelancers (because after all, isn't everybody who owns a Mac a graphic designer?), but the Bureau of Labor Statistics can help with the company angle:

Graphic designers held about 228,000 jobs in 2004. About 7 out of 10 were wage and salary designers. Most worked in specialized design services; advertising and related services; printing and related support activities; or newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers. Other graphic designers produced computer graphics for computer systems design firms or motion picture production firms. A small number of designers also worked in engineering services or for management, scientific, and technical consulting firms.

About 3 out of 10 designers were self-employed. Many did freelance work—full time or part time—in addition to holding a salaried job in design or in another occupation.
posted by jbickers at 5:28 AM on August 7, 2007

For the U.S. in 2002, the U.S. Census reports that there were 15,851 employer establishments in the Graphic design services field which had 62,036 paid employees. Additionally there were 146,217 nonemployer establishments in the Specialized design services field, only some of which will engage in graphic design services.
posted by grouse at 5:29 AM on August 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

[a few comments removed, please skip questions you don't know the answer to]
posted by jessamyn at 7:55 AM on August 7, 2007

Well, AIGA claims 19,000 members. I think it's clear that includes some number of what you might describe as freelancers, though. Personally, I think your question is just too imprecise to answer, especially as you move past the idea of firms only. Additionally, determining the number who do JUST multimedia/web (and adjusting the total accordingly?) would be extremely difficult.

If this is a "how big is my potential market" question, I think you really need to think more carefully about your customer profile.
posted by dhartung at 8:56 AM on August 7, 2007

Thanks for the answers! The census data fits the bill. I know there's no precise answer, but there are knowable ballparks, and that's sufficient.
posted by JWright at 9:40 AM on August 7, 2007