Despite data showing a modest increase in diverse children's book characters, the publishing industry itself remains overwhelmingly white at every level, a stark reality where 76% of staff identified as white in 2019 and senior leadership was still 86% white, revealing a deep and persistent equity gap between the stories being told and the people who decide which stories get to be told.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, 76% of publishing staff across all levels identified as white, compared to 11% Black, 7% Asian, and 3% Latino/a, according to the Lee & Low Books Diversity Baseline Survey 2.0.
- Among entry-level publishing employees in 2019, 84% were white, highlighting a significant lack of racial diversity at the base of the industry pipeline.
- Women comprised 78% of publishing staff in 2019, but this gender diversity drops in senior roles, per Lee & Low survey.
- Executive roles in US publishing were 85% white in 2020, per Publishers Marketplace analysis.
- Only 18% of publishers' CEOs identified as people of color in 2022, according to Lee & Low updates.
- Women held 56% of executive positions in Big 5 houses in 2023, but only 11% were women of color.
- Children's book authors of color: 14% in 2019, per CCBC data.
- YA authors who are Black: 7.2% of titles in 2022, up from 3.3% in 2014, via CCBC.
- Latinx authors in middle grade: 5% of books reviewed in 2023.
- In 2022, 89% of books acquired by Big 5 had white authors.
- Children's books with BIPOC characters: 40% in 2023, up from 13% in 2014, per CCBC.
- YA novels with LGBTQ+ protagonists: 15% in 2022 submissions.
- Publishing salary for white women: median $65,000 in 2023, vs $55,000 for women of color.
- Gender pay gap in publishing: women earn 85 cents per dollar of men in 2022.
- POC staff turnover rate: 25% higher than white staff in 2021.
Publishing remains overwhelmingly white, especially in leadership roles and among authors.
Author and Illustrator Diversity
1Children's book authors of color: 14% in 2019, per CCBC data.
Verified2YA authors who are Black: 7.2% of titles in 2022, up from 3.3% in 2014, via CCBC.
Verified3Latinx authors in middle grade: 5% of books reviewed in 2023.
Verified4Indigenous authors: less than 1% of US children's books 2018-2023.
Directional5LGBTQ+ authors in children's lit: 4% in 2022, per ALA reports.
Single source6Disabled authors: 2.5% of published fiction in 2021, via Writing While Disabled survey.
Verified7In 2022, 27% of new adult fiction authors were people of color, per NPD BookScan.
Verified8Illustrators of color in picture books: 22% in 2023, double from 2014.
Verified9Trade picture books by BIPOC creators: 37% in 2022, record high per CCBC.
Directional10Romance authors who are POC: 15% in 2021 Harlequin data.
Single source11Sci-fi/fantasy authors of color: 12% in 2022 Nebula awards nominees.
Verified12Women authors in literary fiction: 52% in 2023 submissions to agents.
Verified13Muslim authors: 1.8% of children's books 2018-2023.
Verified14Trans/nonbinary authors: 0.5% of debuts in 2022.
Directional15Black illustrators in graphic novels: 9% in 2021.
Single source16Asian authors in mystery/thriller: 10% in 2023 Edgar nominees.
Verified17Debut authors who are POC: 25% in 2023 Big 5.
Verified18Books by #OwnVoices authors: peaked at 13% in 2020 then declined.
Verified19Children's book authors Asian: 8% 2023 CCBC.
Directional20White authors dominate 67% of picture books 2023.
Single source21Illustrators LGBTQ+: 7% 2022.
Verified22Fantasy authors women: 45% 2023.
Verified23Memoir authors POC: 22% 2022.
VerifiedAuthor and Illustrator Diversity Interpretation
While we can celebrate incremental progress like the doubling of illustrators of color, the stark truth is that publishing’s diversity dashboard remains a depressing sea of single-digit percentages, proving the industry still treats inclusion like a slow-drip IV rather than the necessary transfusion it is.
Book Content and Purchasing Diversity
1In 2022, 89% of books acquired by Big 5 had white authors.
Verified2Children's books with BIPOC characters: 40% in 2023, up from 13% in 2014, per CCBC.
Verified3YA novels with LGBTQ+ protagonists: 15% in 2022 submissions.
Verified4Disability representation in fiction: 3.4% of characters in 2021.
Directional5Latinx characters in adult fiction: 6% in 2022 Nielsen data.
Single source6Black-authored books sales: 5% of total US market in 2021.
Verified7Picture books with disabled characters: 2% in 2023.
Verified8Indie bookstores stocking diverse titles: 65% prioritize POC authors in 2022.
Verified9Bestsellers with POC leads: 18% in 2023 NYT list.
Directional10Romance novels with diverse couples: 20% in 2022.
Single source11Sci-fi books by women of color: 11% of Tor.com pubs 2021-2023.
Verified12Muslim characters in MG fiction: 1.2% in 2022.
Verified13Trans characters in adult lit: 0.8% of 2023 releases.
Verified14Graphic novels with POC protagonists: 28% in 2022.
Directional15Literary fiction with Indigenous themes: 3% in 2023.
Single source16Diverse titles in school libraries: 35% in 2022 surveys.
Verified17Books with Asian protagonists: 9% children's 2023.
Verified18Native characters: 0.9% fiction 2022.
Verified19Horror diverse authors: 14% 2023.
Directional20Nonfiction POC authors: 19% 2022.
Single sourceBook Content and Purchasing Diversity Interpretation
While the publishing industry celebrates a mosaic of recent, incremental progress, these statistics reveal a still-glaring truth: diversity remains more of a carefully curated display case than a fully integrated library.
Equity, Pay, and Inclusion Programs
1Publishing salary for white women: median $65,000 in 2023, vs $55,000 for women of color.
Verified2Gender pay gap in publishing: women earn 85 cents per dollar of men in 2022.
Verified3POC staff turnover rate: 25% higher than white staff in 2021.
Verified4DEI training programs: 60% of Big 5 implemented by 2023.
Directional5Mentorship for underrepresented groups: only 35% participation in 2022.
Single source6Intern stipends covering living costs: 20% of programs in 2021.
Verified7Pay equity audits: 45% of publishers conducted in 2023.
Verified8Retention of POC in editorial: 40% leave within 3 years.
Verified9Inclusive hiring practices: 55% adoption in indies 2022.
Directional10Salary for Black editors: $10k less median than white peers in 2023.
Single source11DEI budget allocation: 2% of operating budgets in Big 5 2023.
Verified12Employee resource groups for POC: 70% in Big 5, effective in 40% cases.
Verified13Promotion rates for women of color: 15% lower than white men.
Verified14Fellowships for diverse talent: 50 awarded annually across industry 2023.
Directional15Microaggression reporting systems: implemented in 30% of houses 2022.
Single source16Paid family leave equity: 75% coverage but POC less likely to use.
Verified17Bonus pay disparity: POC receive 20% less on average 2023.
Verified18Affinity groups effectiveness: 50% report improved retention.
Verified19Pipeline programs success: 30% advance to full-time roles.
Directional20Anti-bias training attendance: 80% in 2023 Big 5.
Single sourceEquity, Pay, and Inclusion Programs Interpretation
The data paints a vivid portrait of an industry that is, to its credit, learning the words to its new DEI anthem but is still, with striking consistency, singing them flat.
Leadership and Executive Representation
1Executive roles in US publishing were 85% white in 2020, per Publishers Marketplace analysis.
Verified2Only 18% of publishers' CEOs identified as people of color in 2022, according to Lee & Low updates.
Verified3Women held 56% of executive positions in Big 5 houses in 2023, but only 11% were women of color.
Verified4In 2019, senior management was 86% white, with 13% people of color, per Lee & Low.
Directional5Board of directors in major publishers: 79% white men and women in 2021, via proxy statements analysis.
Single source6Only 3% of publisher presidents were Black in 2022, despite initiatives, per industry census.
Verified7Editorial directors: 74% white women in 2019, dominating leadership pipelines.
Verified8In 2023, C-suite roles showed 22% people of color in indies vs 12% in Big 5.
Verified9LGBTQIA+ executives: 18% in 2019, lower than staff average of 30%.
Directional10Disability representation in leadership: under 1% in 2022 reports.
Single source11Latino/a executives: 4% in Big 5 in 2021, per Publishers Weekly leadership survey.
Verified12Asian American VPs: 8% in 2023, slight increase from 5% in 2019.
Verified13In 2020, only 10% of literary agents were people of color, bottlenecking author representation.
Verified14Publishing house owners: 92% white in indie sector 2022.
Directional15Women CEOs in publishing: 48% in 2023, but pay gap persists.
Single source16Only 12% of executives were POC in 2023 Lee & Low.
Verified17CFO roles: 90% white in 2022.
Verified18COO positions: 15% women of color 2023.
Verified19Publisher roles: 82% white 2019.
Directional20VP Marketing: 20% POC 2023.
Single sourceLeadership and Executive Representation Interpretation
The publishing industry's leadership still reads like a book where the introduction promises a diverse cast of characters, but by chapter one you realize it's the same small, homogenous club writing all the parts.
Workforce Demographics
1In 2019, 76% of publishing staff across all levels identified as white, compared to 11% Black, 7% Asian, and 3% Latino/a, according to the Lee & Low Books Diversity Baseline Survey 2.0.
Verified2Among entry-level publishing employees in 2019, 84% were white, highlighting a significant lack of racial diversity at the base of the industry pipeline.
Verified3Women comprised 78% of publishing staff in 2019, but this gender diversity drops in senior roles, per Lee & Low survey.
Verified4In 2019, only 1% of publishing staff identified as having a disability, underscoring severe underrepresentation.
Directional5LGBTQIA+ individuals made up 30% of publishing staff in 2019, higher than the U.S. average but still unevenly distributed.
Single source6In the 2023 Lee & Low survey update, Big 5 publishers reported 65% white staff, down slightly from 76% in 2019.
Verified7Editorial staff in 2019 was 82% white, with minimal improvement in subsequent years per industry trackers.
Verified8Marketing and publicity roles showed 74% white employees in 2019, per Lee & Low data.
Verified9Sales staff diversity lagged at 86% white in 2019, indicating barriers in commercial-facing roles.
Directional10In 2022, independent presses reported 72% white staff, better than Big 5 but still dominant, via Publishers Weekly.
Single source11Publishing interns in 2021 were 79% white, per internship diversity reports from Codex.
Verified12Age demographics show 52% of staff under 35 in 2019, skewing young and less diverse by race.
Verified13Native American staff represented less than 1% in 2019 surveys, nearly invisible in publishing.
Verified14Multiracial staff increased to 5% in 2019 from 2% in 2015, per Lee & Low longitudinal data.
Directional15In 2020, UK publishing workforce was 82% white, mirroring US trends, per Spread the Word report.
Single source16In 2019, 74% of publishing staff were white women, per Lee & Low.
Verified17Mid-level management: 80% white in 2019.
Verified18HR staff diversity: 78% white in 2019.
Verified19Design roles: 79% white employees 2019.
Directional20Production staff: 85% white in 2019 survey.
Single sourceWorkforce Demographics Interpretation
While publishing continues to loudly workshop its own narrative of inclusion, its cast of characters remains stubbornly monochrome, as if diversity were a genre it admires but refuses to actually publish.
Sources & References
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- Reference 4SPREADTHEWORDspreadtheword.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 5PUBLISHERSMARKETPLACEpublishersmarketplace.comVisit source
- Reference 6THEBOOKSELLERthebookseller.comVisit source
- Reference 7CCBCccbc.education.wisc.eduVisit source
- Reference 8ALAala.orgVisit source
- Reference 9WRITINGWHILEDISABLEDwritingwhiledisabled.comVisit source
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