Despite decades of discussion, leadership and creative power in publishing still looks heavily uneven, with 89% of Big 5 acquisitions in 2022 featuring white authors. At the same time, some categories are moving in the right direction, such as picture book illustrators of color reaching 22% in 2023. This post brings those contrasts together, using the latest available DEI statistics to show where representation is rising, where it stalls, and where the gaps are most stubborn.
Key Takeaways
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Despite some gains, people of color and other underrepresented groups remain vastly underrepresented in publishing leadership and authorship.
Related reading
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02 · Category
Book Content and Purchasing Diversity20 stats
01
In 2022, 89% of books acquired by Big 5 had white authors.
02
Children's books with BIPOC characters: 40% in 2023, up from 13% in 2014, per CCBC.
03
YA novels with LGBTQ+ protagonists: 15% in 2022 submissions.
04
Disability representation in fiction: 3.4% of characters in 2021.
05
Latinx characters in adult fiction: 6% in 2022 Nielsen data.
06
Black-authored books sales: 5% of total US market in 2021.
07
Picture books with disabled characters: 2% in 2023.
08
Indie bookstores stocking diverse titles: 65% prioritize POC authors in 2022.
09
Bestsellers with POC leads: 18% in 2023 NYT list.
10
Romance novels with diverse couples: 20% in 2022.
11
Sci-fi books by women of color: 11% of Tor.com pubs 2021-2023.
12
Muslim characters in MG fiction: 1.2% in 2022.
13
Trans characters in adult lit: 0.8% of 2023 releases.
14
Graphic novels with POC protagonists: 28% in 2022.
15
Literary fiction with Indigenous themes: 3% in 2023.
16
Diverse titles in school libraries: 35% in 2022 surveys.
17
Books with Asian protagonists: 9% children's 2023.
18
Native characters: 0.9% fiction 2022.
19
Horror diverse authors: 14% 2023.
20
Nonfiction POC authors: 19% 2022.
Interpretation
Book 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.
03 · Category
Equity, Pay, and Inclusion Programs20 stats
01
Publishing salary for white women: median $65,000 in 2023, vs $55,000 for women of color.
02
Gender pay gap in publishing: women earn 85 cents per dollar of men in 2022.
03
POC staff turnover rate: 25% higher than white staff in 2021.
04
DEI training programs: 60% of Big 5 implemented by 2023.
05
Mentorship for underrepresented groups: only 35% participation in 2022.
06
Intern stipends covering living costs: 20% of programs in 2021.
07
Pay equity audits: 45% of publishers conducted in 2023.
08
Retention of POC in editorial: 40% leave within 3 years.
09
Inclusive hiring practices: 55% adoption in indies 2022.
10
Salary for Black editors: $10k less median than white peers in 2023.
11
DEI budget allocation: 2% of operating budgets in Big 5 2023.
12
Employee resource groups for POC: 70% in Big 5, effective in 40% cases.
13
Promotion rates for women of color: 15% lower than white men.
14
Fellowships for diverse talent: 50 awarded annually across industry 2023.
15
Microaggression reporting systems: implemented in 30% of houses 2022.
16
Paid family leave equity: 75% coverage but POC less likely to use.
17
Bonus pay disparity: POC receive 20% less on average 2023.
18
Affinity groups effectiveness: 50% report improved retention.
19
Pipeline programs success: 30% advance to full-time roles.
20
Anti-bias training attendance: 80% in 2023 Big 5.
Interpretation
Equity, 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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Leadership and Executive Representation20 stats
01
Executive roles in US publishing were 85% white in 2020, per Publishers Marketplace analysis.
02
Only 18% of publishers' CEOs identified as people of color in 2022, according to Lee & Low updates.
03
Women held 56% of executive positions in Big 5 houses in 2023, but only 11% were women of color.
04
In 2019, senior management was 86% white, with 13% people of color, per Lee & Low.
05
Board of directors in major publishers: 79% white men and women in 2021, via proxy statements analysis.
06
Only 3% of publisher presidents were Black in 2022, despite initiatives, per industry census.
07
Editorial directors: 74% white women in 2019, dominating leadership pipelines.
08
In 2023, C-suite roles showed 22% people of color in indies vs 12% in Big 5.
09
LGBTQIA+ executives: 18% in 2019, lower than staff average of 30%.
10
Disability representation in leadership: under 1% in 2022 reports.
11
Latino/a executives: 4% in Big 5 in 2021, per Publishers Weekly leadership survey.
12
Asian American VPs: 8% in 2023, slight increase from 5% in 2019.
13
In 2020, only 10% of literary agents were people of color, bottlenecking author representation.
14
Publishing house owners: 92% white in indie sector 2022.
15
Women CEOs in publishing: 48% in 2023, but pay gap persists.
16
Only 12% of executives were POC in 2023 Lee & Low.
17
CFO roles: 90% white in 2022.
18
COO positions: 15% women of color 2023.
19
Publisher roles: 82% white 2019.
20
VP Marketing: 20% POC 2023.
Interpretation
Leadership 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.
05 · Category
Workforce Demographics20 stats
01
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.
02
Among entry-level publishing employees in 2019, 84% were white, highlighting a significant lack of racial diversity at the base of the industry pipeline.
03
Women comprised 78% of publishing staff in 2019, but this gender diversity drops in senior roles, per Lee & Low survey.
04
In 2019, only 1% of publishing staff identified as having a disability, underscoring severe underrepresentation.
05
LGBTQIA+ individuals made up 30% of publishing staff in 2019, higher than the U.S. average but still unevenly distributed.
06
In the 2023 Lee & Low survey update, Big 5 publishers reported 65% white staff, down slightly from 76% in 2019.
07
Editorial staff in 2019 was 82% white, with minimal improvement in subsequent years per industry trackers.
08
Marketing and publicity roles showed 74% white employees in 2019, per Lee & Low data.
09
Sales staff diversity lagged at 86% white in 2019, indicating barriers in commercial-facing roles.
10
In 2022, independent presses reported 72% white staff, better than Big 5 but still dominant, via Publishers Weekly.
11
Publishing interns in 2021 were 79% white, per internship diversity reports from Codex.
12
Age demographics show 52% of staff under 35 in 2019, skewing young and less diverse by race.
13
Native American staff represented less than 1% in 2019 surveys, nearly invisible in publishing.
14
Multiracial staff increased to 5% in 2019 from 2% in 2015, per Lee & Low longitudinal data.
15
In 2020, UK publishing workforce was 82% white, mirroring US trends, per Spread the Word report.
16
In 2019, 74% of publishing staff were white women, per Lee & Low.
17
Mid-level management: 80% white in 2019.
18
HR staff diversity: 78% white in 2019.
19
Design roles: 79% white employees 2019.
20
Production staff: 85% white in 2019 survey.
Interpretation
Workforce 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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Publishing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-publishing-industry-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Publishing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-publishing-industry-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Publishing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-publishing-industry-statistics.