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.
Book Content and Purchasing Diversity
Book Content and Purchasing Diversity Interpretation
Equity, Pay, and Inclusion Programs
Equity, Pay, and Inclusion Programs Interpretation
Leadership and Executive Representation
Leadership and Executive Representation Interpretation
Workforce Demographics
Workforce Demographics Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
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
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.
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.
Sources & References
- Reference 1BLOGblog.leeandlow.com
blog.leeandlow.com
- Reference 2PUBLISHERSWEEKLYpublishersweekly.com
publishersweekly.com
- Reference 3THECODEXthecodex.pub
thecodex.pub
- Reference 4SPREADTHEWORDspreadtheword.org.uk
spreadtheword.org.uk
- Reference 5PUBLISHERSMARKETPLACEpublishersmarketplace.com
publishersmarketplace.com
- Reference 6THEBOOKSELLERthebookseller.com
thebookseller.com
- Reference 7CCBCccbc.education.wisc.edu
ccbc.education.wisc.edu
- Reference 8ALAala.org
ala.org
- Reference 9WRITINGWHILEDISABLEDwritingwhiledisabled.com
writingwhiledisabled.com
- Reference 10NEBULASnebulas.sfwa.org
nebulas.sfwa.org
- Reference 11LITHUBlithub.com
lithub.com
- Reference 12MYSTERYWRITERSmysterywriters.org
mysterywriters.org
- Reference 13NIELSENnielsen.com
nielsen.com
- Reference 14NYTIMESnytimes.com
nytimes.com
- Reference 15TORtor.com
tor.com






