The New York City advertising industry has experienced a remarkable boon in the last 20 years, growing 49.5% in jobs. With 69,800 jobs in the NYC advertising industry, up from the 46,700 in 2003, the industry has exceeded the 36.7% overall private sector growth rate. This sector is also a powerful path to a high paying career, with a median annual salary of $91,712. However, a recent report from the Center for an Urban Future found that Black and Hispanic/Latino New Yorkers are greatly underrepresented in New York’s advertising industry. 

“What really struck me about this research is that when you look at all the other industries in New York City…it really stands out that advertising is one of those sectors where employment growth has far outpaced the city's overall private sector job growth…but where the workforce just doesn't come close to matching the diversity of New York City,” said Eli Dvorkin, editorial and policy director and the Center for an Urban Future. 

“Expanding Access to Advertising Careers in NYC” is based on a review of multiple sources, including the U.S. Census American Community Survey, with the goal of exploring the makeup of the advertising industry in the city, along with racial disparities. The report’s scope includes those who live in and work in the city and does not consider commuters living outside of the city. 

#AdvertisingSoWhite

Between 2000 and 2022, the share of non-White workers in advertising increased 5.8% percentage points, from 27.9% to 33.7%. When looking at the share of the city’s overall workforce, the share of non-White workers jumped from 51.4% to 64.2% in the same time period. 

At a more granular level, only 7.7% of the city’s advertising industry is comprised of Black people, compared to the 20.7% of the overall workforce. A similar gap can be seen with Hispanic workers, which make up 14.8% of the advertising workforce despite being 27.6% of the city’s overall workforce. The smallest gap can be seen with Asian workers, who make up 10.6% of NYC’s advertising workforce and 15.4% of the city’s overall workforce. 

The report also found racial disparities in how the advertising industry pays its workers. While advertising jobs pay well above the median private sector salary in the city, most employees of color can expect to earn much less than the median salary. While the median salary for all advertising workers is $91,712, the median salary for Black workers is $72,064 and for Hispanic workers it's $75,362. Asian workers tend to make more than the average, with a median salary of $94,203.

The findings suggest the advertising industry could play a key role in supporting a more equitable economy in the city. 

“At the same time, New Yorkers of color who do work in advertising earn much higher wages on average than another industry. So the big takeaway is… if New York City wants to make significantly more progress in building a more equitable economy…then advertising is a really logical place to focus next,” said Dvorkin. 

Remaking the workforce

If marketers want to be successful, it is imperative that their workforce reflects the diversity of American consumers. While racial equity in the workplace should be the goal, it is easier said than done. One way of accelerating progress may be to actively work with the city on recruitment and outreach efforts, per the report.

The ad industry could work with the two already-established high schools dedicated to the advertising industry in the city: the Manhattan Early College School for Advertising and the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media. Expanding paid internships to these high schools could help fill the new hire pipeline.

Additionally, the advertising industry could consider more skill-based hiring. As of 2022, only 7% of jobs in the advertising field did not hold at least a bachelor's degree. Working with other city sources, such as the City University of New York and the New York City Economic Development Corporation could help expand opportunities for those with non-traditional backgrounds. 

“We are living in a country and in a market that is becoming more diverse every year,” said Dvorkin. “And I think that agencies and the in-house teams that are going to really succeed in the future are going to look a lot more like their market than they do today.”