Average office size research summary: The perfect office size is a delicate balance between providing a comfortable space for employees, and saving money on that monthly rent. To find that happy medium, many offices around the country provide a similar amount of space.
If you’re a job seeker or business owner curious about how much office space you should have, we’ve got you covered. We’ve investigated the average office size, and according to our research:
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The average office size in the US is between 150-175 square feet per employee.
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Tech companies use even less space on average, at 155 square feet per person (125-175ft²).
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It’s a good idea to add an extra 10-20% of office square footage to account for future growth.
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OSHA does not provide minimum requirements for office size, but experts recommend no less than 50 square feet between employees.
Average office size by industry
The average office size might be between 150-175 square feet per employee, but there are also significant variations across industries. Here is a comprehensive list of the average office space by industry:
Average office space by industry
| Share of lawyers | Average office space per employee |
|---|---|
| Technology | 155 ft² |
| Engineering | 185 ft² |
| Real estate | 185 ft² |
| Social services | 235 ft² |
| Law enforcement | 240 ft² |
| Finance | 245 ft² |
| Communications | 257 ft² |
| Accountancy | 265 ft² |
| Computer | 265 ft² |
| Architecture | 275 ft² |
| Insurance | 280 ft² |
| Federal government | 312 ft² |
| Biotech and science | 410 ft² |
| Legal | 411 ft² |
Of the industries listed, the Technology industry requires the least amount of space per person, at only 155 square feet. On the opposite end, the Legal industry offers an average of 411 square feet per person. That means the average office space in the Legal industry is 1.65x larger than the average office space in the Tech industry.
As a potential job seeker, it’s likely far more appealing to have a small apartment’s worth of space, as opposed to a cubicle.
Average office size over time
Over time, the average office size has decreased. For example, the average office size in 2011 was 225 square feet per person, and the average office size in 2020 was 195 square feet per person.
That means that between 2011 and 2023, the average office size decreased by up to 33%, or in other words, offices now are only two-thirds the size they were a decade ago.
Whether or not the size will continue to decrease remains to be seen. However, seeing as the smallest office sizes are seen in the Tech industry, one of the fastest-growing industries, this might be the case.
Average office size FAQ
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How much office space do you need per employee?
You need at least 150 square feet per employee to ensure the comfort of employees. However, it’s important to note that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for calculating the precise office square footage needed per employee. The required space can vary depending on factors such as your company’s nature, industry, job roles, and work environment.
One useful approach is to determine the Personal Usable Square Footage (USF) for your business. This measurement helps you assess how much space each employee needs to perform their tasks comfortably and efficiently.
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Do certain industries need more office space per employee compared to others?
Yes, some industries do require more space per employee when compared to others. For instance, fields such as law, insurance, architecture, and government typically require a greater average square footage per employee, while industries like technology, real estate, finance, and engineering tend to have lower space requirements per staff member.
The legal field, in particular, has an average office space of 411 square feet per person, while the Tech industry only offers 155 square feet per person.
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What’s the smallest size an office can be?
An office should be no smaller than 50 square feet, but even this is pushing it. Overall, 50-70 square feet allows for a basic workstation with essentials like a phone, computer, and a single desk. However, it’s important to note that such extremely compact offices are typically best suited for environments such as call centers and similar setups.
Additionally, while there are no OSHA policies regulating office size, having a small, uncomfortable office may lead to high turnover rates and poor employee satisfaction.
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How much office space do you need to accommodate 100 employees?
You need between 15,000 and 17,500 square feet to accommodate 100 employees. According to expert recommendations, it’s advisable to have at least 150-175 square feet per employee. So, when you multiply this by 100 employees, it results in a requirement of 15,000 to 17,500 square feet.
Additionally, experts also advise incorporating an extra 10-20% of space to account for future business growth. Therefore, it might be prudent to aim for 18,000 to 21,000 square feet if you anticipate your business expanding in the coming years.
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How can you account for future growth when calculating the required square footage per employee?
To account for future growth when determining square footage per employee, you should include an additional 10-20% of space in your calculations. It’s also a good strategy to plan for your occupancy to reach around 2/3 or 3/4 of the total space available during your lease term.
This approach is recommended because it allows you to accommodate potential growth smoothly. While you can always utilize extra space if needed, it’s much more challenging to create additional space when none is available. Accounting for future expansion ensures that you have the necessary extra room when it becomes necessary.
Conclusion
Office size is an important factor to consider, whether you’re a job seeker or an entrepreneur looking to launch a new startup. While office size does vary from industry to industry, the average office size in 2023 is 150-175 square feet per employee.
One of the industries with the largest average office size is the Legal industry, where the average per employee is a whopping 411 square feet. Conversely, the Tech industry has the smallest average office size of only 155 square feet per employee.
Overall, office sizes seem to be decreasing over time, with the average office in 2023 being only two-thirds as large as the average office in 2011. Whether or not these trends continue remains to be seen, but with the Tech industry leading the way, we might expect even smaller offices going forward.
References
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
