LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social networking sites, with over 800 million members worldwide. With so many users, LinkedIn appeals to people across many demographics looking to establish professional connections and further their careers. But what particular demographic uses LinkedIn the most? Let’s take a closer look at LinkedIn’s user base to determine who is most active on the platform.
Gender
According to LinkedIn’s 2022 Gender Insights Report, there are slightly more men than women on LinkedIn globally. As of January 2022, LinkedIn has a 54% male user base and a 46% female user base. However, the gap between male and female users has been steadily closing over the past few years as more women join the platform. In 2016, LinkedIn had a user base comprised of 61% men and 39% women.
While men still make up the majority of LinkedIn members, women are quickly gaining ground. Women are also more engaged on LinkedIn. The average woman produces more content and is 31% more likely to follow companies than the average man, according to LinkedIn. Women also tend to have larger networks, connecting with an average of 10% more people than men on the platform.
Age
LinkedIn appeals most strongly to working professionals between the ages of 25 and 34. This coveted demographic makes up 40% of LinkedIn’s total user base. The next largest age demographic on LinkedIn is 35-54 year-olds, who comprise 35% of users. Professionals ages 18-24 make up a smaller but still significant segment at 15% of users. Users 55 and older round out the age distribution at just 10%.
The predominance of young professionals on LinkedIn makes sense, given that the platform is geared towards career networking and development. Younger generations tend to be more proactive in using social media for professional advancement and staying on top of industry trends. Older professionals still find value in LinkedIn for the employment opportunities, business contacts, and thought leadership content available.
Income Level
Given LinkedIn’s targeting of career-driven professionals, it follows that its users tend to have relatively high incomes. According to LinkedIn’s 2022 U.S. Workforce Report, 37% of users on the platform earn a household income of $100,000 or above. 24% earn between $50,000-$100,000, and 22% fall in the $30,000-$50,000 range. Only 17% of LinkedIn users have household incomes under $30,000.
In summary, the income breakdown of LinkedIn users is:
| Household Income | Percentage of LinkedIn Users |
| Under $30,000 | 17% |
| $30,000-$50,000 | 22% |
| $50,000-$100,000 | 24% |
| Over $100,000 | 37% |
The prevalence of higher-earning professionals underscores LinkedIn’s value in supporting advanced career opportunities and access to influential business networks for their users.
Industry
When looking at LinkedIn usage across different industries, a few fields stand out for having especially high representation:
- Technology – 19% of LinkedIn users
- Finance – 12%
- Manufacturing – 10%
- Corporate Services – 6%
- Healthcare – 6%
Technology industry professionals are the most active in leveraging LinkedIn, encompassing nearly one-fifth of all users. The technology world moves fast, so networking and staying on the pulse of the latest developments is vital. Finance follows closely, given the competitive nature of the field. Manufacturing and corporate services firms also have a strong presence to connect with clients and talent.
In contrast, some industries have lower LinkedIn adoption, such as:
- Government – 2% of users
- Non-profits – 2%
- Primary/Secondary Education – 1%
Public sector and education roles may rely less on LinkedIn for networking and recruitment compared to private sector industries.
Location
LinkedIn has an international scope, but its largest user bases are concentrated in major professional hubs around the world. According to LinkedIn, the countries with the most users are:
- United States – 172 million
- India – 76 million
- Brazil – 49 million
- United Kingdom – 25 million
- France – 25 million
The United States has by far the most LinkedIn members, likely reflective of both the relative size of the workforce and the culture of professional networking. India and Brazil have also embraced LinkedIn as key sites of technology, finance, and other major industries. The UK and France round out the top 5 with their large knowledge worker hubs.
Some other observations on LinkedIn’s global user base:
- English-speaking countries tend to have higher adoption rates, given LinkedIn originated in Silicon Valley.
- LinkedIn struggles to gain traction in China due to government restrictions on foreign social media.
- Developing countries are rapidly increasing their LinkedIn user bases as their economies grow.
Engagement Level
While the above covers LinkedIn’s overall user demographics, it’s also helpful to look at what types of users are most actively engaging on the platform through content sharing, interacting with other members, etc. According to LinkedIn’s metrics, here are the top three most engaged demographics:
- Open networkers – Members who connect broadly and regularly interact with new people. They thrive on networking.
- Thought leaders – Those who regularly publish professional insights and opinions to build their authority and following.
- Career builders – Members focused on advancing their careers and skills by learning from others.
People in these groups tend to get the most out of LinkedIn in terms of establishing connections, growing their brand, and accessing career opportunities. They fully leverage LinkedIn’s strengths for networking, thought leadership, and recruitment. More casual users may limit engagement to just maintaining a basic profile and passive consumption of content.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn’s most active user demographic is working professionals aged 25-34, concentrated in the technology, finance, manufacturing, and services industries. While men still comprise a small majority overall, women users are quickly growing especially active. The United States is LinkedIn’s largest market by far, followed by other major economic hubs globally. And the members who drive LinkedIn’s value via high engagement span multiple demographics, identified by their networking, thought leadership, and career building behaviors.
As LinkedIn continues expanding, we may see some shifts in the platform’s key demographics. But the core focus on professional networking is likely to remain, making it most useful for those intent on propelling their careers through relationships and knowledge sharing with others.