Desk setup calculator
A desk setup that fits your body.
Move the slider to your height. We’ll work out your chair, desk and screen heights.
Drawn to scale. Top of the screen about 1″ below eye level.
- Chair seat height 17.5″ Floor to top of seat · 44 cm
- Seat depth ≤ 18″ Leaves a gap behind your knees
- Desk height, sitting 26.5″ Desk surface. 24.5–27.5″ works
- Desk height, standing 42.5″ Desk surface. 40.5–43.5″ works
- Screen top, sitting 48.5″ Standing: 64.5″ · from the floor
- At a standard 29.5″ desk Footrest Raise your chair 3″ and rest your feet on a footrest.
Footrests that reach 3″
At a standard 29.5″ desk, raise your chair 3″ and rest your feet on one of these.
- Fellowes Standard Footrest (48121)3.5 or 4.375″ · tilts Check price on Amazon
- Mind Reader Adjustable Height Foot Rest3.25–6.25″ Check price on Amazon
- Kensington SoleSaver Adjustable Footrest2.5–4.5″ · tilts Check price on Amazon
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How we calculate it
Body proportions scale closely with height. We use ratios measured in ANSUR II, the US Army's 2012 survey of 6,068 people, add 1″ for shoes, and apply the guidance in ANSI/HFES 100, BIFMA G1 and OSHA's workstation guide:
| Height | Rule | Average ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Chair seat | Lower-leg length (back of knee to floor) plus shoe | 24.2% of height |
| Seat depth | Thigh length minus 2″ of clearance behind the knee | 29.2% of height |
| Sitting desk | Seat height plus elbow height, minus 1″ for the keyboard | 14.1% of height |
| Standing desk | Standing elbow height plus shoe, minus the keyboard | 61.7% of height |
| Screen top | Eye height, minus 1″ | 45.9% sitting, 93.4% standing |
Seat height and eye height are predicted to within about half an inch. Elbow height varies more between people of the same height, so treat your desk height as a starting point (anywhere from 2″ below to1″ above is fine) and fine-tune by feel: shoulders relaxed, wrists straight, feet supported. More on our method.
Desk height by height
- 4′8″21.5″ desk
- 4′9″22″ desk
- 4′10″22″ desk
- 4′11″22.5″ desk
- 5′0″23″ desk
- 5′1″23.5″ desk
- 5′2″23.5″ desk
- 5′3″24″ desk
- 5′4″24.5″ desk
- 5′5″25″ desk
- 5′6″25.5″ desk
- 5′7″25.5″ desk
- 5′8″26″ desk
- 5′9″26.5″ desk
- 5′10″27″ desk
- 5′11″27″ desk
- 6′0″27.5″ desk
- 6′1″28″ desk
- 6′2″28.5″ desk
- 6′3″28.5″ desk
- 6′4″29″ desk
- 6′5″29.5″ desk
- 6′6″30″ desk
- 6′7″30″ desk
- 6′8″30.5″ desk
Questions
What height should my desk be?
When sitting, your desk surface should be about level with your elbows, with your shoulders relaxed. For someone 5′9″ that's about 26.5″ (67 cm). Shorter people need lower desks: about 23.5″ at 5′2″. Taller people need higher ones: about 28.5″ at 6′3″.
What height should my office chair be?
Set the seat so your feet rest flat on the floor with your thighs level. That's roughly your lower-leg length plus your shoe. For a 5′9″ person it's about 17.5″ (44 cm) from the floor to the top of the seat.
What height should my standing desk be?
Standing, the desk should again meet your elbows. For a 5′9″ person that's about 42.5″ (108 cm). Check that a standing desk's maximum height reaches your number, and its minimum height reaches your sitting number.
How high should my monitor be?
The top line of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level, about an arm’s length away. If you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, go lower and tilt the screen back.
Do I need a footrest?
A standard 29.5″ desk is too high for almost everyone under about 6′2″. You raise your chair to reach it, and then your feet no longer rest flat. A footrest fills that gap, and the calculator shows how tall it should be. A height-adjustable desk avoids the problem altogether.