Height of Standard Desk: Is 30 Inches Too Tall for You?

The height of a standard desk is 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm), and most desks you can buy today sit right around 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 cm). Cornell University’s ergonomics guide gives the same 28 to 30 inch (71 to 76 cm) range as comfortable for most adults. The standard desk height is easy to look up; the tricky part is whether it fits your body.

Below are the dimensions chart, a desk height chart by body height and cheap fixes for a desk that feels wrong. Setting up in a small home? Our guide to living in a studio apartment pairs nicely with this one.

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What Is the Height of a Standard Desk?

A standard desk is 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm) tall, and 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 cm) is the most common height in stores. Desk height means the distance from the floor to the top of the work surface, not to the bottom of a drawer.

The University of Pennsylvania ergonomics team notes that a typical office desk is 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 cm) high, which is too high for many people.

Seated writing and seated typing also want slightly different heights. Duke University’s workstation guidelines list 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm) for seated writing but 26 to 27 inches (66 to 69 cm) for a seated keyboard, because typing hands rest lower than writing hands.

Standard Desk Dimensions Chart

Standard desk dimensions are about 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm) high, 48 to 72 inches (122 to 183 cm) wide and 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm) deep. Height barely changes between desk types, while width and depth change a lot.

Takeaway: Most seated desks land near 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 cm); adjust the chair, not the desk.

Chart sources: OfficeFurniture2Go desk sizes, L-shaped desk sizes and Colorado State University’s sit-stand range.

Average Desk Length and Depth

The average desk length is about 48 to 60 inches (122 to 152 cm), and a normal desk depth is 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm). The OfficeFurniture2Go guide calls 48 by 24 inches (122 by 61 cm) a compact desk, 60 by 30 inches (152 by 76 cm) a standard desk, and up to 72 by 36 inches (183 by 91 cm) a large one.

OSHA recommends keeping a monitor at least 20 inches (51 cm) from your eyes, and UC Berkeley’s work surface checklist asks for at least 30 inches (76 cm) of depth for a computer work surface.

Small Desk Dimensions for Apartments

A small apartment desk is usually 31 to 48 inches (79 to 122 cm) wide and 16 to 24 inches (41 to 61 cm) deep, at the same 29 to 30 inch (74 to 76 cm) height as a full desk.

For a laptop plus a monitor, aim for at least 40 inches (102 cm) of width and 20 inches (51 cm) or more of depth so the screen can sit back from the edge. Our studio apartment decorating ideas show how to tuck a desk into a corner without crowding the bed.

How to Find the Right Desk Height for Your Height

The right desk height puts your keyboard at or just below elbow height while you sit with relaxed shoulders. For most people under about 5’7″ (170 cm), that means a desk a little lower than the standard 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 cm).

Sit back in your chair with your feet flat, let your arms hang, then bend your elbows. The UK Health and Safety Executive says the keyboard should sit just below elbow height, and OSHA suggests an elbow angle between 90 and 120 degrees. The floor to forearm measurement is your ideal keyboard height.

Penn’s ergonomics team gives these approximate desk heights by body height:

Takeaway: Only people around 5’7″ (170 cm) and taller fit a standard 29 to 30 inch (74 to 76 cm) desk without help.

Check your monitor while you’re at it. OSHA recommends the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level and 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm) from your eyes, and Cornell suggests about an arm’s length away.

Standing Desk Height

A good standing desk height is close to your standing elbow height, which is about 39 to 43 inches (99 to 109 cm) for many adults. Duke lists 39 to 41 inches (99 to 104 cm) for standing computer work and 42 to 43 inches (107 to 109 cm) for standing writing.

A standing desk is a desk you can raise and lower so you can work sitting or standing. Most electric models travel somewhere inside the 22 to 50 inch (56 to 127 cm) sit-stand range from Colorado State University.

The FlexiSpot EN1 one-piece standing desk is a friendly first standing desk. The white 48 by 24 inch (122 by 61 cm) top moves from 28.9 to 46.5 inches (73 to 118 cm) with four memory presets. One honest note: the lowest setting is about standard desk height, so people under 5’7″ (170 cm) still want a footrest when sitting.

What Is the Difference Between a Standard Desk Height and a Standing Desk Height in Inches and Centimeters?

A standard desk height is 28 to 30 inches (71 to 76 cm), while a standing desk height for most adults is about 39 to 43 inches (99 to 109 cm). The gap of about 10 to 14 inches (25 to 36 cm) matches the change in your elbow height.

Matching Chair Height to Desk Height

Set the chair first, then judge the desk: your feet should rest flat, your thighs should sit roughly level and your elbows should land at or just above the desktop. Duke lists an adjustable seat height of 16 to 20.5 inches (41 to 52 cm) for office chairs.

OSHA’s chair guidance says the whole sole of your foot should rest on the floor or on a footrest. If you raise the chair to reach a tall desk, a footrest fills the gap.

Armrests that sit higher than the desktop stop you from pulling in close, so lower them. Our parts of a chair guide explains each part in plain words.

How to Fix a Desk That Is Too High or Too Low

Fix a desk that is too high by raising your chair, adding a footrest and lowering the keyboard with a keyboard tray. Fix a desk that is too low with sturdy desk risers or by lifting the screen.

I’m 5’4″ and My Desk Feels Too Tall. What Desk Height Should I Use, and How Do I Fix It Without Buying a New Desk?

At 5’4″ (163 cm), Penn’s chart suggests a desk of about 26 to 27 inches (66 to 69 cm), so a standard 29 to 30 inch (74 to 76 cm) desk runs around 3 inches (8 cm) too tall. You can fix the gap for far less than a new desk:

1. Raise the chair until your elbows sit level with the desktop or slightly above it.
2. Add a footrest so your feet stay flat. The ComfiLife under desk footrest is a 17.5 by 12 inch (44 by 30 cm) memory foam cushion with adjustable height.
3. Drop the keyboard with a keyboard tray, a slide-out shelf that holds the keyboard and mouse below the desktop. The VIVO clamp-on keyboard and mouse tray has a 26.8 by 11 inch (68 by 28 cm) platform and clamps onto desktops up to 1.25 inches (3 cm) thick, so no drilling.

Desk too low instead? OSHA suggests raising a fixed desk on stable risers rather than stacks of books. Tall people can also lift the screen with the TEAMIX 20 inch wood monitor stand riser, which adds about 4 inches (10 cm).

Quick Tip: Check the clamp space before ordering a keyboard tray. The VIVO tray needs 32.5 inches (83 cm) of desk edge from clamp to clamp.

Desks That Fit Small Spaces

For a small space, pick a desk about 31 to 40 inches (79 to 102 cm) wide that keeps a normal 29 to 30 inch (74 to 76 cm) height, or a wall-mounted desk you can set at your own height.

The WOHOMO 31.5 inch folding desk in oak measures 31.5 by 15.75 inches (80 by 40 cm) with a 29.5 inch (75 cm) height, and folds to 2.76 inches (7 cm) thin to slide behind a door.

The TEAMIX wall mounted folding desk in black gives you a 23.6 by 11.8 inch (60 by 30 cm) laptop surface, holds up to 80 pounds (36 kg) and folds down to 2.4 inches (6 cm). Because you choose the spot on the wall, you can mount the top right at your elbow height.

Takeaway: If you share a desk, buy adjustable height; it fits everyone.

Not sure a desk is even the right piece for the spot? Our kinds of furniture guide compares desks, consoles and vanities.

Measure Your Elbows Before You Buy

Measure your seated elbow height first, then shop for a desk that matches it or adjusts to it. That one number tells you more than any “standard” label on a product page.

Write down your seated elbow height and the width of your wall or corner, then compare them with the charts above. You’ll know in a minute whether a desk fits as it is or needs a footrest or keyboard tray.

Height of Standard Desk FAQ