Desk and monitor sizing
Figures below are either quoted from a public ergonomics page or labeled as a planning note built on top of one. Manufacturer limits still win for a specific desk or arm. This is not a lab measurement. Read how we research for what the site does not test.
The desk height calculator interpolates the four stature rows in the keyboard-height table and checks them against the OSHA keyboard windows. Those rows are published reference values.
Desk depth
OSHA’s purchasing guide says the desk should be deep enough to place the monitor at least 20 inches (50 cm) from your eyes. OSHA does not publish a 24-inch versus 30-inch rule. The rows below are planning notes for the two depths home-office tops usually come in.
| Desk depth | Planning note | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 24 in (61 cm) | Can meet the 20 in (50 cm) minimum if a thin monitor sits at the back edge. Keyboard space in front of a larger or dual-monitor setup gets tight. | OSHA minimum distance, applied to a 24 in top. Not an OSHA depth specification. |
| 30 in (76 cm) | Leaves more of the 20–40 in (50–100 cm) viewing window usable while the keyboard stays on the desk. | OSHA viewing window, applied to a 30 in top. Not an OSHA depth specification. |
| Deeper than 30 in | Extra room when a 32 in screen or an ultrawide should sit farther back, if the room has the floor space. | Planning note inside OSHA’s 20–40 in window. |
Download CSV — desk-depth.csv
Monitor size and viewing distance
OSHA’s monitor page says the preferred viewing distance is 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm) from the eye to the front of the screen, and that smaller monitors may need larger text. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level, with the center of the screen normally 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level.
The bands below split that published window so a larger panel is not crammed into the near end. They are RiseWorktop planning ranges, not measurements from a lab and not OSHA’s own size table.
| Monitor diagonal | Planning range inside 20–40 in | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| About 24 in | Nearer part of the window, about 20–28 in (50–71 cm). Increase text size if characters look small. | Split of OSHA’s 20–40 in window. OSHA notes smaller screens may need larger text. |
| About 27 in | Middle of the window, about 24–32 in (61–81 cm). | Split of OSHA’s 20–40 in window. Not a separate OSHA rule. |
| About 32 in, and many ultrawides | Farther part of the window, about 28–40 in (71–100 cm). Stay inside 40 in. | Split of OSHA’s 20–40 in window. Not a separate OSHA rule. |
Download CSV — monitor-viewing-distance.csv
Keyboard height by stature
OSHA’s purchasing guide says keyboard height should be adjustable from 22 to 30 inches for seated work and from 36 to 46.5 inches for standing work, at about elbow height. OSHA does not publish a separate desk height for each stature.
The stature rows use the Ergonomics Center of North Carolina summary of ANSUR II (Gordon et al., 2014), a survey of U.S. Army personnel, not a civilian census. Standing figures are the published elbow heights. Sitting figures are popliteal height plus sitting elbow height from the same table, which estimates a keyboard at elbow height when the seat is at popliteal height. Shoes are not included; they raise a standing elbow.
The 5th-percentile women’s seated estimate (21.22 in) sits just below OSHA’s 22-inch lower target. OSHA’s desk guidance is to raise the chair and add a footrest, or to use a keyboard tray, when a fixed desk cannot match elbow height.
| Published stature row | Sitting keyboard height | Standing keyboard height | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th percentile women, stature 60.04 in | 21.22 in (13.78 + 7.44) | 36.69 in | ANSUR II via the Ergonomics Center summary. Sitting is calculated. |
| 50th percentile women, stature 64.02 in | 24.41 in (15.24 + 9.17) | 39.45 in | ANSUR II via the Ergonomics Center summary. Sitting is calculated. |
| 50th percentile men, stature 69.09 in | 26.62 in (16.93 + 9.69) | 42.64 in | ANSUR II via the Ergonomics Center summary. Sitting is calculated. |
| 95th percentile men, stature 73.62 in | 30.00 in (18.54 + 11.46) | 45.94 in | ANSUR II via the Ergonomics Center summary. Sitting is calculated. |
Download CSV — keyboard-height-by-stature.csv
Clearance and keyboard-height targets
These are population adjustment targets from OSHA, not a fit guarantee for every body. Elbows should stay close to the body. OSHA’s positions page describes elbows bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seated keyboard height | Adjustable from 22 to 30 inches, at about elbow height | OSHA purchasing guide |
| Standing keyboard height | Adjustable from 36 to 46.5 inches, at about elbow height | OSHA purchasing guide |
| Eye-to-screen distance | Preferred 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm). The desk must allow at least 20 inches. | OSHA monitors page and purchasing guide |
| Screen height | Top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. Center normally 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level. | OSHA monitors page |
| Knee clearance depth | At least 17.6 inches | OSHA purchasing guide |
| Foot clearance depth | At least 24 inches | OSHA purchasing guide |
| Clearance width | At least 20.8 inches | OSHA purchasing guide |
| Knee-height clearance | 20 inches | OSHA purchasing guide |
Download CSV — workstation-clearance.csv
Monitor arm, VESA pattern, and weight
VESA’s Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI) overview defines the size and weight classes. Part D covers 12 to 22.9 inch diagonals, up to 14 kg (30.8 lb), with a four-hole interface. Part E covers 23 to 30.9 inch diagonals, up to 22.7 kg (50 lb). The overview does not print every hole spacing in millimeters. Read the pattern on the monitor spec sheet and match the arm.
The kilogram figures are design limits for the interface, not the capacity printed on a particular arm. Use the monitor’s listed weight and an arm rated above that weight. Clamp reach and desktop thickness are also per-arm specs. This site does not weigh monitors.
| Check | What to verify | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hole pattern | The millimeter pattern on the monitor spec sheet. Match it to the arm. FDMI Part D is a four-hole interface; Part E is specified as a six-hole interface in the overview. | VESA FDMI overview, plus the monitor spec sheet |
| Interface weight class | Part D displays are specified up to 14 kg (30.8 lb). Part E displays are specified up to 22.7 kg (50 lb). | VESA FDMI overview |
| Arm capacity | The arm’s own rated weight must cover the monitor weight on the spec sheet, including any bracket you leave attached. Ignore a universal “office arm” number. | Monitor and arm manufacturer spec sheets |
| Desk attachment | Clamp mounts need an open edge and a top thickness the arm lists. Grommet mounts need a hole. Both limits are on the arm sheet. | Arm manufacturer spec sheet |
Download CSV — vesa-and-weight.csv
Sources
- OSHA Computer Workstations eTool — Entry point for the workstation pages cited below.
- OSHA — Monitors — 20–40 in viewing distance, screen height, and the note on text size.
- OSHA — Desks — Desk depth should allow the monitor to sit at least 20 inches from the eyes.
- OSHA — Purchasing guide checklist — Keyboard height, under-desk clearance, and the 20-inch monitor distance.
- OSHA — Positions — Elbows close to the body and bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
- Ergonomics Center — U.S. adult anthropometry summary (ANSUR II) — Gordon et al. (2014), 2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel. Elbow, popliteal, and stature figures.
- VESA FDMI overview (PDF) — Part D and Part E size and weight classes for flat-display mounts.
- BIFMA — standards descriptions — Names BIFMA X10.1 for computer-use furniture. The paid guideline tables are not reproduced here.
- HFES — ANSI/HFES 100 — Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations. The paid specification tables are not reproduced here.
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RiseWorktop. "Desk and monitor sizing." https://riseworktop.com/resources/desk-size-chart/ Last reviewed October 5, 2026.