The short answer: your chair seat should be about a quarter of your height, roughly level with the back of your knee, plus an inch for shoes. That’s about 15.6 inches for someone 5’0”, 16.6 inches at 5’4”, 17.5 inches at 5’8”, 18.5 inches at 6’0” and 19.5 inches at 6’4”. With the seat there, your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs are about level.
Most office chairs go from about 16 to 21 inches, which fits people from roughly 5’4” to 6’6”. If you’re shorter than about 5’3”, you need a chair that goes below 16 inches, such as the Herman Miller Aeron in size A (14.75 inches) or the Steelcase Leap (15.5 inches). If you’re taller than about 6’4” or sit at a high desk, look for a tall cylinder option.
Recommended Seat Height by Body Height
| Your height | Seat height (in shoes) |
|---|---|
| 4’10” | 15.1 in. |
| 5’0” | 15.6 in. |
| 5’2” | 16.1 in. |
| 5’4” | 16.6 in. |
| 5’6” | 17.0 in. |
| 5’8” | 17.5 in. |
| 5’10” | 18.0 in. |
| 6’0” | 18.5 in. |
| 6’2” | 19.0 in. |
| 6’4” | 19.5 in. |
| 6’6” | 20.0 in. |
These are averages: popliteal height (floor to the back of the knee when seated) averages about 24.3% of standing height in the US Army’s ANSUR anthropometric survey, plus 1 inch for shoes. Your legs may be longer or shorter than average, so check by sitting: with your feet flat, the back of your knee should be at or just above the front edge of the seat, as OSHA’s workstation guidance describes. Our desk height calculator gives the seat, desk and monitor heights for your height together.
Seat Height and Depth by Chair
| Chair | Seat height (standard) | Optional ranges | Seat depth | Weight rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herman Miller Aeron, size A | 14.75 to 19 in. | — | 16 in. (fixed) | 300 lb |
| Herman Miller Aeron, size B | 16 to 20.5 in. | Up to 22.8 in. with tall cylinder | 17 in. (fixed) | 350 lb |
| Herman Miller Aeron, size C | 16 to 20.5 in. | Up to 22.8 in. with tall cylinder | 18.5 in. (fixed) | 400 lb |
| Herman Miller Embody | 16 to 20.5 in. | 15 to 19 in. (low), 17 to 22 in. (extended) | 15 to 18 in. | 300 lb |
| Herman Miller Mirra 2 | 16 to 20.5 in. | 14.75 to 19 in. (low), 16.75 to 22.25 in. (extended) | 16.25 to 18 in. (FlexFront) | 350 lb |
| Herman Miller Sayl | 16 to 20.5 in. | 15 to 19 in. (low), 16.5 to 22 in. (extended) | 16 to 18 in. | 350 lb |
| Steelcase Leap | 15.5 to 20.5 in. | 17 to 24 in. (tall cylinder) | 15.75 to 18.75 in. | 400 lb |
| Steelcase Leap Plus | 15.5 to 19.5 in. | 17.5 to 22.5 in. | 16.75 to 18.75 in. | 500 lb |
| Steelcase Gesture | 16 to 21 in. | 14.5 to 18.25 in., 17 to 22.5 in. | 15.75 to 18.5 in. | 400 lb |
| Steelcase Amia | 16 to 21 in. | 15 to 19 in., 17 to 24 in. | 15.5 to 18.5 in. | 400 lb |
| Steelcase Series 1 | 16.5 to 21.5 in. | — | 15.75 to 18 in. | 400 lb |
| Steelcase Series 2 | 16.5 to 21.5 in. | 14.75 to 18 in., 17.25 to 22 in. | 14 to 17.75 in. | 400 lb |
| Haworth Fern | 16.5 to 21.5 in. | — | 15.5 to 18.5 in. | 350 lb (325 with forward tilt) |
| UPLIFT Intuition | 16.5 to 21.5 in. | — | 17.75 to 19.75 in. | — |
| UPLIFT Pursuit | 17 to 21 in. | — | 18 in. (fixed) | 250 lb |
| Branch Ergonomic Chair | 17 to 21 in. | — | Adjustable | 275 lb |
| Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro | 17 to 19.9 in. | 19.3 to 22.9 in. (tall cylinder) | 16.7 to 19.7 in. | 275 lb |
| Secretlab Titan Evo (S and R) | 17.7 to 20.5 in. | — | 18.9 in. (S), 19.3 in. (R), fixed | 285 lb |
| Secretlab Titan Evo XL | 18.1 to 21.9 in. | — | 19.7 in. (fixed) | 395 lb |
| Autonomous ErgoChair Pro | 18.5 to 22 in. | — | 19 to 21.5 in. | 300 lb |
| IKEA Markus | 18.1 to 22.5 in. | — | 18.5 in. (fixed) | 276 lb |
Figures are from each maker’s spec sheet or store listing, November 2026. “Optional ranges” are other gas cylinders you can choose when ordering; most chairs ship with the standard one.
Best Office Chairs for Short People
If you’re under about 5’3”, you need two things: a seat that goes below 16 inches, and a seat that’s shallow enough (about 16 inches or less) that the front edge doesn’t press behind your knees.
| Chair | Lowest seat | Shallowest seat |
|---|---|---|
| Steelcase Gesture (low cylinder) | 14.5 in. | 15.75 in. |
| Herman Miller Aeron, size A | 14.75 in. | 16 in. |
| Steelcase Series 2 (low cylinder) | 14.75 in. | 14 in. |
| Herman Miller Mirra 2 (low cylinder) | 14.75 in. | 16.25 in. |
| Herman Miller Embody (low cylinder) | 15 in. | 15 in. |
| Steelcase Amia (low cylinder) | 15 in. | 15.5 in. |
| Steelcase Leap | 15.5 in. | 15.75 in. |
The Steelcase Series 2 with the low cylinder is the cheapest of these and has the shallowest seat of any chair here, 14 inches. The Aeron in size A is designed for people about 4’10” to 5’4”; see our Aeron size guide.
Chairs that start at 17 inches or more, such as the Branch Ergonomic Chair, UPLIFT Pursuit, Secretlab Titan Evo, Autonomous ErgoChair Pro and IKEA Markus, are too high for most people under about 5’5” without a footrest.
Best Office Chairs for Tall People
If you’re over about 6’2”, look for a seat that goes to 21 inches or higher and a seat at least 18.5 inches deep to support your thighs.
- Steelcase Leap with the tall cylinder (17 to 24 inches, seat to 18.75 inches deep).
- Steelcase Amia with the tall cylinder (17 to 24 inches).
- Herman Miller Aeron in size C (seat 18.5 inches deep; up to 22.8 inches with the tall cylinder) for people about 5’10” to 6’6”.
- Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro with the tall cylinder (19.3 to 22.9 inches).
- Autonomous ErgoChair Pro (18.5 to 22 inches, seat to 21.5 inches deep).
- Secretlab Titan Evo XL (18.1 to 21.9 inches) for people 5’11” to 6’9” by Secretlab’s chart.
A tall seat only helps if your desk is tall enough too. At 6’4”, a seated desk height is about 29 to 30 inches; our standing desk height ranges list desks that go that high and higher.
What If Your Feet Don’t Reach the Floor?
Set the chair height for your desk first: your elbows should be at about desk height with your shoulders relaxed. If that leaves your feet dangling, add a footrest rather than lowering the chair below your desk. Lowering the chair makes you reach up to the keyboard and hunch your shoulders. A footrest, or a desk that lowers, is the fix.
How to Set Your Seat Height
- Stand in front of the chair and raise or lower the seat until the front edge is just below your kneecap.
- Sit all the way back. Your feet should be flat, thighs about level, and knees at about the same height as your hips or slightly lower.
- Check the front edge: you should fit two to four fingers between the seat and the back of your knee. If not, adjust the seat depth.
- Set the desk or keyboard to elbow height, then the armrests just below your forearms.
If the seat height won’t hold, the gas cylinder is failing. It’s a common wear part, covered for 12 years by Herman Miller and Steelcase; see office chair warranties.
Office Chair Seat Height Ranges by Brand
- Herman Miller chairs mostly run 16 to 20.5 inches, with low and extended cylinders on the Embody, Mirra 2 and Sayl, and size A on the Aeron.
- Steelcase chairs run 15.5 to 21.5 inches standard, with the widest option list: the Leap and Amia go to 24 inches with a tall cylinder, and the Gesture and Series 2 go down to 14.5 and 14.75 inches with a low one.
- Budget and direct-to-consumer chairs (Branch, UPLIFT, Secretlab, Autonomous, IKEA) tend to start higher, at 17 to 18.5 inches, and rarely offer cylinder options.
For full comparisons, see Herman Miller Aeron vs. Steelcase Leap, Steelcase Series 1 vs. Series 2, our office chair weight limits and the best office chairs.
Office Chair Seat Height FAQ
What is the standard office chair seat height?
Most office chairs adjust from about 16 to 21 inches. That range fits most adults from about 5’4” to 6’6”. BIFMA’s ergonomics guideline and most chair makers design around it.
What seat height should my office chair be for my height?
About a quarter of your height plus an inch for shoes: roughly 15.6 inches at 5’0”, 16.6 inches at 5’4”, 17.5 inches at 5’8”, 18.5 inches at 6’0” and 19.5 inches at 6’4”. Your feet should rest flat with your thighs about level.
What is the best office chair for short people?
Look for a seat that goes below 16 inches and a seat depth of 16 inches or less. The Herman Miller Aeron in size A (14.75 inches), the Steelcase Gesture and Series 2 with the low cylinder (14.5 and 14.75 inches) and the Steelcase Leap (15.5 inches) all qualify.
What is the best office chair for tall people?
Look for a seat that reaches 21 inches or more and a seat at least 18.5 inches deep. The Steelcase Leap and Amia with the tall cylinder reach 24 inches, and the Herman Miller Aeron in size C has an 18.5-inch seat.
How do I make my office chair taller?
Raise it to the top of its range first. If that isn’t enough, many chairs take a taller replacement gas cylinder; Steelcase and Herman Miller offer tall cylinders as options on several chairs. Seat cushions add height too, but they also make the seat feel shallower.
What if my office chair is too high even at its lowest setting?
Use a footrest so your feet are supported and your thighs are level, or choose a chair with a lower range or a low cylinder option.
