Prices and Wages by Decade: 1940-1949
Links to government documents and primary sources listing retail prices for products and services, as well as wages for common occupations.
Wages in the United States, 1940-1949
- Federal minimum wage chart, 1938-2009See also this history of state minimum wage laws from 1912-1958.
- State minimum wage laws, 1940Some states had minimum wage laws only for certain occupations and industries. This source lists each state that had any minimum wage as of 1940. Tables begin on p. 6.
- State minimum wage laws, 1949-1950The states of CA, CT, MA, NH, ND, RI, WA, WI and Puerto Rico had minimum wage laws in 1949 that covered specified types of workers in particular occupations. The chart in this source tells minimum wages for each, pp. 8-10.
- Hours and earnings in the U.S, 1932-40Tracks hours and wages from 1932 to 1940. Contains a supplement for 1941.
- Wages in 1940s compared to 1910sCompares pre- and post-WWI wages, union rates, farm wage rates, hours of work, and average weekly earnings by industry. Compares the years 1914-23 with 1939-44.
- Wage trends at selected major corporations and companiesWage rates at selected large U.S. companies from the late 1930s-1970s. Source: Wage Chronologies series from the U.S. BLS.
- Index to detailed 1940s wagesThe index to the U.S. Dept of Labor Monthly Labor Review points to articles and data on 1940s job wages. The "Wages and Hours" entries in this index span pages 186-202. Contact us if you need help tracking these down.
- Consumer Income Reports, 1944-2018Source: Census Bureau's Current Population Reports P-60 series, "Consumer Income."
Wages by race, 1940-1949
- Median income by race and sex, 1946Compares only full-time employees in urban areas as well as rural non-farm settings:
- White men earned $2,678
- Non-white men earned $1,715
- White women earned $1,710
- Non-white women earned $928
- Median income by occupation and sex for non-whites, 1949Source: 1950 Census, Vol. IV: Occupational Characteristics.
- Non-white males' income by occupation, pp. 215-222.
- Non-white females' income by occupation, pp. 223-230.
- Negroes and whites - Wage and salary income, 1939-1960The source Economic Situation of Negroes in the United States compares median wages and salary income for white race and non-white races, with breakouts by sex. Provides data for the years 1939, 1947, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960. The preface states that "Negroes constitute more than 95% of the non-white residents of the U.S." See also a chart showing median family income by race [from all sources, not just job earnings] from 1945-1950 in "Employment and Income of Negro Workers, 1940-1952," Monthly Labor Review June 1953 (source).
- Median family income by race, 1945-1950Shows data for white and nonwhite families in rural and urban areas. Source: Employment and economic status of negroes in the U.S., p. 19.
- Median family income by race, 1947-1962Shows the family income for white and nonwhite throughout the United States. Source: Statistical abstract of the U.S. (1964), Table 460.
- Median salary by race, 1939-1950Shows the median wage and salary of white and nonwhite persons throughout the United States. Source: Negroes in the U.S: their employment and economic status.
Women's wages, 1940-1949
The U.S. Women's Bureau Handbook on Women Workers series included earnings data:
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1946 - Earnings by occupation and industry, age, and race.
Source: 1948 ed. - 1946 - Factory production worker earnings reports.
Source: 1948 ed., pp. 23-27 - 1946 - White-collar worker earnings reports.
Source: 1948 ed., pp. 27-31. - 1948 - Census reports on women's income and earnings.
Source: 1950 ed. (pp. 24-27) - 1949 - Median weekly salary by occupation and city
Source: 1950 ed. (pp. 32-33)
- Median wage and salary income by occupation for women, 1949Income data with and without occupational breakouts is reported in Table 22 (pp. 239-246. Find the median at the far right-hand side of the table. Source: 1950 Census.
- Womens' median wage/salary income, 1939-1951Compares men's and women's median wages or salaries. See also a narrative explanation in the chapter on Income, starting on page 82.
- Hundreds of occupations - Women's earnings, 1949Median earnings by occupation is in far right-hand side of Table 22. (pp. 239-246). Source: 1950 Census.
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- Dietitians and nutritionists' income in 1949 by state. Source: Health manpower source book
- Library employee salaries, 1949. Source: Handbook on women workers, 1950 ed.
- Manufacturing wages for women
- Illinois - Source: BLS Monthly labor review, May 1944.
- New York - Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1944.
- NY and IL - Factory production worker earnings reports. Source: Handbook on women workers, 1950 ed.
- Medical and health professions - Women's earnings - source: U.S. Women's Bureau
- Nurse earnings, 1946. Source: Handbook on women workers, 1950 ed.
- Teacher salaries, 1948-1949. Source: Handbook on women workers, 1950 ed.
- Telephone company wages for women, 1944-45.
- Source: Woman telephone worker, U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin (source)
- White-collar worker earnings reports include bookkeepers, stenographers, typists, clerks, etc. Source: Handbook on women workers, 1950 ed., p.31-40.
- War jobs for women, 1942-1943Both military and civilian jobs for women are described in this 45-page booklet, along with typical earnings. Use the index to find wages for particular jobs.
- Women's Reserve, U.S. Marine Corps - Pay, 1944Marine Corps brochure shows monthly base pay for colonels, lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, 1st and 2nd lieutenants, sergeants, corporals and privates. Also shows base pay for cooks, drum majors and musicians.
Wages by state, 1940-1949
- Denver, CO - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Wages in Hawaii, 1947Source: Economy of Hawaii in 1947 with special reference to wages, working conditions and industrial relations. BLS Bulletin no. 926
- Manufacturing wages for Illinois women - 1944Shows weekly wages of men and women in manufacturing industries plus an overview of non-manufacturing wages. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, May 1944.
- Rockford, IL - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Shreveport, LA - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Portland, ME - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Grand Rapids, MI - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Trenton, NJ - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Wages in New York state and its major cities, 1940-1947Includes breakouts by occupation and city. Tables on average income for New Yorkers extend from pages 77-132. See the table of contents to find page numbers for specific tables. Source: Handbook of New York labor statistics, 1948.
- Manufacturing wages for NY women - 1943Shows the hourly rate of women in male-dominated fields (mostly manufacturing and industrial jobs). Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1944.
- Spokane, WA - Occupational wage survey, 1949Lists occupational earnings for over 100 occupations at this location. Source: U.S. BLS.
- City government employees - Salaries and earnings,1944Average hourly earnings in municipal government by occupation, sex and city for 15 U.S. cities. Includes data for civil engineers, plumbers, guards, inspectors, tree trimmers, accountants, secretaries, social workers, cooks, prison matrons, librarians, and more.
Wages by occupation and industry (A to Z), 1940-1949
- Agriculture
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Farm laborer wages, 1940 and 1948
Lists average monthly earnings with board, by geographic divisions. Read the explanation and context for this table. - Wartime [farm labor] wages and income
Farm wages and labor cost, wage rates by regions, wage rates of piece workers, income of hired workers and family workers. - Farm labor wages, 1940-1949
The monthly USDA periodical Farm Labor shows farm labor wages with and without room and board, and broken out by geography. These issues are available in HathiTrust as well. - Hired farm worker earnings, 1949
"In 1949, persons who reported doing some farm wage work earned an average of $530 cash wages" (source), p. 15-16.
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Farm laborer wages, 1940 and 1948
- Baking industry wages - 1949
Shows the average union rate wages of different baking professions throughout the United States. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jan 1950. - Bank employee earnings,1943
- BLS Bulletin, no. 774
- Bituminous-coal mining - Wage structure,1945
BLS Bulletin, no. 867 - Book and job printing, earnings and hours - 1942
Hourly earnings, weekly hours and earnings. - Broadcasting industry (radio and TV) weekly wages, 1947
Shows weekly earnings of full time employees at radio and television stations, including announcers, news personnel, writers, musicians, production men, engineers and technicians, commercial supervisors, clerical employees and broadcasting executives. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin #958. - Bus drivers wage rates by city
Wages shown in these annual editions: 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1949.
- Business owner earnings, 1940sThe Small Business Series were practical guides for anyone considering opening their own retail shop or small business. Each booklet included chapters on financing, organizing, equipping, and operating the business. Some show what owners could expect to earn.
- Carpenters' union wages - 1940
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America published an annual publication titled The Carpenter. In it, one can find union wages by city and state. Although some issues are not viewable due to copyright, our library has a set and would provide a lookup upon request. Union wages for 1940 begin on page 35 of the October 1940 issue. - Chiropractor income by state, 1949
Source: Table 17, Health Manpower Source Book - College and university faculty - Median salaries, 1939-1940
BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1942 - Common laborers' starting wages in large cities, 1943
Average hourly entrance rates, variation by industry, rates in individual cities. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 775. - Communication wages - 1949
Shows the average hourly wage rates for Class A interstate telephone carriers, Western Union, and and principal telegraph carriers. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Sep 1951. - Congressional salaries, 1789-present
Lists salaries along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase. - Construction and building trades - Union wages and hours - 1943
Average hourly wage rates, trends, weekly hours, union scales of wages by city and trades. - Construction trades - Union wages and hours by city, 1947
Reports journeymen and apprentice pay for carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, plasterers and related occupations in the building industry. - Construction and building trades - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook - County officers' compensation - Missouri, 1945
Includes county clerk, prosecuting attorney, treasurer and superintendent of schools. Source: Committee on Legislative Research Report No. 6
- Dentists' income, 1929-1948
Nine-page article includes breakouts by state, by size of community, by source of income, and more. - Dentists' income by state, 1949
Source: Table 25, Health Manpower Source Book. - Department and clothing store wages in large cities, 1943
BLS Bulletin no. 801. - Doctors SEE Physicians (click on"P" tab above)
- Education - Instructional staff salaries by state, 1929-1946
Table 8 shows average salaries of instructional staff (principals, supervisors and teachers) for every state in every year from 1929-1946. Source: Biennial Survey of Education. - Education - Instructional staff salaries by state and race, 1939-1940
Table 7 shows average salary for instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools by race in the states of AL, AR, DE, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, YX, VA, WV. - Education - Instructional staff salaries by state, 1947-1948
Shows average salaries for staff in urban and rural schools in 36 states. See note at the top of table 2: "Instructional staff" includes principals, supervisors, teachers, librarians, psychologists, deans, etc. - Electroplating and polishing Industry wage structure, 1945
BLS Bulletin, no. 875 - Engineer earnings, 1946
BLS Bulletin no. 968 - Engineers - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook - Engineers - Median annual income by field, age and education, 1949-1950
Source: Report from the U.S. Dept of Labor.
- Farm labor - Wartime wages, income, and wage regulation
Farm wages and labor cost, wage rates by regions, wage rates of piece workers, income of hired workers and family workers. - Farm laborer wages, 1940 and 1948
Lists average monthly earnings with board, by geographic divisions. Read the explanation and historical context for this table. - Farm labor wages, 1940-1949
The monthly USDA periodical Farm Labor shows farm labor wages with and without room and board, and broken out by geography. These issues are available in HathiTrust as well. - Farm wage rates by geographical division, 1940-1949
Shows figures with and without board. Source: USDA Agricultural Statistics. 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 - Fishermen earnings - Boston, 1948
Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1952. - Footwear manufacturing wages - 1949
Shows the average union rate wages. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1950. - Furniture manufacturing wages - 1949
Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1950.
- Government (federal) - Pay scales, 1930-1949
Table shows the basic annual pay rates for federal employees of various services and grades (GS-1 through GS-18, P, SP, CAF and CPC). These are not salary averages. - Government (state) pay by occupation in Missouri, 1949
Shows pay to state government employees such as chemists, financial officers, inspectors, actuaries, judges, janitors, librarians, highway patrolmen, statisticians, telephone operators, carpenters, typists, watchmen and many more. Also shows salaries for the top officials in executive agencies. Recommended: use the search in text feature to find occupations. - Government (municipal) salaries and earnings, 1944
Average hourly earnings, hours or work, estimated annual salaries. - Grocery wholesaler wages - 1948
Wages of truck drivers, forklift operators, order fillers, etc. at grocery wholesalers in 16 US cities. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Dec 1948. - Hospital jobs for women, early 1940s
Source tells average monthly salaries and cash wages for female hospital orderlies, ward aides and practical nurses. - Hotel occupations - Outlook for earnings
Source: BLS Bulletin, no. 905 - Hotel occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Laundry and dry cleaning workers - Rhode Island, 1949
Extensive 168-page Rhode Island state document gives detail on wages, hours and working conditions in laundries and dry cleaners. - Law school faculty and administrator salaries, 1948-1949
Includes salaries of both instructors and deans. Law librarian salaries are also included. - Lawyer's income
- Lawyers' income, 1929-1948
Shows lawyers' incomes by state, size of community served, age of the lawyer and years in practice, by veteran status, and more. Source: "Income of Lawyers, 1929-1948," Survey of Current Business, Aug 1949. - Lawyers' income, 1936-1941
This report provides especially good detail for the year 1941. - Lawyer earnings, 1948
Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times - Lawyers' income, 1947-1954
With breakouts by state, size of law firm, size of the community served, age of the lawyer, years in practice, type of clientele, etc. Source: "Income of Lawyers in the Postwar Period," Survey of Current Business, Dec 1956, pp. 26-36.
- Lawyers' income, 1929-1948
- Library employees - Median salaries, 1941
BLS Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1942 - Lumber industry wages, 1944
Wage levels in union and nonunion operations, occupational average hourly earnings. - Lumber industry wages - Far west, 1944
Covers CA, OR, WA, ID, MT only.
- Medical personnel - Income of physicians, dentists and [other health workers], 1939-1976
Median net income of office-based, non-salaried physicians, dentists and male professional workers in health professions. Has data for 1947. - Medical service occupations - Typical salaries and wages, 1949
Earnings as reported in the 1949 U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.
In 1942, hospital X-ray technicians earned an average of $129/monthly - Medical service occupations - Physicians' income, 1929-1949
Data from the U.S. Dept of Health, Education and Welfare's Health Manpower Sourcebook series:- Physicians, non-salaried - Income, 1929-1949
- Physicians mean income by state, 1949
- Physicians and surgeons' median income, 1949 (males only)
- Medical specialists' mean net income by specialty, 1949
This would include obstetricians, ophthalmologists, pediatricians, urologists, psychiatrists, surgeons, and more. - Osteopaths' income, 1949
- Machinery Industries wage structure, 1945
Source: BLS Bulletin no. 861. - Machine shop occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook - Mechanics and repairmen - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook- Airplane mechanics
- Automobile mechanics
- Bridge and building mechanics (railroads)
- Cash register servicemen
- Diesel mechanics
- Electronic technicians (Electronics manufacturing)
- Industrial machinery repairmen
- Jewelry repairmen
- Radio servicemen
- Radar technicians
- Refrigerator servicemen and refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics
- Shoe repairmen
- Typewriter servicemen
- Watch repairmen
- Men's suit and coat factories - Wages, 1948
BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1949 - Metals industry (nonferrous) - Wage structure, 1941-1942
- Source: BLS Bulletin, no. 729.
- Metals - Steel industry wage structure, 1945
Covers the fabricated structural steel industry. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 866 - Metalworking industries wage structure - 1945
- Metalworking industries - Wages of office workers, 1945
BLS Bulletin, no. 886 - Military pay charts (US), 1908-present
This website does a good job of organizing a complex topic. - Mining, coal
- Anthracite coal mining wages in NE Pennsylvania, 1930-1951
- Bituminous coal mining wages in Appalachian area, 1948-1951
- Mining, iron - Wages, 1943
Hourly earnings by occupation and entrance rates for common labor. - Motortruck drivers and helpers - Wages, 1941
BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1942
- Nurses - Median monthly salary, 1939-1940
BLS Monthly Labor Review, Apr 1943 - Nurse earnings - 1946 and 1949
Shows median monthly earnings of nurses in different fields of practice, for example, working in hospitals, in private duty, for industry, etc. Also shows different pay rates for nurses living in the hospitals and outside of them. - Nurses, see also "Medical services occupations" in this list.
- Nurses - Median income by state, 1949
Source: Table 47, Health Manpower Source Book
- Office worker salaries in selected large cities, 1947-1948.
Covers 23 occupations with industry breakdowns in the cities of Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco-Oakland, and Seattle. - Office workers - Earnings trends
Earnings of white-collar clerical and office workers, professional and semiprofessional workers, government employees. - Office workers - Federal Civil Service salaries, 1945
- Optometrists' income
- by state in 1949 in table 56, Health Manpower Source Book
- by years of experience in 1945 in Optometry: professional, economic and legal aspects, published 1948.
- by region of the country in 1945 in Optometry: professional, economic and legal aspects, published 1948.
- Petroleum industry wages - OK, TX and Louisiana - 1943 and 1944
Average hourly earnings and more. Source: BLS Bulletin. - Pharmacists' median income, 1949 (males only)
Source: Table 70, Health Manpower Source Book - Pharmacists serving in the Navy, 1943
Navy pamphlet shows base pay for pharmacists, pharmacist's mates, and hospital apprentices. A table spanning pages 10-11 gives further breakouts for each, and tells the additional allowance for dependents. - Physician income by state
- Police - Patrolmen and police chiefs salaries, 1940s
The Municipal Yearbook shows salaries. We can only show a sample page. Contact us for a lookup by city and year. - Printing trades - Union wages and hours
- Printing occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the 1949 U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Linotype operators could earn $1.45-$2.24/hour in 1948 (same as hand compositors) - Prisoner of war wages - World War II
Policies on pay for prisoners of war varied over the time that WWII was being fought, and there were sometimes differences based on the rank of the prisoner and the type of work he would be doing. For quick location of pages discussing labor pay, do a search on the word "cents" and look at pages 75 and up. - Protective service occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook. - Psychologists' income by state, 1949
Source: Health manpower source book, section 5, table #88.
- Radio artist wages - 1947
Shows the average earnings of actors, singers, and other artists working for radio stations. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Sept 1949. - Radio operators - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook - Railroad worker earnings, 1940
Check table of contents for additional data tables on employee earnings. Source: Wages and labor relations in the railroad industry, 1900-1941. - Railroad occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook- Baggagemen
- Brakemen (railroads)
- Carmen (railroads)
- Clerks (railroads)
- Conductors (railroads)
- Hostlers (railroads)
- Locomotive engineers
- Locomotive firemen and helpers
- Redcaps
- Signalmen and signal maintainers (railroads)
- Station agents (railroads)
- Switch tenders (railroads)
- Telegraphers and telephoners (railroads)
- Towermen (railroads)
- Restaurant occupations - Typical earnings, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook - Retail store employees - Wages by occupation and city, 1945
Source: Congressional staff report, pp. 216-217
- School employees - Median salaries, 1930-1943
Includes salaries for teachers, administration, and more. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, June 1943 - Scientists's earnings, 1948-1949
The BLS sent questionnaires to all who were listed in the 1944 edition of American Men of Science. Shows earnings breakouts for chemists, biologists, engineers, physicists and electronic scientists, earth scientists, mathematicians, medical specialists, statisticians and psychologists. - Service occupation wages, 1949
For service occupations such as nurse, cook, teacher, housekeeper, etc. we recommend the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Hundreds of occupations are each discussed in short chapters, along with earnings data for each. See the page number in the table of contents, then enter it in the "Jump to..." box. Earnings data are listed near the end of each section. - Ship construction yard jobs - Earnings, 1942
Source: BLS Bulletin no. 752. - Ship-repair yard jobs, Earnings, 1943
Source: BLS Bulletin no. 763. - Shipyards (private) - Hourly Earnings, 1942
Source: BLS Bulletin no. 727. - Social worker salaries by city, 1945
Tables 8-9 show median salaries and salary ranges for social workers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and New York City. - Surgeon income, 1949
Source: Health manpower source book, Section 5, p. 139.
- Teachers - Typical wages, 1949
Earnings as reported in the U.S. Dept of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook - Transit (local) - Sreetcar and bus operators - Union wage rates, 1942-1945
- Transit (local) - Street-railway employees' wages and hours, 1941
Wage rates are displayed in the tables by city and type of motor vehicle. - Transit (local) - Union wages and hours by city
Shows union wages for bus drivers, trolley employees, cable car gripmen and conductors, subway and elevated train operators, platform workers, and other jobs in local transit. See issues for 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1949. - Truck drivers and helpers - Union wages and hours
Source: BLS Bulletin. - Truck drivers and helpers - Union wages, 1941
Shows trends of wages per hour and hours per week of union motor truck drivers and helpers, divided by city and job classification. Table 9 compares June 1940 with June 1941. - Truck drivers and helpers - Union wages, 1936-1960
Includes data from cities with 500,000 or more population, with mileage data.
- Utility plant wages - 1948
Shows average hourly employee earnings at electric and gas utility plants, by region. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Oct 1948. - Veterinarians' income, 1941
Breaks out veterinarians' income by type of job, for example, working in an independent practice, doing research/education, inspection of meat and milk, etc. - Veterinarians' income, 1949
Source: Table 110, Health Manpower Source Book.
- Hundreds of occupations - Typical expected earnings, 1940sThe U. S. Dept of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook (a favorite source in libraries) shows hundreds of occupations each discussed in short chapters, along with earnings data. Find the page number for an occupation in the table of contents, then enter it in the "Jump to..." box. Earnings are listed near the end of each short chapter.
- Manual of going wage rates - Wages by occupation and city or state - 1944Shows the minimum wage or a wage bracket for each occupation within various local areas, established by regional wartime wage boards. From the finding aid (index), find a page number and enter it in the "Jump..." box. Source: Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
- Wages by occupation - 1949Lists 12 occupations and the earnings associated with them, including barbers, FBI agents, doctors and more. Source: Kiplinger Magazine's Changing Times, Nov 1949.
- Wage trends at selected major corporations and companiesWage rates at selected large U.S. companies from the late 1930s-1970s. Source: Wage Chronologies series from the U.S. BLS.
Manufacturing wages, 1940-1949
- Manufacturing job hours and earnings, 1919-1960Very simple table shows average hours and earnings for all production workers in manufacturing for each year from 1919-1960.
- Manufacturing industry - Employee earningsShows average wages in both "current" and "constant" (1982) dollars. Data broken out by industry and sex, but not by occupation. Volume I lists wages for goods-producing industries; Vol. II for service industries. Source: Employment, hours, and earnings 1909-1990, vol. I.
- Factory workers - Spendable earnings, 1941-43.Compares workers' "take home" pay to the cost of living, 1941-1943. Also available on FRASER. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin #769 or Serial Set vol. 10906.
- Manufacturing wages in wartimeTrends in factory wages, average hourly and weekly earnings.
- Manufacturing wages for Illinois women - 1944Shows the weekly wages of men and women in multiple manufacturing industries in Illinois. Also includes a limited overview of non-manufacturing wages. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, May 1944.
- Manufacturing wages for NY women - 1943Shows the hourly rate of women in male-dominated fields (mostly manufacturing and industrial jobs). Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1944.
- Aircraft parts manufacturing - Earnings, 1942Hours and earnings,1941-1942.
- Airframe Industry - Wage Rates in California, 1941Wage order, wage-rate revisions, average wage rates in relation to hourly earnings, by region and plant basic hourly rates.
- Airframe industry hourly earnings, 1943Hourly earnings of factory workers and office workers.
- Airframe Plants, 1942Covers east coast states with especially good coverage of Buffalo NY. Compares to the mid-continent region ranging from Nebraska to Texas to Tennessee and Ohio with good coverage of Detroit, MI. History of wage rates, average hourly earnings, comparison of average hourly earnings by region.
- Ammunition-Loading industry - Wages, 1944Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 827.
- Explosives industry earnings, 1944Occupational earnings.
- Carpet and rug industry - Earnings and hoursShows data for November and December 1940. Wages listed by gender, occupation, and also by skilled, semiskilled, or unskilled labor.
- Clothing industry (men's) - Wages, hours, earnings, 1939-1941Covers cotton-Garment Industries and plants manufacturing pants other than cotton.
- Glove industry wages and hours, 1941Includes tables of the earnings of factory workers as well as office and clerical workers. Displayed by sex, type of worker, and region.
- Knitted-Outerwear Industry, Philadelphia - Annual and Hourly Earnings, 1943Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 830
- Knitted-Outerwear Industry, Philadelphia - Employment and Earnings, 1944 and 1945Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 887
- Fertilizer Industry - Wages, 1943Average hourly earnings of plant employees, hourly and weekly earnings and hours of labor by occupation.
- Grain-mill products industries - Wages, 1941Flour milling, feed and cereals industries.
- Industrial Machinery Manufacturing - Earnings, 1942Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 720
- Machine-Tool Accessories Industry - Wage Structure, January 1945Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 868
- Motor-vehicle industry - Wage structure, 1941Covers earnings and hours of workers in the motor-vehicle industry as a whole as well as the automobile and automotive-parts divisions. Pages 12-17 have tables reporting on the trends in employment, earnings, and hours.
- Rubber manufacturing industry wages, 1942Occupational wage data, average hourly earnings by occupation, trends of employment, hours and earnings.
- Cotton-Goods Manufacture During the War YearsWage trends, occupational wage rates, variations by region.
- Rayon industry wages, 1944Review of industry, earnings of factory workers, going job rates, trends. Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 806
Foreign wages by country, 1940-1949
Wages in AUSTRALIA, 1940s
- Australia - Rates of pay, June 1942Source: Monthly Labor Review, June 1943 issue.
Wages in AUSTRIA, 1940s
- Austria - Wages and Hours, 1938-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Austria between 1938-1947.
Wages in BELGIUM, 1940s
- Belgium - Wages and Hours, 1939-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Belgium between 1939-1947.
Wages in BRAZIL, 1940s
- Wages in Sao Paulo, Brazil - 1942 and 1943Shows the range of daily and monthly wages for 15 different occupation in Sao Paulo. Wages are shown in Brazilian milreis. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Sept 1943.
Wages in CANADA, 1940s
- Wages by industry - Canada, 1938-1940Shows the average hourly wages for 4 different industries throughout Canada. Wages are shown in Canadian dollars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Aug 1941.
- Canada - Wages and Hours, 1939-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Canada between 1939-1947.
- Canada - Fire department salaries by city, 1940Average salaries of fire chiefs, captains, firemen, engineers, mechanics and more. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1940, pp. 450-451.
- Farm wages - Canada, 1940Shows the average annual wages for farm workers in every province of Canada. Wages are shown in Canadian dollars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Aug 1941.
Wages in DENMARK, 1940s
- Denmark - Wages and Hours, 1939-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Denmark between 1939-1947.
Wages in FRANCE, 1940s
- France - Wage rates and retail prices, 1938-47This is an article on wage trends and policies in France (1938-1947). It describes the wages for various industries like metal work, woodworking, and transportation. It also compares their wages by skill and sex to prices. The article includes lowest page jobs, allowances for children, and compares wages across French cities.
Wages in GERMANY, 1940s
- German prisoner of war wages, 1944Tells amount paid to prisoners of various nationalities by Nazis.
- Germany - Fishermen's wages, 1941Monthly wages for coastal and deep sea fishing vessels, broken out by job title: sailor, helmsman, hand, boy, etc.
- Germany - Wages by industry, 1941Describes fixed wage rates for German workers at the end of 1941. Includes a table showing the average hourly wages by sex and skill level in various industries such as coal, chemicals, textiles, brewing, and rail services. Discussion on p. 361.
- Germany - Wages, 1940Extensive article in the U.S. Dept of Labor Monthly Labor Review shows wages in the food industries, locksmiths, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, pipelayers, mechanics, woodworkers, makers of vehicles, sawmill workers, printers, painters, agricultural workers and more.
- Germany - Labor conditions, 1930s-1945Tells wage averages by industry and sex. Includes a table showing the trend of wages in Germany, 1929-1942. Published in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Monthly Labor Review, April 1945 issue, pages 498-524. (For additional context, see the Nov 1945 issue discussing price controls in Germany, 1936-1945).
- Germany - Hourly and weekly earnings, 1929-1942Contains tables showing hours and earnings, Discusses reasons for the changes in earnings under the Nazi regime. Article covers pages 401-404.
- Wages in the food industry - Prussia, 1940Shows the average weekly and monthly wages for the food industry in the German province of Danzig-West Prussia. Observations are divided into three different wage localities. Wages are shown in contemporary reichsmarks. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, April 1940
Wages in HUNGARY, 1940s
- Wages by industry - Hungary, 1941Shows the average hourly wages for 20 different industries throughout Hungary. Wages are shown in Hungarian fillers. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Dec 1941.
Wages in ITALY, 1940s
- Wages in Italy, 1939-1944Shows the range of daily wage rates in 7 different Italian regions. Wages are shown in Italian lire. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Aug 1945.
Wages in KOREA, 1940s
- Wages in South Korea, 1948Shows the average income for 8 different occupations in post-liberation South Korea as well as the average family expenditures for those occupations. Wages are shown in Korean won. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1940.
Wages in POLAND, 1940s
- Wages in Poland by nationality, 1940Shows the wages throughout occupied Poland for both Poles and Germans. Wages are shown in contemporary zloty. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1940.
Wages in the SOVIET UNION, 1940s
Wages in SPAIN, 1940s
- Agricultural wages - Spain, 1941Shows the minimum daily rate for 8 different agricultural occupations in two different zones throughout Spain. Wages are shown in Spanish pesetas. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Oct 1941.
Wages in SWEDEN, 1940s
- Sweden - Wages and Hours, 1939-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Sweden between 1939-1947.
Wages in SWITZERLAND, 1940s
- Switzerland - Wages and Hours, 1939-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in Switzerland between 1939-1947.
- Wages by industry - Switzerland, 1940Shows the average daily and hourly wages for various industries in Switzerland. Wages are shown in Swiss francs. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Oct 1941.
Wages in GREAT BRITAIN and NORTHERN IRELAND, 1940s
- Northern Ireland - Weekly agricultural wages, 1940This article describes the regulations established for governing the wages of agricultural workers in Northern Ireland. The article includes a table depicting the minimum weekly wages of male workers of various ages and counties.
- United Kingdom - Wages and Hours, 1938-1947This article describes the trends of wages and employment, as well as the government policies that influenced them, in the UK between 1938-1947.
- United Kingdom - Weekly earnings, 1941Compares wages rates to those of 1938 in industries such as iron, textile, woodworking, and transportation.
- Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Weekly earnings - 1941Shows the average weekly earnings for 16 different industries throughout the United Kingdom. Wages are shown in shillings. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1942.
- United Kingdom - Weekly earnings, July 1942Source: Monthly Labor Review, April 1943 issue, pages 782-785.
- United Kingdom - Hours and earnings, 1943This article describes the hourly and weekly earnings of laborers and Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes tables which depict the wages in different manufacturing and civil industries, distinguished by age and sex of worker.
- Ireland wages - 1943Shows the average hourly and weekly earnings of Irish men and women by industry. Wages are shown in shillings. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1945.
Wages in MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, 1940s
- Wages and hours in foreign countries - 1940sThis index to the U.S. Dept of Labor Monthly Labor Review tells where one can find wage rates for many foreign countries. HOW TO SEE THE WAGE RATES: Use the index to find a country. Note the abbreviation after each entry, for example "1944--June 1175." This refers to the year, month and start page of an article in the Monthly Labor Review. Wages/hours for the following countries are available:
Albania, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, British Malaya, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, China, Cuba, Curacao, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, French Indo-China, French North Africa, Germany,
Great Britain, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Rumania, Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia. - Prisoner of war wages in four countries, 1942Article "Condition of Employment of Prisoners of War" discusses hours and pay for prisoners of war in Australia, Canada, Britain, and Germany.
Wages, analysis - 1940s
- Federal policy on wage control during and after World War IIThis source gives no wage rates but provides explanation and context for wage statistics reported in other federal sources. Read this if you want to understand the numbers. See section "Wage Policies" beginning on page 50. Source: Discussion in the Federal Reserve's article Prices, Wages and Employment in the Postwar Economic Studies, No. 4, May 1946.
- Intercity variations in wage levelsSource: BLS Bulletin no. 793.
- War and postwar wages, prices, and hours, 1914-23 and 1939-44Compares wage rates and hours of work for the WWI and WWII eras, focusing specifically on the manufacturing, mining, railroad, printing and maritime industries, as well as farm labor wages. Discussion puts wage data in context with price levels which were definitely affected by the wars.
- Substandard wages, 1943-1944This Congressional hearing examined the national wage situation in 1943/44 to determine a minimum hourly rate below which would be considered substandard. It contains hours and earnings for a number of industries and locations as well as retail prices and costs of living.
Food prices in the United States, 1940-1949
- Average retail food prices, 1890-1970One-page table shows average retail prices for bread, milk, eggs, meats, fruits, vegetables, coffee, sugar, etc. each year from 1890-1970. Data collection took place in about 30-60 U.S. cities. Jump to page 193 of this resource for an explanation of the historical table and how data was collected.
- Food prices, 1940-1941Table 2 on pages 736-737 shows the retail prices of 63 food items in 51 large towns in January/December 1940 and January 1941. Wages are shown in contemporary US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Mar 1941.
- Grocery prices paid by farm families, 1935-1945
Source: USDA Agricultural Prices, p. 20.
- Grocery prices paid by farm families, 1946-1950
- Farm-retail spreads for farm products, 1947-1964
Retail prices for many foods for each year from 1947-1964. Table spans pp. 14-45.
- Food and drink prices paid by farm families, 1910-1960
Details the prices of a variety of foodstuffs on pp. 7-22. Source: USDA
- Restaurant meal prices by state, 1940sArranged by states and cities, these restaurant directories indicate how much one might pay for breakfast (B), lunch (L), tea (T), dinner (D) or supper (S) at any of thousands of establishments.
- Beer prices, 1946See federally regulated price ceilings for beer in Salt Lake City and surrounding counties, in Albuquerque New Mexico, and in Raleigh North Carolina. Source: Federal register, Aug 8, 1946.
Blatz beer cost about 22¢/bottle - Cigarette and smoking tobacco prices, 1935-1960Source: Prices paid by farmers for commodities and services, United States, 1910-1960, p. 23.
Housing, real estate and utility rates, 1940-1949
- New one-family homes, average cost to construct - 1940sSource: U.S. Housing and Home Finance Agency, Housing Statistics, Oct 1950 issue, section B, table 3.
- Mortgages and down payments for home buyers, 1942-1945A 1942 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) table shows the monthly mortgage payments for homes costing $2500 to $6000 in this source, p. 32. See also a guide on assessing home affordability in "How much should the home cost?," chapter 1 in this source published 1945.
- Housing rent - Average expenditure by income, 1941-1942This does not show average rent, rather, it shows how much wealthier people were actually paying in rent compared to less wealthy people. Table 22 continues to page 124. Source: Family spending and saving in wartime, BLS Bulletin No. 822.
- Median gross rent by state, 1940-2000
Gross rent is "the monthly amount of rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures.
- Median home values by state, 1940-2000
Median home values for states and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures.
- Farm real estate - Average value by state and county, 1940
Shows average value for farm land and buildings from 1850-1982. Use the following hyperlinks to see values for AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY. See data considerations for explanation. Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture report.
- Farm real estate values in Midwestern states, 1912-2019
Includes both land and buildings. Compares to national averages. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
- Building material prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960Lists prices of framing lumber, roofing, flooring, doors, windows and more on pp. 59-71. Source: USDA
- Electricity bills for residential service - 1941
Lists typical net monthly bills for residential service, taking into account whether the household used electricity mainly for just lighting, or for refrigeration, cooking and water heating as well. Tells rates in all U.S. cities with a population over 50,000 residents.
- Residential heating fuels - Retail prices by city, 1941-48
Tells average retail prices for June and December of each year from 1941-1948, including coal, coke, gas, kerosene, fuel oil and briquets in each of 55 U.S. cities.
- Telephone, electric and heat for farmers' homes, 1946-1950
Average rates and prices are listed in "Prices paid by farmers..." (table 669) in Agricultural statistics, 1951 edition, p. 584.
- Fuel prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960
Details the price of coal and wood on page 23. Source: USDA
Merchandise prices, 1940-1949
- Montgomery Ward catalog, 1941-42Mail order catalog shows prices of clothing, housewares, sporting goods, tools, hardware, children's toys and more.
This wedding ensemble cost $14.98 in 1941. - Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1940sThe WishbookWeb.com site displays complete, historic mail order catalogs in color and offers keyword searching in the full text. Find retail prices for gift items selected for inclusion in Christmas catalogs. Retailers include Sears, Lord & Taylor, Spiegel and Wards.
- Tractor prices, 1935-1960Source: Prices paid by farmers for commodities and services,1910-1960, pp. 104-105.
- Clothing prices paid by farm families, 1939-1943See average prices for men's wool suits, trousers, overalls, work shirts, socks, work shoes and rubber boots, as well as women's silk/rayon hose, house dresses, underwear and shoes. Prices for sheets and fabrics are also provided. A different table shows prices for 1944.
- Household item prices paid by farm families, 1910-1960Prices of appliances, furniture, and more household items on pp. 45-57. Source: USDA
- Household item prices paid by farmers, 1946-1950Shows average prices paid for stoves, washing machines, furniture, radios, sewing machines and more. Source: Agricultural statistics, 1951 edition, p. 584.
- Women's clothing prices - San Francisco, 1942Source shows prices of items as well as quantities needed in a year's time. Source: Heller Committee for Research in Social Economics., UC-Berkeley.
- Price ceilings on clothing - 1945Government regulation M-388 (established by the War Production Board) set ceilings on retail prices for clothing. This document explained the new rule and listed the upper limits on retail prices for men's, women's and children's cotton garments.
These three volumes detail wholesale and retail price regulation for World War II. Published by the Office of Price Administration (OPA), there are nearly 5000 pages worth of price regulations. Some prices are listed depending on their geographic region. The office required that these products were labeled with an official tag with the OPA ceiling price. Some selected retail prices include:
Transportation costs, 1940-1949
- Car prices scatterplot, 1940
- Car prices by make, model and body type, 1940
Source: Motor magazine, Aug 1940, pp. 116, 118. - Car list prices by make and model, 1942
In Fed. register, Sep 6, 1945, pp. 11355-11357. - Chevrolet car prices, 1940-1949
See full-page images and detailed descriptions of each model on pages 59-85. Chevrolet was the best selling car in the 1940s (see graph). Source: Cast Iron Wonder: Chevrolet's Fabulous Six - NOTE: New cars were generally unavailable from April 1942-June 1945 (see data from 1952 Ward's automotive yearbook, p. 51.)
- Vehicle prices paid by farmers
- Average retail price of gasoline, 1929-2011
Reported annually. Source: U.S. Department of Energy website. - Gasoline prices, 1949-2011
Average retail gasoline prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The "nominal price" is that which was paid at the time of the transaction. - Gasoline and automobile expenses paid by farmers, 1935-1944
Shows price of gasoline by the gallon, motor oil and automobile tires. Source: Agricultural prices, p. 20
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Rail travel - Average fare per passenger mile, 1917-1946
Sleeping car rates on the Western Pacific RR, 1941
Source: 1948 congressional hearing, p. 113. - Rail ticket prices, NYC to Chicago, 1910-1944
Source: Association of American Railroads' Passenger traffic study, p. 395. - 1940 Railroad excursion ticket prices (newspaper ad):
- Washington DC to Georgia and Florida
- Chicago to the Rocky Mountains
- Greyhound bus fares from Washington DC, 1941
Newspaper ad shows fares from Washington DC to Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle.
Find fares in timetables- Air fares between major U.S. cities, 1948
Source: Estimate of the cost of providing air transportation..., p. 9. - Air travel - Average fare expressed in cents per mile, 1946-1966
Historic airfare rates were published in Forecast of scheduled domestic air passenger traffic for the eleven trunkline carriers, pub. by the Civil Aeronautics Board. - Air fares, 1940s
Many airlines' timetables listed passenger fares, usually after the flight schedules. Contact us if you need assistance.
- Average roundtrip fare and shipboard expenses, 1949
Shows average price paid for roundtrip steamship tickets plus expenses on routes from New York to Europe or the Mediterranean. From Survey of Current Business article titled "American Expenditures for Foreign Travel in 1949," table 3, p. 18.
- Rail, bus and air fare rates compared - California, 1948
Compares cost to travel by different conveyances between major California cities. Source: California Public Utilities Commission, Transportation Dept.
More prices, 1940-1949
In 1940, 15.3% of people aged 18-21 were enrolled in college. 4.6% of all people aged 25 years or older had completed 4 years (U.S. Census, Table A-2).
- College tuition and fees by major, 1946-47Shows estimated average tuition and other required fees. Does not include living expenses (room and board). Source: President's Commission on Higher Education.
- Law school tuition, 1948 and 1954Source: Law schools of the United States: a statistical and analytical report based on ...160 law schools, p. 225.
- Annual health care costs and prices - San Francisco, 1942Eyeglasses might cost about $11.75 per pair. A working woman without dependents might spend about $24 annually on medical care and $18 on dental care. Source: Heller Committee for Research in Social Economics, UC-Berkeley.
- Beauty parlor prices - San Francisco, 1942A haircut cost 61¢; a permanent wave cost $4.70. This was part of report of typical expenditures from the Heller Committee for Research in Social Economics., UC-Berkeley.
- Local calls on pay phones generally cost one nickel
- In the early 1940s, "most all phones were operated with nickels." Source: "Cites Chicago slug plan," Billboard June 3, 1944, p. 68, c.3-4.
- "The nickel phone call is yielding to the relentless pressure of higher costs. In New York City, in Rochester NY and in a number of other communities, you need a dime to get the operator or anyone else." Source: Kiplinger's Personal Finance, March 1951, p. 44.
Cost of living and consumer expenditures, 1940s
- Cost of living in 31 U.S. cities, 1940Table shows the cost of living at "maintenance" level (meaning the absolute minimum for health and economic security) for the average four-person family. The table breaks out expenses by cost of clothing, housing, food, and other common expenses.
- Annual cost of living in 5 U.S. cities - Jan-Feb 1944Cities reported are New Bedford, MA, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, West Warwick, RI, High Point, NC, and Henderson, NC. Source: Substandard wages, congressional hearing.
- Cost of living, 1941Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin #710.
- Relationship of wages to the cost of living during WWIIDoes not give actual prices or wages, but it does explain the context of price and wage regulation during wartime. Published February 1945.
- Cost of living in five textile manufacturing towns,1944Covers a typical 4-person family's annual expenditures in New Bedford, MA, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, West Warwick, RI, High Point, NC, and Henderson, NC. Source: Substandard wages, congressional hearing.
- Consumption expenditures per captia, 1901-1956Collection of studies reveals average annual expenditures for food, rent, clothing, and medical care. Source: How American buying habits change, pp. 226-227.
- Wartime prices, 1939-1941Tracks price changes between the invasion of Poland (August 1939) and the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. The focus is on wholesale and commodity price fluctuations and the reasons behind the changes, and tracks profit margins for sellers. It does not give actual retail prices.
- Consumers' prices in the U.S, 1942-48Analyzes changes in the cost of living. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 966.
- Clothing costs for moderate-income families, 1935-44Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 789.
- Health and accident insurance premiums (average expenditures), 1941-1942Read this table carefully, as it reports both the percent of families that had health insurance as well as the average dollar amount spent on insurance in 1941 and in the first three months of 1942. Tip: look for the dollar sign ($) in the tables to make sure you are in the right place. This table reports average family consumer expenditures on insurance premiums and not the actual prices of the policy. Table 31 continues to page 183. Source: Family spending and saving in wartime, BLS Bulletin no. 822.
- Family budgets in American cities, 1903-1956Lists 22 government, union, and corporate surveys dated 1903 to 1956 showing standard family budgets in selected American cities. Source: U.S. BLS publication, How American buying habits change.
- Family spending and saving in wartime, 1941-1942Extensive tables show the percentage of families spending money on various categories of goods and services by income group. It also provides the average dollar amount spent in these categories. A list of tables can be found on pages 65-67.
- Cost to have a baby, 1944This book was released to help expecting mothers prepare for the arrival of their new babies. This section discusses the effects of war on the family and encourages mothers with husbands at war to focus their energy on their "victory baby" rather than worrying for their partners. This chapter mentions that while the cost of a baby will differ for each family, it provides a sample budget based on a real family. The sample family's budget for medical costs, furniture, clothing, food, and equipment was $498.63. Source: Our American Babies, pp. 66-70.
- Worker's budgets by city, 1946-1947Detailed review of budgets for a hypothetical family of four living in any of 34 major U.S. cities. See also update showing 1949 data.
- Honolulu - Wartime earnings and spending, 1943Family income and outlay by category.
- Single working women's budgets - San Francisco, 1942Report shows the minimum income needed by single working women with no dependents in San Francisco during WWII. Shows prices of individual items and services, and quantities they would need to buy in a year. Details the typical average annual expenditures. Source: Heller Committee for Research in Social Economic, UC-Berkely.
Tools and calculators
- Calculator: Present-day purchasing power of a historic dollar amountThe MeasuringWorth.com website provides online calculators, guides and tutorials to help researchers understand the current-day value of historic money in the United States, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
- Currency converter, 1270–2017This calculator can be used to determine the historical purchasing power of currency in the United Kingdom from 1270 to 2017. Purchasing power is represented in its equivalence in horses, wheat, the yearly wages of a skilled tradesperson, and others.
- Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation calculatorCalculator compares the buying power of wages earned at different points in history. For example, $1 earned in 2016 had the same buying power as 4¢ in 1913. Conversely, $1 earned in 1913 had the same buying power as $24.24 in the year 2016.
- Exchange Rates, 1949Shows the exchange rate of 22 foreign currencies with respect to the US Dollar thoughout the end of 1949. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Foreign prices by country, 1940-1949
Prices in MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, 1940s
Click the tabs above for single countries.
- Wartime price control and rationing in foreign countriesThis source does not give actual prices, but tells the degree to which prices went up as a result of the World War. It does go into detail on efforts by governments to control rising prices and ration food. Covers Mexico, Canada, France, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Italy, USSR, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Egypt, Palestine, Iran, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, China and Japan. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 851
- Cost of living in foreign countries, 1940Provides indexes for the cost of living for the U.S. as well as 48 other countries during WWII. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Dec 1940, pp. 1565-1567.
Prices in AUSTRIA, 1940s
- Prices in Austria, 1938-1947Shows the cost of living in pre-occupation, wartime, and postwar Vienna. Also shows the legal and black market prices of various foodstuffs in Allied-occupied Vienna. Prices are shown in shillings. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jan 1948.
Prices in CANADA, 1940s
- Canada - Food and rents by province and city, 1941Shows prices of dozens of food and grocery items, soap, coal, wood by the cord, matches by the box and rent for a 6-room house, with and without modern conveniences. Source: Labour Gazette, Canada Department of Labor.
Prices in the EAST ASIA, 1940s
- Far East - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in Japan and China during World War II.
Prices in FRANCE, 1940s
- France - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in France during World War II.
Prices in ITALY, 1940s
- Italy - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in Italy during World War II.
Prices in LATIN AMERICA, 1940s
- Latin America - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in multiple Latin American countries during World War II.
Prices in the MIDDLE EAST, 1940s
- Middle East - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in the Middle East during World War II.
Prices in SCANDINAVIA, 1940s
- Scandinavia - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway during World War II.
Prices in the SOVIET UNION, 1940s
- Soviet Union - Prices and rations, 1946-1947This article discusses food rations in the Soviet Union during WWII, as well as the reductions in 1946 and their implications. Food prices are provided for both ration and commercial stores, as well as relative price increases on the open market. There is also information on prices for select consumer items and the increase of basic monthly wages.
Prices in SWITZERLAND, 1940s
- Switzerland - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in Switzerland during World War II.
Prices in the UNITED KINGDOM, 1940s
- United Kingdom - Price trends and price controls, 1939-1946Indexes the cost of living, among other things, in the British countries during World War II.
- United Kingdom - Maximum retail food prices, 1941Document from the UK Ministry of Food lists the maximum price for which each individual food item could be sold to retail customers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Prices are quoted in shillings and pence.
- Primary and secondary school tuition, 1942This report from the Committee on Public Schools shows the estimated fees to attend primary and secondary schools across Great Britain. The top of this page estimates the average cost to attend boarding schools as between £100 and £200 annually. The remainder of the page describes causes for variation in these fees, and breaks the fees down by single sex schools. Source: The Public Schools and the General Educational System, p. 76.
Quotable facts for the 1940s
In the United States...
- Less than 15% of wives had paying jobs in 1940. Source: Census Bureau
- Homes had a median value of $2,938 in 1940. Source: U.S. Census Bureau
- Health expenditures were $28.83 per capita for fiscal year 1939-40. Source: SSA
- By 1947, food comprised almost ⅓ of all consumer expenditures. Source: U.S. BEA
- 46% of American households had a telephone in 1945. Source
- Coffee cost an average 21¢ per pound in 1940. Source: U.S. BLS
- Milk cost an average 52¢ per gallon in 1940. Source: U.S. BLS
- A pack of 20 cigarettes cost about 15¢ in 1940. Source: USDA
- 85% of 1940 model cars sold at $700 to $1,500 in late 1939. Source: U.S. Congress
- Gasoline cost an average 18¢ per gallon in 1940. Source: U.S. EIA
- In 1941, 49% of families lacked a car. By 1949, 56% had a car. Source
- In 1948, 59% of car buyers made the purchase in full cash. Source: Census Bureau
- As of 1940, 59.5% of people age 25+ had progressed no further than 8th grade. Source: Census Bureau.
Ask a Question
Marie Concannon, Government Information Librarian
Government Documents Department, Ellis Library
University of Missouri, Columbia
Email: concannonm@missouri.edu
Phone (573) 882-0748
