Prices and Wages by Decade: 1930-1939
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, 1930-1939
- Minimum wage (federal law), 1938-2009Shows the first federal minimum wage law enacted in 1938 (25 cents), and all subsequent increases through 2009.
"Common labor" was unskilled physical or manual work. - Common laborers' starting wages, 1931-1935
- Median family income in 1939With breakouts by geographic region. Source: Census Bureau.
Wages by race, 1930-1939
- Annual median wage or salary income by race and sex, 1939Of those working at least 35 hours/week, 50 weeks per year. Source: Census.
- White men: $1,419
- White women: $863
- Black men: $639
- Black women: $327
- Southern family income by color, 1939Table shows median income for white and non-white famlies. Source: Census Bureau.
- Common labor - Average starting wage by race, 1936The U.S. average hourly starting wage for common (unskilled) adult male labor was 45¢/hour for whites, and 35¢ for Negroes. Includes analysis of color differentials. Source: April 1937 Monthly Labor Review, p. 940.
- Negro wages by occupation and region, 1930 and 1936Source: WPA report: Urban Negro Worker in the United States, 1925-1936.
- Southern family income by color, 1939Source: Census Bureau.
- Common labor - Average starting pay by race and state, 1936Shows wages for adult males. Includes analysis of color differentials. Source: April 1937 Monthly Labor Review, p. 940.
- District of Columbia - Negro wages, 1931Tells the average or median pay for African-Americans in a variety of occupations and industries. Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics (1936) pp. 574-576.
- Georgia - Wages by race and sex, 1938Shows average weekly wages for a variety of occupations and industries. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jun 1939.
SCHOOL TEACHERS
- Teacher salaries by state and race, 1939-1940Shows average salary for instructional staff in 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.
- School salaries by state and race, 1935-1936Shows average salaries of teachers, principals, and superintendents 14 southern states for both white and black staff members. Source: Education in the 48 states, Table 20.
- Maryland - Teacher salaries by race, 1918-1939Article about a successful anti-discrimination lawsuit details the history of wages for white and colored teachers. Source: Crisis magazine, Jan 1940, pp. 10-12.
- Black women - Earnings by occupation, 1938Wages and earnings are listed and discussed throughout the report "The Negro Woman Worker," U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #165.
- Urban Negro workers' earnings by sex and skill level, 1930 and 1936Source: The Urban Negro Worker in the United States, 1925-1936, published by the federal government as a WPA project.
- Household workers' wages by race - Chicago, 1930Shows wages for domestic workers employed in private homes, with breakouts by race for cooks, kitchen helpers, housekeepers, chamber maids, parlor maids, governesses, child's nurses, laundresses and more. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #106.
- Black family income in selected cities, 1935-1936Table compares to income of native white families. Source: Social and economic status of the Black population in the U.S. : an historical view, 1790-1978, p. 30.
Both parents worked in most Black families - Black family income, 1935-1936Charts compare family income by race, breakouts by North/South and urban or rural. Source: Consumer incomes in the U.S., National Resources Committee, p. 29.
- Southern family income by color, 1939Source: Census Bureau.
Wages by occupation and industry (A to Z), 1930s
- Union wages by occupation and city, 1930Click "more..." for direct links to wages in each occupation.
- 3,500 occupations - Wages and job descriptionsUse the index to find the page number in this source. Book of opportunities, a dictionary of jobs, c1933 by Rutherford Hayes Platt.
- Service occupations - Average earnings by type of business, 1934Covers full time workers only. U.S. average on page 1. Detail for each state beginning with Alabama on p. 3; California p. 6, New York p. 33, Texas p. 44, Wyoming p. 51, etc.
- Wages by occupation, 1930-1931Shows wages of many occupations in various American cities before and after union changes. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Mar 1931.
- Hourly earnings in 105 industries, 1937Shows hourly earnings of workers by industry and occupation in the US. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, June 1940, pp.1472-1474.
- Wages, hours and earnings by occupation and sexShows average wages, number of hours worked, and average earnings by occupation, broken out by gender and sometimes by location.
- Actors with membership in the Chorus Equity Association in New York City - minimum pay shown in Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Agricultural wages
- Farm workers' wages and income - 1909 to 1938
Breakouts by year and location. Source: MLR, July 1939, pp. 59-71. - Average farm wages in the 1936 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
- Farm labor wages, 1930-1939
The monthly USDA periodical Farm Labor showed farm labor wages with geographic breakouts. - Farmer's earnings by state, 1934-1935
Although farm owners don't earn wages, they did have earnings through sale of farm products. See average prices received by farmers for crops, by state and average prices paid for livestock in Chicago, Kansas City and Omaha. Source: USDA Crops and Markets.
- Farm workers' wages and income - 1909 to 1938
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Air transportation workers - Wages, 1931
Wages and earnings for pilots, co-pilots and ground personnel engaged in passenger service or mail delivery. Crop dusters, sight-seeing tour operators, mappers and surveyors, and office workers were not included in these figures. See data for 1933 here. - Asbestos workers in building construction, 1930
Reported in Union Scales of Wages.... p. 88.
- Bakers' pay for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 78-87.
- Bank tellers (female) pay in 1930-1931. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau.
- Barbers' earnings for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 311-312.
- Beauty shop wages in Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1935.
- Blacksmith wages, 1927-1932
Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1933 - Blast furnace wages, 1938
Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Sept 1940. - Book publishing industry - Union job wages in 1930, pp. 174-205 (source)
- Bookkeepers (female) pay in 1930-1931. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau.
- Brewery and soft-drink workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., p. 290.
- Brickmakers' wages in 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Broom and whisk makers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Building trades wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages.... For wage data beyond 1930, see Union wages for construction workers, 1936-1961. Choose a decade, then a publication, then click the "View" button.
- Asbestos workers' wages
- Bricklayers' wages
- Building laborers' wages
- Carpenters' wages
- Cement finishers' wages
- Composition roofers' wages
- Elevator constructors' wages
- Engineers, portable and hoisting' wages
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Glaziers' wages
Structural ironworkers in NYC earned $77 per week in 1930 - Hod carriers' wages
- Inside wiremens' wages
- Lathers' wages
- Marble setters' wages
- Mosaic and terrazo workers' wages
- Sheet-metal workers' wages
- Slate and tile roofers' wages
- Steam and sprinkler fitters' wages
- Stone masons' wages
- Structural-iron workers' wages
- Building trades
- Hourly wages for construction workers by occupation, state and town, 1938
Shows hourly wages paid to workers employed through the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA), a program to put the unemployed back to work. Shows wage detail for each construction occupation (carpenter, painter, electrician, etc.) by state and then by town. See sections for California, Texas and New York state for example. - Construction - Wages and hours, mid 1930s
This U.S BLS source, “Trend of Employment” shows average wages and hours of work by industry, mainly for manufacturing industries and for construction jobs. Also shows average pay for PWA jobs.
- Hourly wages for construction workers by occupation, state and town, 1938
- Bus drivers
- Butchers, meat cutters, etc.. wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 289-295.
- Carpenters' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 93-97.
- Cement industry wages - 1932
Shows the average weekly wages for a variety of occupations the Portland cement industry. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Mar 1933 - Chain store employee wages, 1931
Table shows average 1929 and 1931 weekly wages of full-time store employees, managers, and supervisors by kind and size of chain and location. Source: Chain Stores (U.S. Congressional Serial Set 9783) - Chauffeurs' pay in 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours... pp.142-159 (source)
- Cigar makers pay for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 289-295 (source)
- Clerical workers' earnings, North Atlantic region, 1934-36
Income and expenditures for white and Negro races. Click a publication, then the "View" button. Next, click the magnifying glass and search for the word "earnings" in the text. - Coal mining
- Coal mining - Hours and earnings, 1919-1933
- Coal mining, pp. 272-275 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Congressional salaries, 1789-present
- Cooks' and chefs' pay by city is shown in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 291-292. (source)
- Cooks on passenger ships based in Boston, 1929-1930
This chart of union wages shows the significant differences in pay for chief cooks, second cooks and night cooks for first class ship passengers, compared to pay earned by cooks for second class passengers on the same vessel. - Cotton picking wages, 193-1935
Shows the average wage rates for pick 100 pounds of cotton in different states. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Jan 1936
- Dentists' income, 1929-1948
Nine-page article includes breakouts by state, by size of community, by source of income, and more. - Doctors (physicians and dentists) income, 1939-1976
Shows median net income of office-based, non-salaried physicians and dentists.
- Education professions
- 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. - Rural teacher salaries by state, 1925-1935
Shows median salaries of teachers and principals by state. Tables run from pages 10-14. - Minimum wage for teachers by state and race, 1930s
By the late 1930s, twenty states had minimum wage laws for teachers. See greater detail for each state in the section Abstracts of minimum salary laws starting on page 23. - 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: U.S. Biennial Survey of Education.
- Instructional staff salaries by state and race, 1939-1940
- Electrical workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 310-324 (source)
- Elevator operators' pay in Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Engineers' earnings, 1929-1934
Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin No. 682 - Entertainers' earnings - The 1938 edition of Salary Directory...(not yet online due to copyright) lists annual earnings of of highly paid individuals in the entertainment industry. Here are examples of one year's income for selected individuals (pp. 100-103):
- Gary Cooper, $370,214
- Claudette Colbert, $350,833
- Greta Garbo, $332,500
- Mae West, $323,333
- Bing Crosby, $318,907
- Charlie Chaplin, $260,000
- Charles Boyer, $249,145
- Paul Whiteman, $242,372
- Fred Astaire, $211,666
- Katherine Hepburn, $206,928
- Marlene Dietrich, $200,000
- Carole Lombard, $156,083
- Barbara Stanwick, $151,979
- Stan Laurel, $135,167
- Ginger Rogers, $124,770
- Shirley Temple, $121,422
- Cecil B. de Mille, $100,000
- Farm wages
- Farm wages by state, 1929 & 1930
Shows the average monthly wages for farm hands in different states. Wages both with and without board are provided. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review (December 1930) - Farm workers' wages and income - 1909 to 1938
Farm wage rates are broken out by year and geographic location. Wages for farm workers are compared to that of factory workers. Article starts on page 59 of the BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1939 issue. - Farm labor wages 1866-1935
Average yearly wage, reported with and without board (meals). Taken from the 1936 Statistical Abstract of the United States. - Farm Labor wages, 1930-1939
The monthly USDA periodical Farm Labor showed farm labor wages with and without room and board, and broken out by geography. - Farm wage rates by geographical division, 1935-1939
Shows figures with and without board. Source: USDA Agricultural Statistics. 1935 (Geographical divisions only), 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939
- Farm wages by state, 1929 & 1930
- Firemen - Salaries, late 1930s (link to library item)
The Municipal Yearbook shows the salaries of firemen and fire chiefs for all U.S. cities over 30,000 in population. This work is still in active copyright and unavailable online. However, we would be happy to look up a salary for you if you contact us. - Fishing wages, pp. 269-271 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Foundry and machine shop wages, 1931
Trends of hours and earnings. Earnings by occupation. Overtime and bonuses. - Furniture store salaries, 1930
Shows average salaries at about two dozen furniture stores, broken out by occupation: sales, delivery, administration, etc. Source: Domestic Commerce Series no. 68, p. 100. - Furnace worker wages, 1931
Pages 1183-1187 details the earnings of workers in blast furnaces, bessemer converters, and open hearth furnaces. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, November 1931
- Gasoline filling stations and motor-vehicle repair garages - 1931
Days, hours and earnings by occupation and city. - Glass industry wages, 1932
Shows the average wage rates for occupations throughout the glass industry. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Oct 1933 - Government workers, 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 jobs - Salaries by occupation - 1938
Tables show average wages for 117 occupational groups employed in the federal government, including architects, librarians, entomologists, chemists, accountants, postmasters, cooks, supply clerks, kitchen workers, electricians and more. Tables span pages 83-85 in this source, the Jan 1941 issue of Monthly Labor Review. - Government (city) - Salaries
The Municipal Year Book shows salaries for city leaders by job title and city size. It is copyrighted and we can only show a sample page. Contact us for a salary lookup for any particular city. - Government - Congressional salaries, 1789-present
- Granite and stone trades, pp. 165-168 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Hotel and restaurant worker wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 291-292 (source)
- Hotel employee minimum wages, Nov 1933-1935 set by federal law, pp. 4-6 (source)
- Household worker wages - Philadelphia, 1928
Shows wages for domestic jobs typically occupied by males (chauffeurs, gardeners, butler, etc.) and females (housekeepers, children's nurse, chambermaids, etc.)
- Insurance agents earnings in Consumer union reports, May 1938, pp. 13-15.
- Iron and steel industry wages and hours, 1907-1931
- Janitors' pay in Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Jewelry makers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 309-310 (source)
- Laundry workers, pp. 169-170 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Lawyers' income, 1929-1948
Shows lawyers' incomes by regions and states, by size of community served, by the age of the lawyer and number of years in practice, by WWII veteran status, and more. Source: "Income of Lawyers, 1929-1948" in the August 1949 issue of Survey of Current Business. - Leather workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 309-310 (source)
- Library salaries for employees of public libraries in the U.S. and Canada, 1937 (source: Monthly Labor Review, June 1938)
- Linemen, pp. 171-172 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Lithographers' pay for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., p. 275-279 (source)
- Longshoremen pp. 172-173 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Lumber industry job wages and hours, 1921-1932
- Mail carrier salaries in 1932
Pay range for city mail carriers, rural mail carriers, railway postal clerks, and more. Source: ad in Popular Mechanics, Jan 1932, p. 33. - Medical personnel - Income of physicians, dentists and [other health workers], 1939-1976
Median net income of office-based nonsalaried physicians, dentists and male professional workers in health professions. Covers 1939, 1947, 1951, 1955, 1963, 1965, 1967, and 1970-1976. - Metalliferous Mining, 1924 & 1931
Shows the average hours and wages of employees in melliferous mines in the west, north, Michigan, and Alabama. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, June 1932 - Metals and machine trades, pp. 238-245 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Military pay charts (US), 1908-present
This website does a good job of organizing a complex topic. - Mining bituminous coal - Wages, 1933
Average days, hours and earnings. Has some comparison data. - Motor-vehicle repair wages, 1931
Shows the average hours and wages of car repairmen with a variety of specializations. Specializations include battery and radiator men, body workers, and car washers. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1932 - Musicians' pay in Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
Manufacturing wages -- SEE box below.
- Newspaper industry - Editorial staff salaries, 1930-1934
Tells average weekly salaries of newspaper reporters, photographers, artists, clerks, stenographers, newspaper executives, deskmen and errand boys. Source: 1936 U.S. BLS Handbook of Labor Statistics, pp. 987-990. - Newspaper publishing - Union job wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours, pp. 205-236 (source)
- Office workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 310-324 (source)
- Opera company salaries - New York City, 1935
Lists salaries for administrators, singers, dancers, musicians, stage carpenters and more. Source: Congressional Record, Aug 5, 1935, p. 12473.
- Painters' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Physicians, non-salaried - Average income, 1929-1949
Table shows average gross and net incomes for non-salaried physicians for each year from 1929-1949. - Physisician salaries, 1939
Shows the average gross income of over 5,000 physicians by region and community population. Wages are shown in 1939 US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Nov 1940. - Plasterers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Plumbers and gas fitters' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Police salaries, late 1930s (link to library item)
The Municipal Yearbook shows the salaries of police patrolmen and police chiefs for all U.S. cities over 30,000 in population. This work is still in active copyright and unavailable online. However, we would be happy to look up a salary for you if you contact us. - Politicians - State governor salaries, 1935
The Congressional Record reported annual salaries for governors of U.S. states and territories. - Postal worker salaries in 1932
Show pay range for railway postal clerks, city mail carriers, rural mail carriers and more. Source: ad in Popular Mechanics, Jan 1932, p. 33. - Postmaster salaries in U.S. cities and towns, 1930
- Printing Trades - Union wages and hours
- Printing and publishing books, Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930, pp. 174-205 (source)
- Printing and publishing newspapers, Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930, pp. 205-236 (source)
- Railway employees - Earnings, 1932
Source: U.S. Dept of Labor, Earnings and standard of living of 1,000 railway employees during the depression. - Railway transportation occupations, pp. 245-269 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours...1930 (source)
- Car men
- Locomotive engineers
- Locomotive firemen
- Conductors and trainmen
- Railroad signalmen
- Railway, express, and steamship clerks
- Maintenance of way employees
- Railroad telegraphers
- Railroad car porters, maids, etc.
- Sleeping and parlor car conductors
- Train dispatchers
- Harbor boatmen
- Marine workers
- Teamsters and drivers
- Restaurant workers pay is shown for chefs, cooks, bakers, waiters, waitresses and other jobs in 1930. Source: Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 291-292. (source)
- Retail workers
- wages by store type - Source: Monthly Labor Review, Apr 1935
- in chain stores - Source: Consumer union reports, April 1938, pp. 8-9
- Sawmill wages, 1910-1930
Shows the earnings per hour and week for sawmill workers over a 20 year period. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review (April 1931) - School employees - Median salaries, 1930-1943
Includes salaries for teachers, administration, and more. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, June 1943 - Seamen industry wages, 1933
Shows the average weekly wages of union hotel and restaurant employees. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1934 - Secretaries (female) pay in 1930-1931. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau.
- Service industry wages, 1920-1933
Shows the average monthly wages on steam and merchant boats throughout the US. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1933 - Ship and marine industries
- Deep-sea ship transportation occupations, wage structure - 1935
Wages for chief officers, first mates, second mates etc., radio operators, boatswains, carpenters, electricians, engineers, quartermasters, wheelsmen, petty officers, seamen, cadets, deck boys, engineers, firemen, chefs, cooks, butchers, bakers, scullions, waiters, countermen, salon stewards, deck stewards, cabin stewards, smoking room stewards, wine stewards, bellboys, deck patrol watchmen (security guards), stewardesses, messmen, messboys, porters, laundrymen, clerks, food service workers such as pantrymen and buffet attendants, musicians, orchestra leaders, pursers, ships’ surgeons. Separate tables by type of ship including passenger vessels, freighters, tankers, and all types of ships combined. - River towboats, wages and hours -1937
- Ship carpenters' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages...
- Seamen wages in 1930, March 1931 Monthly Labor Review
- Deep-sea ship transportation occupations, wage structure - 1935
- Shoe industry wages, 1910-1930
- Shows the average weekly hours and hourly wages for workers in the boot and shoe industry. Occupations included are limited before 1916. Wages shown in contemporary US dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1930
- Shop owner's salaries, 1939
Dun & Bradstreet conducted a survey of retail shops to obtain data on their costs of operation. The results included data on salaries drawn by shop owners, and were reprinted in U.S. Department of Commerce publications. - Slaughtering and meat-packing industry - Wages and hours, 1931
Includes tables that give the information by gender and occupation. - Store clerks' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 310-324 (source)
- Streetcar employee wages
- Street-railway employees - Union wages, 1937 and 1938
Wages by the hour, shown by job title and by city of employment. - Motormen and conductors
- Street-railway employees - Union wages, 1937 and 1938
- Taxicab drivers - Ohio, 1934
Shows the average daily earnings of taxicab drivers in 3 large Ohio cities. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1934 - Teachers
- 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. - Rural teacher salaries by state, 1925-1935
Shows median salaries of teachers and principals by state. Tables run from pages 10-14. - Minimum wage for teachers by state and race, 1930s
By the late 1930s, twenty states had minimum wage laws for teachers. See greater detail for each state in the section Abstracts of minimum salary laws starting on page 23. - 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: U.S. Biennial Survey of Education. - School salaries by state and race, 1935-1936
Shows the average salaries of teachers, principals, and superintendents 14 southern states for both white and black staff members. Source: Education in the forty-eight states, table 20
- Instructional staff salaries by state and race, 1939-1940
- Telegraphers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages.., pp. 310-324 (source)
- Telephone workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 310-324 (source)
- Theatre
- Tech occupations such as stage hand, props assistant, set carpenter, lamp operator, flymen and others, see wage rates on p. 302 of Union Scales of Wages...1930 (source)
- Performers, singers, dancers and administrators in an opera company - Salaries, New York City, 1935
- Tile layers in building construction, 1930
- Textile workers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 288-289 (source)
- Transportation occupations for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages..., pp. 245-269 (source)
- Railway carmen
- Locomotive engineers
- Locomotive firemen
- Conductors and trainmen
- Railroad signalmen
- Railway, express, and steamship clerks
- Maintenance of way employees
- Railroad telegraphers
- Car porters, maids, etc.
- Sleeping and parlor car conductors
- Train dispatchers
- Motormen and conductors, street railways, and bus drivers
- Harbor boatmen
- Marine workers
- Truck drivers - Union wages and hours, 1939. Source: BLS Bulletin #676.
- Upholsterers' wages in 1930 in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 298-299 (source)
- Window cleaners' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages, p. 314.
- Woodworkers' wages for 1930 in Union Scales of Wages, p. 297.
- WPA worker wages in 1939 - The wage depended both on the worker's skill class and the geographic location. See pay briefly discussed on pages 549-550 of this issue.
- Writers (women) - Salaries in early 1930s shown in Careers for women in journalism, starting p. 69.
Manufacturing wages, 1930-1939
- Automobile manufacturing - Union jobs, 1930
Listed by city in Union Scales of Wages and Hours..., pp. 238-245 (source) - Ford company wages, 1929-1937
Wages at the River Rouge factory in Dearborn, Mich. Source: FTC report, p. 668.
- Bakery workers - Wages by city and state, 1931Average wages and hours of work by occupation and gender.
- Bread and cake baking wages, 1931Similar data as above but printed in a different government source. Lists wages and hours in the baking industry broken out by occupation, gender, and city.
- Bakeries - Union wages, hours and working conditions, 1939Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin No. 673.
- Bread-baking industry - Wages, hours and working conditions, 1934Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin, No. 623
- Cane-sugar refining industry wages, 1930Average wages, hours and earnings by occupation and sex and by sex and district.
- Clothing manufacturing wages, 1930
- Ladies' garment workers, pp. 279-280 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours
- Men’s clothing production, pp. 281-284 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours
- Miscellaneous clothing production, pp. 284-288 of Union Scales of Wages and Hours... (source)
- Boot and shoe industry workers' wages, 1910 to 1930Hours and earnings by industry and occupation. Average hours and earnings by sex and state. Bulletin U.S. BLS, No. 551
- Hat manufacturing industries, earnings and hours - 1939Average hourly earnings. Variations by sex and skill, and type of plant.
- Shoe and allied industries - Wages and hours, 1939Average hourly earnings, variations by sex and skill.
- Rayon and synthetic yarn manufacturing, 1930Average wages and hours by occupation and districts. Overtime and bonuses.
- Rayon and synthetic yarn manufacturing, 1932Include tables that break down the information by gender, occupation, and give average hourly and weekly earnings for workers.
- Silk and rayon goods manufacture - Wages and hours, 1931Source: BLS Bulletin, No. 568
- Silk and rayon weavers wage rates - 1934Shows the rates of pay of weavers in silk and rayon mills in certain cities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
- Woolen and worsted goods manufacturing, 1910 to 1932Average earnings and hours worked for workers in woolen and worsted goods manufacturing in 15 states.
- Cotton-goods wages, 1910-1930Shows wages and hours of workers in the cotton industry over a 23 year period. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Nov 1930.
- Textile wages, 1930Shows the wages and hours worked of spinners, weavers, and loomers. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Nov 1930.
- Leather industry wages, 1932Average days, hours and earnings by occupation; sex and state; and by kind of leather, sex and state.
- Leather Industries, earnings and hours - 1939Average hourly earnings, hours, comparisons.
- Leather glove industry, hours and earnings -1934Includes tables which give the percentage of people earning within wage ranges.
- Furniture manufacture - Wages and hours, 1910-1931Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin No. 571
- Furniture manufacturing industry - Wages and hours, 1937Average earning, differences by product and community.
- Ammunition industry - Average hourly earnings, 1937Details of workers' hourly and weekly earnings in the ammunition industry in October 1937. Hourly earnings are given by gender, occupation, and skill level.
- Explosives manufacture, earnings and hours - 1937Details the wages earned in the explosives industry (dynamite, TNT, etc.) in October 1937. Includes tables which give the hourly earnings in regards to skill type, occupation, and plant type ("Big Three" or other). Weekly earnings are given by skill level, and as a percentage of employees earning a range of weekly rates.
- Cigarette manufacturing - Wages and hours, 1930Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin No. 532
- Drugs and toiletries manufacturing - Wages and hours, 1938Wages in manufacturing medicines and personal grooming products mostly in factories located in IL, IA and NJ plus thirteen additional states. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #171.
- Paper box manufacturing - Wages and hours, 1933-1935Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin, No. 633
- Radio manufacturing, hourly earnings - 1937Tables with the hourly earnings by skill type, gender, branch of industry, type of plant, and as a percentage of employees earning a range of hourly rates.
- Manufacturing - Average weekly earnings, 1919-1960Very simple table shows average hours and earnings for all production workers in manufacturing for each year from 1919-1960.
- Manufacturing jobs - Earnings and hoursPart of the U.S. BLS Employment and Payrolls series, this source provides average wages by industry, not occupation. The industries however are specific, such as radio and phonograph manufacture, jewelry making, ship building and carpet/rug weaving. Click on any of the following dated reports: 1932: November, December; 1933: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December; 1934: January, February.
- Manufacturing wages, 1929-1939Mainly covers cotton textiles, shoes and paper industries. Source: Investigation of Concentration of Economic Power, Monograph no. 5.
- Manufacturing - Average hours and wages, 1929-1936Source shows wage rates and average hours for workers in manufacturing on page 16. Wages for workers with specific kinds of manufacturers -- automobiles, cigars and cigarettes, telephone and telegraph, etc. -- appear on pages 17-24
- Construction - Wages and hours, mid 1930sThis U.S BLS source, “Trend of Employment” shows average wages and hours of work by industry, mainly for manufacturing industries and for construction jobs. Also shows average pay for PWA jobs.
Women's wages, 1930-1939
- Women's wages compared to men in manufacturing occupationsSource: U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin, #155.
- Women's wages in common occupations,1930-1936Includes maids, cooks, social workers, librarians, school teachers, beauticians and more. Source: U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin no. 155, pp. 123-131.
- Wages, hours and earnings by occupation and sexThe BLS' Handbook of labor statistics editions each have hundreds of statistical tables.
- Women writers - Salaries, 1930sSource: Careers for women in journalism, starting p. 69.
- Airline hostesses - Pay, 1937Source: Air Commerce Bulletin, Aug 15, 1939, p. 33.
- Median income by sex and industry, 1939-1953The second portion of this table looks at the income of men and women in various occupation groups. Source: Statistical abstract of the U.S. (1955), Table 363.
- Office worker wages (female), 1930-1931Earnings of bank tellers, clerks, typists, secretaries, stenographers, etc. Also shows data by age and educational attainment.
Wages by state, 1930-1939
Wages in MULTIPLE STATES, 1930s
- Union wages and hours by city, 1929-1930Covers a wide variety of occupations, such as railroad sleeping car conductors, boat captains, music engravers and musicians, hatters, actors, barbers, turkish bath attendants, artists, office workers, store clerks, enbalmers and more.
- School salaries by state and race, 1935-1936Average salaries of teachers, principals, and superintendents by race in 14 southern states. Source: Education in the 48 states, Table 20.
- Service establishments, places of amusement and hotels - Employee earnings, 1934Data by industry (locksmiths, dance halls, photographers, etc.) Starts with Alabama p. 3; California p. 6, New York p. 33, Texas p. 44, Wisconsin p. 51, etc.
Wages in ALABAMA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Alabama by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p.1-2.
Wages in ARKANSAS, 1930s
- Construction wages in Arkansas by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 5-7.
Wages in ARIZONA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Arizona by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 3-4.
Wages in CALIFORNIA, 1930s
- Construction wages in California by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 8-14.
Wages in COLORADO, 1930s
- Wages in Colorado - 1932Shows the average wage rates for selected occupations in Colorado. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Sept 1933
- Construction wages in Colorado by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 15-16.
Wages in CONNETICUT, 1930s
- Construction wages in Conneticut by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 17-18.
Wages in the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 1930s
- Wages of Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1931Tells the average or median pay for African-Americans in a variety of occupations and industries. Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics (1936) pp. 574-576.
- Construction wages in District of Columbia by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 20.
- Motion-picture theater jobs wages in Washington DC, 1931When the movie industry transitioned away from silent films around 1928-1930, it had a big impact on wages, especially for musicians. This 1931 article from the U.S. BLS Monthly Labor Review shows average weekly wages for all movie theater jobs, including ushers, projectionists, musicians, electricians, poster artists, pages, doormen, cashiers, watchmen, cleaning personnel, and elevator boys. Wages are broken out by theaters for white and colored (Negro / African American) audiences.
Wages in DELAWARE, 1930s
- Construction wages in Delaware by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 19.
Wages in FLORIDA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Florida by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 21-23.
Wages in GEORGIA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Georgia by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 24-25.
Wages in HAWAII, 1930s
- Hawaii wages - 1939Earnings for day and piece-rate workers. Earnings by type of work and race.
Wages in IOWA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Iowa by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 40-42.
Wages in IDAHO, 1930s
- Construction wages in Idaho by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 26-27.
- Mining wages - Idaho, 1931Shows the average wages of multiple occupation in the mining industry. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review (September 1932)
Wages in ILLINOIS, 1930s
- Construction wages in Illinois by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 28-35.
- Household workers' wages by race - Chicago, 1930Shows wages for domestic workers employed in private homes, with breakouts by race for cooks, kitchen helpers, housekeepers, chamber maids, parlor maids, governesses, child's nurses, laundresses, and those who did "heavy cleaning." Source: U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #106.
Wages in INDIANA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Indiana by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 36-39.
Wages in KANSAS, 1930s
- Construction wages in Kansas by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 43-44.
Wages in KENTUCKY, 1930s
- Construction wages in Kentucky by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 45-46.
Wages in LOUISIANA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Louisiana by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 47-49.
- Low skill wages - Louisiana, 1929 & 1931Shows the daily wages of various common and low-skill occupations like building laborers, canners, and rice mill workers throughout the state. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review (September 1932)
Wages in MASSACHUSETTS, 1930s
- Massachusetts - Wages and hours, 1935Extensive tables run from page 1-74 in this state document, showing wages and hours for hundreds of detailed occupations, including building trades, food service, hospitality industries, brewing & bottling, printing, trucking, woodworking, manufacturing, theatrical employment, public utilities jobs, telephone operators, public transportation, barbers, engineers, radio telegraph operators, tobacco workers in cigar factories, and many more.
- Construction wages in Massachusetts by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 53-56.
Wages in MARYLAND, 1930s
- Construction wages in Maryland by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 51-52.
Wages in MAINE, 1930s
- Construction wages in Maine by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 50.
Wages in MICHIGAN, 1930s
- Paper mill wages - Michigan, 1934Shows the average hourly and weekly wages for selected occupations in Michigan paper mills. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1935
- Construction wages in Michigan by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 57-60.
Wages in MINNESOTA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Minnesota by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 61-63.
Wages in MISSOURI, 1930s
- Missouri work relief projects - Wage rates by county, 1934-1935Wages for common labor in the Work Relief Program were originally set at thirty cents an hour, but were later changed to better align with prevailing wage rates in the counties. This two-page table shows the rates by county, expressed in cents per hour. Source: Work Relief in Missouri, 1934-1935, a Missouri state publication.
- Civilian Conservation Corps wages in MO, late 1930sShows monthly wages of boys enrolled in CCC camps. Source: MO State Social Security Commission Biennial Report, 1939-1940.
- Construction wages in Missouri by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 67-69.
Wages in MISSISSIPPI, 1930s
- Construction wages in Mississippi by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 64-66.
Wages in MONTANA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Montana by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 70-72.
Wages in NORTH CAROLINA, 1930s
- North Carolina - Average earnings in the principal industries, 1938-1940North Carolina state government publication shows average hours and wages for employees in all the major industries, including furniture manufacture, tobacco factories, retail establishments, textile mills, and more.
- Construction Wages in North Carolina by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 89-92.
Wages in NORTH DAKOTA, 1930s
- Construction wages in North Dakota, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 93.
Wages in NEBRASKA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Nebraska by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 73-74.
Wages in NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1930s
- Construction wages in New Hampshire by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 76.
Wages in NEW JERSEY, 1930s
- Construction wages in New Jersey by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 77-80.
Wages in NEW MEXICO, 1930s
- Construction wages in New Mexico by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 81-82.
Wages in NEVADA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Nevada by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 75.
- Mining wages - Nevada, 1930Shows the daily wages of different mining jobs in Nevada mining camps. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review (June 1931)
Wages in NEW YORK, 1930s
- Factory wages - New York, 1918-1931Shows the average weekly wages of NY factory workers every month over a 14 year period. Data was originally published in the Industrial Bulletin of the State Department of Labor. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, March 1932
- Actor's pay in New York, 1932See typical actor's pay listed in the book The Business of the Theatre
prepared on behalf of the New York Actors' Equity Association. Chorus workers made a minimum of $30 a week in New York City. - White collar wages - New York, 1935-1937Shows the average weekly salaries of office workers in different industries throughout New York. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jan 1938.
- Construction wages in New York by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 83-88.
Wages in OHIO, 1930s
- Ohio - Average annual wages and salaries by occupation, 1916-1932The "Service Industries" chapter in this source breaks out wages paid to workers in hospitals, hotels, bowling alleys, theaters, parks, churches, country clubs, athletic clubs and yacht clubs, advertising agencies, banks, laundries, schools/colleges, and restaurants (making no distinction between waiters, cooks or bus boys). Lists wages paid to auto mechanics, office workers, window cleaners, barbers and hairdressers, bartenders in saloons, domestic servants, people working in social agencies, and more. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin, No. 613. Check the Table of Contents page for even more wages in manufacturing and construction industries and for people working in retail trades and in transportation.
- Construction wages in Ohio by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 94-98.
- Manufacturing wages - Ohio, 1933-1934Shows the average annual earnings of wage earners in textiles, tobacco, vehicle plants and other manufacturing industries. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Aug 1936.
Wages in OKLAHOMA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Oklahoma by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 99-101.
Wages in OREGON, 1930s
- Construction wages in Oregon by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 102-105.
Wages in PENNSYLVANIA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Pennsylvania by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 106-110.
- Household workers' wages by sex - Philadelphia, 1928Shows wages with breakouts for type of household duty: chambermaid, waitress, cleaner, cook, housekeeper, laundress, children's nurse, seamstress, and more.
- Wages by age - Pennsylvania, 1934Shows the median weekly wages of Pennsylvanians in ages groups between 11 and 75+ for both men and women. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Sept 1935
Wages in RHODE ISLAND, 1930s
- Construction wages in Rhode Island by county and town, 1928Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 111-112.
Wages in SOUTH CAROLINA, 1930s
- Construction wages in South Carolina by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 113-116.
Wages in TENNESSEE, 1930s
- Construction wages in Tennessee by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 117-118.
- Wages by gender and race - Tennessee, 1935Shows the average hourly and weekly earnings of both white and black women in a variety of industry common for women at the time. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Aug 1936.
Wages in TEXAS, 1930s
- Texas - Average weekly wages, 1931-1932Shows average weekly wages and hours worked per week by men, women and boys in a variety of job settings, including barbershops, beauty parlors, laundries, hospitals, hotels and cafes, mercantile establishments, printing, manufacturing and more. Source: Texas state Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Construction wages in Texas by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 119-123.
- Wages in Texas, 1931-1932Shows the average weekly wages for selected occupations in Texas for men, women, and boys. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Oct 1933
Wages in UTAH, 1930s
- Construction wages in Utah by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 124-125.
Wages in VIRGINIA, 1930s
- Construction wages in Virginia by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 127-130.
Wages in VERMONT, 1930s
- Farm labor wages in Vermont, 1780s-1937Table 26 shows wages for laborers with board for every year from 1780-1937; the explanation begins on page 43. Source: Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Construction wages in Vermont by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, p. 126.
Wages in WASHINGTON, 1930s
- Construction wages in Washington by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 131-134.
Wages in WISCONSIN, 1930s
- Construction wages in Wisconsin by county and towns, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 138-142.
Wages in WEST VIRGINIA, 1930s
- Construction wages in West Virginia, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 135-137.
Wages in WYOMING, 1930s
- Construction wages in Wyoming by county and town, 1938Shows wages for 15 skilled and 8 semi-skilled construction occupations as well as for unskilled construction labor. Source: Hourly wage rates for WPA and for private and other public construction, pp. 143-144.
Foreign wages by country, 1930-1939
Wages in ARGENTINA, 1930s
- Wages and hours in Argentina, 1930sArticle includes many data tables and extends from page 456-470.
- Average wages - Buenos Aires, 1938Shows the average monthly and hourly wages for various occupations in Buenos Aires during 1938. Wages are shown in contemporary Argentinian pesos. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1933.
WAGES in AUSTRALIA, 1930s
- Minimum wage in Australian cities and provinces, June 1937Shows basic wage established by law in Australian cities and provinces in pounds, shilling and pence. Exchange rate to American dollars is provided. Source: Monthly labor review, Sep 1937, p. 699.
- Wages by state - Australia, 1932Shows the average monthly wage of both males and females in typical families for each Australian state in August 1932. Source: December 1932
- Wages in Victoria, 1931Shows the average weekly wages for a variety of occupations in the state of Victoria. Wages are shown in both US and Australian currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Feb 1933
WAGES in AUSTRIA, 1930s
- General survey of wages in AustriaPages 663-681 details the state of wages throughout Austria in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, March 1932
- Wages in Austria, 1930-1931Extensive article titled "General Survey of Wages in Austria" shows minimum wages by sex, occupation and industry on pp. 669-673. Actual hourly wages are shown in a chart on pp. 675-678. Source: Monthly labor review, Mar 1932.
WAGES in BELGIUM, 1930s
- General survey of wages in BelgiumPages 155-169 details the state of wages throughout Belgium in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, January 1932
- Wages by occupation - Brussels, 1931Shows the average hourly rate of Belgian workers in a variety of different industries. Wages are shown in both contemporary Belgian Francs and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, October 1931
- Wages in Belgium - 1938Shows average hourly wages for workers of various industries throughout Belgium. Wages are shown in both Belgian and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Nov 1938.
Wages in BRAZIL, 1930s
- Wages in Sao Paulo, 1933Shows the average monthly wages for selected occupations in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Shown in both Brazilian and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Nov 1933
Wages in INDIA, 1930s
- Iron and steel wages - India, 1932Shows the average daily wages of heavy steel and iron trades in India. Shown in both Indian and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Sept 1933
- Mining wages - India, 1932Shows the average daily wages for a variety of mining occupations in India. Shown in both Indian and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, May 1934
- Cotton industry wages - Bombay, 1926 and 1933Shows the average daily wages for a variety of textile occupations in the Bombay Presidency, India for men and women. Shown in Indian rupees (1 rupee = 36.5 US cents). Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Jan 1935
Wages in CANADA, 1930s
- Wages by industry - British Columbia, 1931Shows the average weekly wages of workers in contracting, lumber, oil refining, and many other industries throughout British Columbia. Wages are shown in comtemporary US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, October 1932
- Farm workers' earnings by Canadian province, 1929-1939Shows annual and summer earnings data for male and female workers. Source: Monthly labor review, July 1940, pp. 192-193.
- Teacher salaries in Canada, 1939Shows average salaries paid to Canadian teachers with breakouts by province, type of school, and sex of teacher. Source: Monthly labor review, Nov 1940, pp. 1252-1253.
WAGES in DENMARK, 1930s
- Wages in Denmark, 1933Shows the average hourly wages for selected occupations in Denmark. Shown in both Danish and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Nov 1933
- Wages in Denmark, 1934Shows the average hourly wages for selected occupations within a variety of industries in both Copenhagen and the provinces. Shown in both Danish and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1935
- Average wages of industrial workers - Denmark, 1938-1939Shows the average hourly wages of industrial workers in and outside of Copenhagen by both gender and skill. Wages are shown in contemporary Danish krone. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1940.
WAGES in FINLAND, 1930s
- Paper industry wages, 1928-1933Shows the average hourly wages in the paper and wood-pulp industries in Finland. Shown in both Finnish and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1933
Wages in FRANCE, 1930s
- Wages in France, 1929-1930Shows wages in October of 1929 and 1930 for about 50 occupations on p. 192; dressmaker's earnings on p. 193, domestic servants on p. 194, etc.. Source: Monthly labor review, Sep 1931.
- Wages in France, 1930-1931Shows much detail by occupation and industry. Source: Monthly labor review, Jan 1932, pp. 169-187.
- Wig and toupee makers' wages in France, 1931This short article describes the prices of hairpieces in France and describes the varying wages paid to workers based on items sold.
- Wages in France, 1932Provides much detail on wages a variety of occupations and industries. Source: Monthly labor review, Mar 1933, pp. 624-643.
- Wages in Paris, 1935-1938Shows average hourly wages in francs for various occupations including brewers, tailors, watchmakers, dressmakers, milliners and more.
- Wages in France, 1938Shows montlhy wages by industry, including brewers, textile workers and more. Source: Monthly labor review, Sep 1938, pp. 624-643.
- Wages and retail prices in France, 1938-47Lists wages in various industries as well as allowances for children. Shows wage rates alongside a price index of common items.
- French wages and wage supplements - 1938, 1946, 1947Tables show wages for military, industry, and commerce workers, and describes how their wages changed throughout the war.
- Wages in Marseilles, 1930Shows daily wages of 12 different occupations in Marseilles, in US dollars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1930.
Wages in GERMANY, 1930s
- Labor Conditions in Germany, 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).
- General survey of wages in Germany in 1931Each industry is handled separately in this extensive article from the U.S. BLS Monthly labor review, June 1932 issue. The following list points to most (but not all) industries covered.
- Agricultural worker wages (hourly for full time work, by district, broken out by sex)
- Boot and shoe manufacturing wages
- Building trades wages (masons, carpenters, painters, roofers, etc.)
- Chemical industry wages (dyes, drugs, explosives, etc.)
- Chocolate factory wages
- Tobacco product manufacturing (cigars, cigarettes, snuff, etc.)
- Bakers and confectioners wages
- Flour milling wages
- Furriers' wages
- Glass factory wages
- Iron and steel worker wages
- Jewelers wages
- Lace making pay in the textile industry
- Lumber industry wages
- Metal working industry wages (machine construction, heating apparatus, shipbuilding, aircraft, railway rolling stock, scientific instruments, etc.)
- Mining coal and copper
- Musical instrument manufacturing
- Paper industry wages
- Printing trades and lithographic work wages
- Shipbuilding wages
- Spinners' and weavers' wages in the textile industry,.
- Woodworking and furniture making wages
- Wages established by collective agreements in Germany, 1931-1932Depicts the hourly wages of various German industries sorted by industrial or textile occupations and sorted by skill-level.
- Furniture making job hours wages in Germany, 1893-1932Shows wages in both German and American currencies.
- Machine-building industry wages in Germany, 1931Shows wage rates, hours and weekly earnings for males of various skill levels, and female workers.
- Building trades earnings in Germany, 1932Chart shows wages for masons, carpenters, helpers and underground workers.
- Wages rates in principle industries in Germany, 1933Shows the average hourly wages by sex, skill level, and city, for industries such as coal, paper, textiles, confectionery, railroad, and all industries, in general.
- Hours and earnings by industry in Germany, 1934-35Several tables provide hours worked and earnings of workers in industries such as brewing, musical-instrument manufacturing, woodworking, and baking. Charts feature breakouts by skill of worker.
- Average hourly and weekly gross earnings for German workers, 1935Describes the average wages earned per hour and week and is divided by industry and class of worker.
- Average hourly and weekly gross earnings of German workers, 1936Describes the average wages earned per hour and week and is divided by industry, including woodworking, metal, and textiles, and class of worker.
- Wages in Germany in 1938Extensive, 17-page article includes many charts and wage detail for all the major Germany industries, and covers some of the years leading up to 1938.
- Average wage rates in Germany by industry, 1938Table shows average hourly wage rates for male and female workers of various skill levels, by industry. This is part of an extensive article, "Labor Conditions in Germany," on pp. 498-524 of this source.
- Labor policy in Germany, 1939The German government issued a decree establishing a complete war economy on September 3, 1939 (Kriegsverpflichteten Wirtschaft). This involved lowering wages, increasing hours and preventing employees from quitting their jobs. Although this article does not tell the post-decree wage rates, we include it here because of the important context it provides. Source: U.S. BLS Monthly labor review, June 1940.
Wages in GREAT BRITAIN, 1930s
- Wages by industry in London and Glasgow, 1930Shows wages for vehicle builders, millers, streetcar workers and more. Source: Monthly labor review, Apr 1933, pp. 874-876
- Wages in Great Britain, 1931Source: Monthly labor review, Apr 1932, pp. 928-942.
- Wages in Great Britain, 1935-1938Shows wages by occupation and industry. Minimum wages are listed on pp. 891-894. Source: Monthly labor review, Oct 1938, pp. 869-895.
- Agricultural worker wages, hours and earnings in Great Britain, 1936Shows minimum wage rates and hours of agricultural workers in England and Wales in 1936, by sex and geographic district. Also shows the weekly earnings of Scottish shepherds, plowmen, cattlemen, farm hands and dairy workers are also listed, along with the value of the job perquisites (board and lodging).
- Railway services wages - Great Britain, 1932-1933Shows the average weekly wages of railroad workers and employees in Great Britain. Shown in both Great Britain and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, May 1934
- Truck driver wages in Great Britain, 1934Shows weekly waged paid to truck drivers of different weight classes and experience and their subsistence allowance. Source: Monthly labor review, Oct 1934, p. 990.
- Wages in Great Britain, 1937Extensive article spanning pages 868-895 includes many tables showing wages by industry in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Wartime wage changes in Great Britain, 1939-1940Short article describes the general trend of wages in Great Britain at the start of World War II. Source:Monthly labor review, Nov 1940, pp.1083-1085
Wages in GREECE, 1930s
- General survey of wages in GreecePages 681-688 details the state of wages throughout Greece in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, March 1932
- Mining wages in Greece, 1932Shows the average daily wages for mining workers in Greece. Wages are shown in US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1933
Wages in HUNGARY, 1930s
- Wages by occupation - Budapest, 1929-1931Shows the daily wages of Hungarian plumbers, tailors, and more. Wages are shown in both contemporary Hungarian pengő and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, September 1931
- General survey of wages in Hungary, 1931Pages 392-399 details the state of wages throughout Hungary in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, February 1932
- General survey of wages in Hungary, 1934Shows the average hourly wages for select occupations in Hungary. Shown in Hungarian Pengo (1 Pengo/100 Fillers = 17.49 US cents). Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, February 1935
- Wages by occupation - Hungary, 1937-1938Shows average hourly wages for 7 different occupation throughout Hungary. Wages are shown in Hungarian pengos. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Jun 1939.
Wages in INDO-CHINA, 1930s
- Wages in French Indo-China, 1931-1937Discusses daily wages paid to workers in French-occupied Indo-China, including breakouts for the cities of Hanoi and Saigon. Table shows wages by class, sex, and location of worker.
- Average wages by occupation - French Indo-China, 1930Shows the average daily wages of 20 different occupations in both Hanoi and Saigon. Wages are shown in. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, August 1931
Wages in ITALY, 1930s
- Wages by industry - Italy, 1930Shows average daily wages of 12 different occupations in various Italian cities. Also includes information on overtime pay. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Apr 1931.
- Woodworking wages - Italy, 1931Shows the average hourly wages of carvers, finishers, cabinetmakers, and more in the Italian town of Norava. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1931
- Wages by industry - Italy, 1937Shows average hourly wages for workers of various industries throughout Italy. Wages are shown in both Italian and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Feb 1938.
Wages in JAPAN, 1930s
- General survey of wages in JapanPages 682-686 details the state of wages throughout Japan in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, September 1932
- Wages by occupation - Tokyo, 1931Shows the average hourly rate of Japanese workers in a variety of different industries. Wages are shown in both contemporary Yen and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, October 1931
- Wages in Japan, 1933-1934Shows average wages by industry, occupation and sex in Japan, with separate tables listing wages in Tokyo and the Kobe consular district and Taiwan (Formosa). Wages are expressed both in yen and in dollars. Source: Monthly labor review, June 1934, pp. 1468-1472.
Wages in KOREA, 1930s
Note: Between 1910 and 1945, the Korean peninsula was under Japanese occupation and was known as Chosen.
- Factory wages - Chosen, 1932Shows the average daily wages in Korean factories. Shown in both Japanese and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1933
- Wages by occupation - Chosen, 1938Shows the average daily wages or workers 16 years or older in Japanese-occupied Korea. Shown in both Japanese and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1939
Wages in MEXICO, 1930s
- Textile wages - Mexico, 1932-1933Shows the average daily wages in Mexican textile manufacturing for men, women, and minors. Shown in both Mexican and US currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Sept 1934
- Minimum wage - Mexico, 1936-1937Shows the minimum wage in various states throughout Mexico. The wages are shown in Mexican pesos. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Aug 1936
- Wages in Mexico, 1937-1938Extensive, 20-page article includes many data tables and detailed discussion of Mexican wages by industry.
Wages in NETHERLANDS, 1930s
- Building wages - Netherland, 1931 & 1932Shows the average hourly wages of carpenters, masons, hod carriers, journeymen, cement workers, and joiners in Amsterdam. Wages are shown in both contemporary Dutch guilders and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review
- Mining wages - Netherland, 1933 & 1934Shows the average hourly wages of carpenters, masons, hod carriers, journeymen, cement workers, and joiners in Amsterdam. Wages are shown in both contemporary Dutch guilders and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review
- Lithography wages - Netherland, 1932Shows the average hourly weekly wages in lithographing and photo engraving throughout the Netherlands. Wages are shown in both contemporary Dutch guilders and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review
- Mining wages - Netherland, 1931 & 1932Shows the average daily wages for a variety of occupations in mining throughout the Netherlands. Wages are shown in both contemporary Dutch guilders and US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review
Wages in NEW ZEALAND, 1930s
- Wages in New Zealand, 1932Shows the average weekly wages for a variety of occupations and industries in New Zealand. Wages are shown in both US and English currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1933
Wages in NORWAY, 1930s
- Wages in Norway, 1932Shows the average weekly wages for a variety of occupations in Norway as well as in the capital of Oslo. Wages are shown in both US and Norwegian currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, Mar 1933
Wages in PALESTINE, 1930s
- Union wages - Palestine, 1931Union wages reported in the Monthly labor review, Mar 1932, pp. 561-562.
- Wages in Palestine, 1936Tells wages in agriculture, manufacturing and construction jobs with breakouts by sex and Arab/Jewish. Includes wages for child labor in cigarette factories.
- Wages - Palestine, 1937-1938With breakouts for Jewish and Arab workers by sex in Sep 1937 and Mar 1938.
- Wages - Palestine, 1939Article includes tables showing wage breakouts for Jewish and Arabian laborers in Palestine, working in agricultural industry, manufacturing and construction. Article also includes tables showing union daily wage rates in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa.
Wages in POALND, 1930s
- Wages in Poland, 1932Shows the average weekly wages for a variety of occupations and industries in Poland. Wages are shown in both US and Polish currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1933
Wages in the SOVIET UNION, 1930s
- Average yearly wages in the Soviet Union, 1929-1932This table provides average yearly wages per industry or trade type, including transportation, education and agriculture, among others.
- Payments-in-kind earnings of peasants on Kolkhoz farms, 1935-1937This short article describes the Soviet Government process for redistribution of farm products to collective farm workers. It describes the average changes to earnings of grain per working day during the given time period.
- Fixed wages for agricultural workers, 1935This article lists specific fixed daily wages in combinations of rubles and grain in kilograms. Wages are divided by type of machine operated and amount of work completed.
Wages in SWEDEN, 1930s
- Wages in Sweden, 1932Shows the average hourly and daily wages for a variety of occupations and industries in Sweden by gender. Wages are shown in both US and Swedish currency. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, July 1933
Wages in SWITZERLAND, 1930s
- General survey of wages in SwitzerlandPages 688-695 details the state of wages throughout Greece in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, March 1932
- Agricultural wages - Switzerland in 1914, 1921, 1930Shows the weekly wages of various occupations in Swiss farming as well as the daily wages of day laborers. Wages are shown in both Francs and contemporary US dollars. Convert to present-day dollars. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, August 1931
Wages in YUGOSLAVIA, 1930s
- General survey of wages in YugoslaviaPages 1205-1208 details the state of wages throughout Yugoslavia in the early stages of the Great Depression. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review, May 1932
- Average weekly wages - Yugoslavia, 1930Shows wages in Croatia and Slavonia in both dinars and US dollars. Wages are also separated by sex and occupation. Source: BLS Source: BLS Monthly labor review, May 1931.
- Wages by occupation - Yugoslavia, 1935-1937Shows average hourly wages for a variety of occupations and industries throughout Yugoslavia. Wages are shown in Yugoslavian dinars. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Mar 1939.
- Wages in 16 European countries by city and occupation, 1931Shows data in 71 cities across 16 European countries plus Canada and the U.S., for occupations in the building trades, manufacturing, transportation, printing and more. Wages are shown in American dollars, citing conversion rates for all other currencies.
- Wages and hours in Europe and Canada, 1938-1947Gives wages in Great Britain, France, and Austria beginning in 1938, and Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada beginning in 1939. To find actual wages and not just inflation (price indexes) look for tables that specifically mention units of money, such as schillings and pence for Great Britain, francs for France, Swedish kronor, or look for symbols like $ in the tables. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 934
- Wages in the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, and the Baltic countries, 1929-1932Wages in the countries of Estonia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Yugoslavia are discussed in a chapter on pages 1153-1208. Source: Monthly labor review, May 1932.
- Wages of seamen on American and European vessels, 1932Shows wages and hours by occupation those on boats under the flags of Great Britain, Denmark, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden. Indicates wages for jobs such as mates, engineers, radio operators, cooks and more.
- Wages of seamen in the principal maritime countries, 1935Tables shows the average monthly wages for seamen in countries including Australia, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, India, China, France, Germany, the United States and others. Source: Monthly labor review, May 1936, p. 1202.
Family income, 1930s
"It should be emphasized that income tax returns are frequently but erroneously used as an indication of the number of families at different income levels..... only about 4 million persons file returns whereas there are 30 million families in the United States." -- Daniel Starch, Ph.D., writing in 1930 (Source)
- Distribution of family income in the US, 1935-1936Reports family income regardless of source (rentals, investments, etc.) Families could have more than one member in the labor force. Source: Consumer incomes in the U.S.
- Income of the American family, ca. 1930The author (former university professor Daniel Starch) presents a methodology and estimates the average American family income as of 1930.
- Median household income by race - Missouri bootheel, 1935"In 1935, the median gross income for white [home] owners was $1,269; for white renters is was $854; for white share-croppers it fell to $415; and for white farm laborers the median was $264. When Negro households are considered, the median gross income is still lower, $251." This study covered the Missouri counties of Pemiscot, Dunklin and New Madrid only. Source: Study of Levels of Living in Three Southeast Missouri Counties by Grace Edith Hart (1937), page 103.
- Government assistance, 1936Elderly qualifying for "Old age assistance" received an average $18.80 monthly. "General assistance" was $8/month per person. Source: SSA.
Food prices in the United States, 1930-1939
- Food prices, 1929 and 1930Shows overall decline in food prices between Aug 1929 and Aug 1930. Source: BLS Monthly labor review, Oct 1930, pp. 218-220.
- Food prices, 1937-1938Average retail prices for 63 foods in major cities. Source: U.S. BLS.
- Food prices, May 1939Covers 63 foods in U.S. cities. See also data for November 1939.
- Milk prices by city and state - May 1935Shows the price for home delivery and for sale at retail stores. Milk prices were reported monthly in the USDA publication Crops and Markets. Click on any issue and search for the phrase "fluid milk market" to get milk prices for other dates.
- Food prices by city, 1923-1936Prices averaged across 51 U.S. cities are shown on pages 77-94 in the source. Click "more..." for links to prices for specific foods by city.
- Prices for name brand, packaged grocery items, 1930-1931Compares average retail prices for "warehoused" name brand grocery items.
- Memphis prices in October 1930. Source: Chain Stores
- Detroit prices in Jan-Feb 1931. Source: Chain Stores
- Food prices paid by farmers, 1939Average prices paid for groceries by farmers in rural areas. The USDA recorded how much they paid for a pound of coffee, butter, rice, bacon or lard, as well as other foods, clothing, supplies and more.
- Food prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960Details the prices of a variety of foods on pp. 7-22.
Source: Prices paid by farmers for commodities and services, USDA.
- Cigarette and tobacco prices paid by farmers, 1935-1960Shows price for a pack of cigarettes or packaged smoking tobacco. Source: USDA
- Alcohol - Retail prices, 1937Liquor prices in Virginia by brand name and by type of wine and liquor. Source: Congressional hearing "Concentration of Economic Power," part 6, starts on p. 2721. Prices for other dates are also in this volume.
- Alcohol prices, 1937Source: Consumer Reports 1937 Buying Guide, pp. 24-26.
- Alcohol prices, 1938Source: Consumer Reports 1938 Buying Guide, pp. 239-244.
- Alcohol prices, 1939Source: Consumer Reports 1939 Buying Guide, pp. 249-254.
Housing, land and utilities, 1930-1939
- Median Home values by state and owner's race, 1930
Source: 1930 Census.-
Median value by race of owner:
- US-born white owned homes: $4,766
- Foreign-born white owned: $5,576
- Negro owned homes: $1,341
- Median value by setting:
- Urban home value: $5,732
- Rural home valule: $2,661
-
Median value by race of owner:
- Rent by state and race, 1930
Median monthly rent with breakouts for urban/rural, and also for native or foreign born occupants. Source: 1930 Census. - Rental rates and home values in 1934
The section "Housing conditions in American cities, 1934" gives national urban averages and specifically covers New York City and Philadelphia. - Rent for affordable housing in New York City, 1937
Shows data on Harlem River Houses, a low-rent housing community built by the PWA and the New York Housing Authority in 1934-1936.
- Home plans from Sears: 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1938.
Catalog shows costs to build, expressed as monthly payments. Explanation of prices and financing on pp. 5, 10-11 of the 1932 ed. - Sears home plans with estimated costs to build, 1908-1939
The Sears Archive site has digitized some pages from their home plan catalogs. Shows drawing of the home, floor plan, and estimated cost to build. For detail on labor costs, see Estimating construction costs by G. Underwood (1930). - Home plans from Montgomery Ward, with cost to build: 1930
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Farm houses - Cost to build per square foot, 1934
In Farmhouse plans, USDA Farmer's Bulletin #1738, pp. 5-6. - Building materials catalog, 1930
Montgomery Ward catalog shows prices of doors, windows, cabinets, stairs, glass, lumber, tile and more. - Building material prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960
Details the price of various building materials on pp. 59-71. Source: USDA
- Farm real estate - Average value by state and county, 1930
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 land and buildings - Value per acre by U.S. region, 1850
Average dollar value per acre for farm land (along with any buildings on the land), broken out by U.S. region. Source: 1930 Census of Agriculture. - Farm values (land and structures) by state and selected counties, 1935
Shows average farm acreage and average value of land with all structures as of 1935. Source: U.S. Farm housing survey, Table 8. Note: this report also presents detail on the size, material, condition and amenities available in farm homes. - Farm real estate values in Midwestern states, 1912-2019
Includes both land and buildings. Compares to national averages. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
ELECTRICITY
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Prices paid by farmers for electricity, 1935-1960
Rates per kilowatt hour. - Average monthly electric bill in big cities, 1930-1939
For residential electricity in cities over 50,000 population. Source: Federal Power Commission. - Average monthly electric bill by city - 1936
GAS
- Gas bills by city, 1930-1936
For the type of gas commonly used in homes for cooking and heating water (not gasoline). Source: BLS Bulletin #628, pp. 38-47.
COAL
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Coal price by city, 1930
Shows price per ton, Aug 1929-Aug 1930. Source: Monthly labor review, Oct 1930. -
Coal for household use, 1931-1932
Average retail price of coal by city for April and May of 1931 and 1932. - Fuel prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960
Details the price of coal and wood on page 23. Source: USDA
COMPARISONS
- Consumers Union reports magazine articles give prices:
- "Oil, coal or gas? Advice on domestic heating," Aug 1936, pp. 14-22.
- "How to buy and use coal and oil," Oct 1936, pp. 14-18.
- Long distance phone rates - Washington DC, 1936 and 19371936 rate for a 3-minute person-to-person call from Wash DC to:
Telephone ad, 1935
Philadelphia: $1.05
Chicago: $2.75
Denver: $6.25
Salt Lake City: $7.50
San Francisco: $9.50 - Evening long distance rates, 1935This magazine ad says that a 3-minute call after 8:30pm would cost 35¢ for 75 miles, or 50¢ for 150 miles distance.
Transportation & travel, 1930-1939
- New Chevrolet car prices, 1930-1939
Prices on p. 6; full page images and model descriptions on pp. 14-58 of source. - Automobile prices, 1934
1938 car ad
from Collier's Magazine
Source: U.S. National Recovery Admin. rpt., pp. 5-11. - New cars - Price trends, 1929-1933
Source: Automobile facts and figures, 1934 edition, p. 74. - Buick prices, 1936. Source: Congressional report.
- Packard prices, 1936. Source: Congressional report.
- Automobile prices and quality in Consumers Union Reports:
1938 car adNOTE: Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (producer of Chevrolet) represented 91% of all new car registrations in 1934. Source: The Price of automobiles, U.S. National Recovery Administration, pp. 48-49. See graphical depiction of car sales by make in 1937.
NOTE: "In 1933, for every 100 new cars sold, 178 used cars were sold" (Source: The Price of Automobiles, U.S. National Recovery Administration, p. 10).
- Used car prices by age, make and model - 1938
Shows retail sales value in 1938 for used 4-door sedans manufactured 1933-1937. Location: Cleveland OH. See table 10, pp. 61-68 of source. - Used car values, 1930
Covers Hudson and Packard. Source: Appraisers and assessors manual, p. 478. - Used car prices in 1936
Covers 1931-1935 models. Source: Consumer Union reports, July 1936. - Used car price modeling, 1938
"How much to pay for a used car" in How to buy a used car, pp. 24-26.
PARTS and SUPPLIES
- Auto supply prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960
Motor oil, antifreeze, tires, spark plugs, etc. Source: USDA - Tire prices in Consumer Union reports magazine, Sep 1936, p. 11
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Average retail price of gasoline, 1929-2011
1930 Texaco gas station
Reported annually. Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy. - Gasoline prices, taxes and consumption, 1920-1939
Source: Automobile facts and figures (1940), p. 69. - Gasoline prices paid by farmers, 1910-1943
Under the heading "Supplies" on p. 21, shows the average gasoline price per gallon for 1939. - Gasoline - Tank wagon prices, 1919-1936
Compares to service station prices, page 33. Gasoline tax rates by state are on p. 32. Source: Automobile facts and figures (1938 edition) - Miles per gallon (MPG) by automobile
Source: Consumers Union Reports magazine, June 1936, p. 5. - International gasoline prices by country, 1930-1931
Expressed in U.S. cents per gallon.
- Bus fares between selected cities, 1930
Source: Coordination of Motor Transportation, pp. 29-33. - Greyhound bus fares from Washington DC, 1931
Newspaper advertisement shows fares to South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. - Bus and railway fare prices compared, 1930
Compares fares routes involving Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Jacksonville FL, Boston, Portland ME, Portland OR, San Francisco, Los Angeles on page 30, and Kansas City, Indianapolis, Texarkana, Minneapolis and New York on page 31 in Coordination of motor transportation, a report to the Interstate Commerce Commission (source). - Bus fare price compared to air and rail fares, 1939
Source: "The National Traffic Pattern," a congressional report published in 1944. - Intercity bus fares before 1935
The Motor Carrier Act of 1935 imposed standards on intercity bus fares. Describes the unpredictable nature of fares before Congress passed the law.
- Passenger train fare in the U.S., 1871-1933
Average railroad passenger fare expressed in cents per mile. - Railway passenger ticket prices - 1930-1933
Fares were generally calculated on a cents-per-mile basis. See fare overview in the section titled "Carrier Price," in the U.S. document "Passenger Traffic Report" on pages 38-39. Also shows average price per guest for compartments, upper berths, lower berths, bedrooms, drawing rooms, and private sections on reserved railway cars in the year 1933. - Railway passenger fares, 1933-1939
Fares shown in cents per mile. Further discussion and explanation begins on page 107 in this study by the Association of American Railroads. - NYC-Chicago rail fare, 1910-1944
Source: Association of American Railroads' Passenger traffic study, p. 395. - Rail and airfare prices compared, 1932
Source: Brookings Institution report. - Rail, bus and airfare ticket prices compared, 1939
Source: "The National Traffic Pattern," a congressional report published in 1944.
- Nonstop airfares - Aug 1930This is a partial list of passenger airfares in The Official aviation guide, Aug 1930 issue, as reprinted in Birth of an industry...a nostalgic collection of airline schedules from 1929 through 1939. Contact us for a specific lookup.
Find fares in timetables
- Airfare and railway fares compared, 1932
Air passenger fares averaged 6.2 cents per mile in 1932, according to the U.S. Dept of Commerce. Source: Brookings Institution report, The American Transportation Problem. - Air, bus and rail fares compared, 1939
Single table shows bus, railway or airplane fares for easy comparison. Source: "The National Traffic Pattern," a congressional report published in 1944. - Air fares found in timetables, 1930s
Fine fares listed in timetables, usually after the flight schedules. Source: TimetableImages.com - Los Angeles to New York airfare, 1939
A one-way flight on a 14-passenger plane cost $140. Flight time was just over 15 hours with 3 stops. Source: The Story of aircraft, p. 407.
- Steamship fare from New York to Europe, ca. 1936
Shows summer rates. Source: AAA. For context on the differences between steamers and classes of travel, see Choice of Steamer in the book Planning a Trip Abroad (1931).
HOTEL RATES
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District of Columbia - Washington
Hotel registration desk - Florida - Miami
- Nevada - Boulder City
- The Green Book, 1936-1966
- Also called The Negro Motorist Green-Book, travelers could purchase an annual subscription for 25 cents in 1937. Published from 1936-1966, this series was founded by New York post worker Victor Hugo Green, lending the series its nickname as a “green” book in addition to the green coloring of its covers. The book shows known locations in every major U.S. that were safe for African-American families to stay, eat, buy gasoline, and other services. For more on this series, see the NYPL's catalog.
- For example, this guide to New York City shows free attractions and paid experiences like the Hayden Planetarium for 50 cents.
- Also called The Negro Motorist Green-Book, travelers could purchase an annual subscription for 25 cents in 1937. Published from 1936-1966, this series was founded by New York post worker Victor Hugo Green, lending the series its nickname as a “green” book in addition to the green coloring of its covers. The book shows known locations in every major U.S. that were safe for African-American families to stay, eat, buy gasoline, and other services. For more on this series, see the NYPL's catalog.
Health and medicine prices, 1930-1939
- Cost of medical care in the 1930s
Published in 1937, The cost of adequate medical care is a thorough investigation into the costs of medical care in the 1930s. It includes the 1933-34 Fee table of the Chicago Medical Society, expected fee schedules and unit costs for services with breakdowns based on type of practitioner and disease category, and more. For more, look at the table of contents, list of tables, or index. - Physicians' services, 1935-1936
A house call averaged $2.39 compared with $1.54 for a visit to see a physician in their office. Source: Family expenditures for medical care, five regions, p. 14.
- Cost of hospital service, 1930
"A good hotel room costs only $4-5 a day while a hospital charges $6 and $7." Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics, 1931 edition, p. 420. - Hospital room rates, 1930
Shows hospital room rates only; does not include lab work, x-rays, or doctor fees. Source: BLS Handbook of Labor Statistics 1931 ed. - Residential fees at "old people's homes," 1939
Article describes the services and fees charged for the care of aged in old people's homes (AKA retirement homes, nursing homes). See fee chart on page 1056 and statement on page 1059, "Assuming an average cost to the home of $410 per person per year...."
- Drug and remedy prices in chain stores
- Detroit prices in Feb 1931. Source: Chain Stores (Serial Set 9783).
- Memphis prices in Oct-Nov 1930. Source: Chain Stores (Serial Set 9783).
- Health items at drugstores - Average retail prices
- 1931 -- Prices for common drug store items. Source: Congress.
- 1936 and 1939 -- Prices by state and region. Source: Fair trade and the retail drug store.
- Funeral cost, 1935"The average cost of an adult funeral was about $350." Source: High cost of dying, p. 9.
- Tombstone catalog, 1934Source: Montgomery Ward.
Education costs, 1930-1939
Interesting facts:
In 1929-1930, 12% of people aged 18-21 were enrolled in college.
In 1939-1940, 15% of people aged 18-21 were enrolled in college.
- Cost of attending college, 1933-1934Lists average college tuition, student fees, room and board for 1933 and 1934.
-Table 1. Summary of averages.
-Table 2. State universities and colleges, pp. 11-14.
-Table 3. Municipal colleges and universities, p. 15.
-Table 4. Private colleges and universities, pp. 15-18.
-Table 5. Denominational institutions, pp. 19-22.
-Table 6. Independent technological institutions, p. 23.
- College costs by institution, 1938Shows tuition, fees, room and board charged at individual colleges and universities. List arranged by state. Source: Working your way through college, pp. 144-163 (published 1941).
- Expenditures and fees at the University of Missouri, 1933The annual course catalog shows the cost to attend and live at the University of Missouri campuses. Out of state students had to pay an additional $25-$40 to attend. For other years see the full collection, or contact us.
- College tuition and fees by major, 1939Shows estimated average tuition and other required fees for higher education in 1939 and 1947. Does not include living expenses (room and board). Source: President's Commission on Higher Education. See percent of the population ages 18-21 who were enrolled in college each year, according to the Biennial Survey of Education in the U.S., 1944-46, chapter IV, p. 5
- College expenses by field of study, 1930-1934The U.S. Office of Education published Guidance Leaflets listing college expenses as well as typical compensation earned by graduates of various degree programs.
- Architecture, Leaflet #10, pp. 4-7
- Art, Leaflet #20, pp. 7-12
- Chemistry and chemical engineering, Leaflet #19, pp. 8-13
- Dentistry, Leaflet #7, pp. 5-10
- Engineering, Civil, Leaflet #11, pp. 4-7
- Engineering, electrical, Leaflet #12, pp. 5-11
- Engineering, mechanical, Leaflet #13, pp. 5-11
- Forestry, Leaflet #16, pp. 6-10
- Home economics, Leaflet #21, pp. 8-13
- Journalism, Leaflet #8, pp. 3-6
- Law, Leaflet #5, pp. 5-13
- Librarianship, Leaflet #9, pp. 4-9.
- Medicine, Leaflet #6, pp. 7-14
- Music, Leaflet #17, pp. 7-13
- Nursing, Leaflet #15, pp. 7-9
- Optometry, Leaflet #22, pp. 7-9
- Osteopathy, Leaflet #23, p. 6
- Pharmacy, Leaflet #14, pp. 8-15
- Veterinary medicine, Leaflet #18, pp. 7-8
More prices in the U.S., 1930-1939
- Sears mail order catalog, 1936Use index to find pages for specific items in catalog.
21% of farm families had power clothes washers in 1934 - Household item prices paid by farmers, 1910-1960Appliances, furniture, and more on pp. 45-57. Source: USDA
- Electrical appliance prices, 1937-1938Refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, ranges and radios. Source: U.S. Senate.
NOTABLE FACT: Consumer Reports found in 1936 that men's shirts lasted only about 20-26 commercial washings before degrading (source).
- Clothing prices paid by farm families, 1935-1939 averagePrices for men's suits, trousers, overalls, work shirts, shoes and boots as well as women's hose, dresses, etc. Includes fabric prices. Source: Agricultural prices, USDA.
- Clothing and household goods prices, 1937-1938Source: U.S. Senate investigation into prices.
- Ladies' dress and underwear prices, 1938
- Girls' and womens' clothing prices, 1938
- Men's work shirt prices, 1938
- Merchandise prices and qualityClick for products evaluated by Consumers Union reports magazine:
- Gun prices from Sears catalog, 1936Shotguns, rifles and more on pp. 811-818.
- Price of farm tools and implements, 1937Prices shown in Sears farm equipment catalog.
- Tractor prices, 1935-1960Source: USDA Statistical Bulletin No. 319, pp. 104-105.
NOTE: In 1930, more farm families had a telephone (34%) than a radio (21%). Source
- Long distance phone rates - Washington DC, 1936 and 19371936 rate for a 3-minute person-to-person call from Wash DC to:Telephone ad, 1935
Philadelphia: $1.05
Chicago: $2.75
Denver: $6.25
Salt Lake City: $7.50
San Francisco: $9.50 - Postage stamp price, 1930sPostage for a domestic letter increased from 2¢ to 3¢ in 1932. See more postage rates.
- Radio prices, 1936See radio prices in the 1936 Sears catalog on pages 609-617.
- Radio prices and quality compared, 1936-1937Source: Consumers Union reports magazine, Nov 1936.
- Mailing packages, 1939It cost $4.80 to ship a 5-pound package from Boston to San Francisco using air mail. Source: Story of aircraft, p. 397.
Traffic violation fines by state, 1938
Source: U.S. Congress. House document 462 part 1, 75th Congress, 3rd session.
Cost of living and consumer expenditures in the U.S., 1930s
"Money disbursement" is the measurement of how much money people make as well as how they spend that money.
- Money disbursements of wage earners and clerical workers, 1933-35Study covered 13 small cities, focusing on cost of living, expenditure patterns, expenditures for specific goods. Source: BLS
- Money disbursements of wage earners and clerical workers, 1934-1936Describes American cost of living, expenditure patterns, expenditures for specific goods. Summary volume is linked above. Source: BLS.
In addition to the links below, we recommend the book America's Capacity to Consume, published in 1934 by the Brookings Institution. It reports personal and household income as well as consumer expenditures in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
- Consumption expenditures per captia, 1901-1956Shows data from several surveys that looked into the average annual expenditures for food, rent, clothing, and medical care. Source: How American buying habits change, pp. 226-227.
- Family expenditures for selected cities, 1935-36Shows average family expenditures by city, family type, income, race, and in some cases, occupation type.
- Family budgets in American cities, 1903-1956Shows standard family budgets family size. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor, How American buying habits change.
- College student expenditures - Ohio, 1933Data on the expenditures and buying activities of students at Ohio State University in the winter 1933. It included room, food, laundry, beauty shop services, clothing, and more. The list of tables may also help locate pages of interest.
- Family expenditure in Chicago, 1935-36Family income by occupational group, sources, by family composition.
- Family income and expenditure in west-central region, 1935-36Income from the west-central/Rocky Mountain region. BLS Bulletin no. 646.
- Medical care expenditures, 1935-1936Includes nearly 300 pages of discussion and data tables, with breakouts by race, income level and more. Source: USDA publication, Family expenditures for medical care, five regions.
- Wisconsin farm families - Income and expenditures, 1929-1930A sample of 900 rural families revealed that average annual income was $1103, while the average cost of living was $1454. Also shows the average value of necessary things that could be produced on the farm. Source: Farm Family Living in Wisconsin, published 1933.
- Cost of clothing for moderate-income families, 1935-44Bulletin of the US.. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), No. 789
- The farmer's share of the consumer's food dollar, 1937Includes annual consumption by family and prices on selected food items.
- Food diets at four levels of nutritive content and cost, 1934Describes four types of diets in November 1934, with regards to their nutritional information and costs at 1931-1932 retail prices. Shows price data by city, including New York and St. Louis. Costs of food items starts on page 13.
- Wartime wholesale and commodity prices, 1939-1941Does not provide retail prices. Tracks price changes between the invasion of Poland (August 1939) and the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. Focuses on price fluctuations and the reasons behind the changes, and tracks profit margins for sellers.
- Family spending patterns of the rich and poor, 1935-1936For various income categories, this table shows how families were spending their money.
- Standard of living for minimum wage households, Detroit MI, 1929Ford Motor Company considered $7/day its "minimum wage" in 1929. This study shows the standard of living it provided for families of 4-5 people which were supported only by a husband earning that wage. Shows prices and annual expenditures for purchases in categories. Also details the quality of housing, typical home furnishings, etc. for these families. See pages 11-55 in the 1931 U.S. Dept of Labor Handbook of Labor Statistics.
- Standards of living in four southern Appalachian Mountain counties, 1938Part 10 of the Social Research Report,an overview of the average standard of living of families in four counties, two in North Carolina and two in Kentucky, in 1938. Provides average family expenditures on and values of commodities like housing, food, education, and automobiles.
- Standards of living in seven rural resettlement communities, 1938As a way to analyze the success of a handful of settlements established by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration for economically disadvantaged families in the 1930s, this report checked on family expenditures. Seven such communities were analyzed for this report. It is not meant to report on average prices so much as it is to show household expenditures of certain families.
Quotable facts for the 1930s
In the United States...
- Common labor starting wage was 43¢ per hour in 1930. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor
- Minimum wage increased from 25¢ to 30¢ per hour in October 1939. Source: U.S. DOL
- A 30-day supply of oatmeal for a NYC family of five would cost 75¢ in 1936.
- A 3-minute phone call from Washington DC to San Francisco cost $9.50 in 1936.
- Coffee cost an average 39¢ per pound in 1930. Source: U.S. BLS
- Milk cost an average 56¢ per gallon in 1930. Source: U.S. BLS
- The median salary/wage income in 1939 was $956 for whites, and $364 for non-whites. Source: U.S. Census Bureau
- The typical American home in 1934 had five rooms. Source: BLS
- Health expenditures were $22.04 per capita in fiscal year 1934-35.
- The cost to have a baby was estimated at 10% of annual household income in 1936.
- In 1930, less than 10% of earners paid federal income tax. Source
- A 20-pack of cigarettes cost about 14¢ in 1935. Source: USDA
- 92% of new automobiles sold for less than $825 in 1934. Source: Price of Automobiles
- Gasoline cost an average of 18.6¢ per gallon in rural areas in 1939. Source: USDA
- High school teachers in large cities earned a median $2,731 in 1930. Source: U.S. BLS
- Engineers earned a median income of $2,574 in 1932. Source: U.S. BLS
- "Good" hotels charged $4-5 per day in 1930, while hospitals charged $6-7. Source: BLS
Foreign prices by country, 1930-1939
Prices in MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, 1930s
- Gasoline prices in 65 foreign countries - 1936Expressed in U.S. cents per gallon. See also data for 1930-1931.
- World retail prices on gasoline, kerosene, and motor lubricating oilsReports prices in U.S. cents using exchange rates in effect at the time. Source: U.S. Department of the Interior.
- Estimated cost to maintain standard of living in European countries, 1930Estimated expenditures of middle-class families in France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands compared to England. Shows average spent on food, rent, education, taxation and more.
Prices in EUROPE, 1930s
- Hotel prices in Europe, ca. 1930Hotel prices are discussed on pages 83-88 of the book "Planning a Trip Abroad," published in 1931.
- Retail prices in 16 countries, 1931Table compares the cost of a few dozen specific foods and household fuels (firewood, coal and electricity) across 18 countries. Amounts are expressed in American dollars with currency conversions cited for all foreign monies.
- Cost of "Food basket" in 19 countries, 1932For each of 19 European countries plus the US and Canada, this source shows the average cost of a "food basket" containing a standardized selection of grocery items consumed in a typical household.
Prices in CANADA, 1930s
- Cost of "Food basket" in Canada, 1932For each of 19 countries including Canada, this source shows the average cost of a "food basket" containing a standardized selection of grocery items consumed in a typical household.
- Retail prices in Canada, 1931Table compares the cost of foods and fuel across 18 countries including Canada. Amounts are expressed in American dollars with currency conversions cited for all foreign monies.
Prices in CHILE, 1930s
- Typical income and cost of living in Chile, 1928-39Table shows the cost of living compared to monthly income for the average family in Chile between 1928 and 1939. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Oct 1940, pp. 1022-1023.
Prices in LATIN AMERICA, 1930s
- Movie admission prices in Central America and the Caribbean, 1931The U.S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce reported motion picture ticket prices in Trade Information Bulletin #754 . See ticket prices for: British Honduras (Belize), Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvadore, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico.
- Prices of hosiery in Latin America, 1928-1930This 1931 Trade Information Bulletin from the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Latin American Markets for American Hosiery, contains retail prices of hosiery in a number of Latin American counties for the years 1928-1930, including British Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, British Guiana, Peru , Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.
Prices in FRANCE, 1930s
- Paris, France prices listed in tourist guidebook published 1932See book Password to Paris: Advice for the Thrifty, published in the U.S. in 1932.
- Rent, servants, and living costs for Americans in the Philippines, 1930Cost of rent and domestic servants in Manila, also hotel rates. Source: 1930 U.S. Navy information pamphlet for officers stationed in the Philippines.
Prices in the SOVIET UNION, 1930s
- Prices of food and consumer goods in the Soviet Union, 1936-1940This article and accompanying table list retail prices of select foodstuffs and clothing in state retail stores for the years of 1936, 1939, and 1940.
- Cost of living and fixed food prices in the Soviet Union, 1934-1935This article discusses the abolition of the ration card system and implementation of fixed food prices with the economic implications for each. Tables include fixed prices for bread, flour, meat and other foodstuffs. Also included are fixed monthly wages for workers in the textile industry.
Tools, calculators, and exchange rates
- 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 Inflation CalculatorThis calculator allows you to compare the buying power of wages earned at different points in history. For example, a dollar earned in 2016 had the same buying power as 4 cents in 1913. Conversely, a dollar earned in 1913 had the same buying power as $24.24 in the year 2016.
Timeline -- Major economic events, 1930-1938
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935" (with 1936-1938 supplement)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
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Marie Concannon, Government Information Librarian
Government Documents Department, Ellis Library
University of Missouri, Columbia
Email: concannonm@missouri.edu
Phone (573) 882-0748
