Library Guides: Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959

Wages, 1950-1959

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WAGES -- GENERAL SOURCES (all occupations and worker types)

Median annual earnings for full time workers, 1958 and 1969
Provides nationwide figures averaged across all occupations, broken out for male and female workers. Includes only people age 14 and over working full time.
Average annual wage/salary income in 1957
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the average earnings in 1957 for year-round, full time workers over the age of 14 was $4713 for men and $3008 for women. Source: Table 1, page 25.
Federal Minimum Wage chart, 1938-2009
Chart from the U.S. Dept of Labor shows the first federal minimum wage law enacted in 1938 (25 cents), and all subsequent increases through 2009. By contrast, certain states enacted minimum wage laws as far back as the 1910s. See also this history of state minimum wage laws from 1912-1958.
Median income by occupation for males, 1959
Many occupations are listed, including college professors (with breakouts by subject taught), clergymen, lawyers, authors, chiropractors, dancers, musicians, entertainers, photographers, funeral directors and many more. Source: 1960 U.S. Census.
Median income by occupation for females, 1959
Shows not only the median income by occupation, but the number of females working as athletes, college professors, postmasters, automobile mechanics, construction workers, and "fishermen" as well as all the more common occupations such as librarians, telephone operators, bank tellers, secretaries, etc. This table extends from pages 306-315. Source: 1960 U.S. Census.
Wage and salary income by race, 1939-1960
The source Economic Situation of Negroes in the United States compares median wages and salary income for white race and non-white races, with breakouts by sex. Provides data for the years 1939, 1947, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960. The preface states that "Negroes constitute more than 95% of the non-white residents of the U.S."
Manufacturing job hours and earnings, 1919-1960
Very simple table shows average hours and earnings for all production workers in manufacturing for each year from 1919-1960.
Hundreds of occupations - Typical earnings, 1950s
In the 1959 Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupations are arranged in short chapters. Many of these short chapters include a section titled 'Earnings and Working Conditions." Use the Table of Contents to find a page number, then enter it in the "Jump to" box. Shows typical earnings for many service and professional positions, including engineers, teachers, social workers, lawyers, newspaper reporters (journalists), beauticians, etc.
Congressional salaries, 1789-present
Historical chart shows salaries of members of the U.S. Congress, along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase.
Employee earnings in manufacturing industries, 1954-2007
Select any year from 1954-2007; tables of contents will appear for each issue. Look for tables describing EARNINGS expressed in "current dollars." Mostly covers jobs in manufacturing, industry and production. Note that earnings data for states and major cities are also available in these reports.
Manufacturing and industry jobs - Hours and earnings
This publication "Employment, Hours, and Earnings, United States, 1909-90" shows average hourly or weekly wages in both "current" and "constant" (1982) dollars. Data is listed by industry and broken out by sex, but not by occupation. Volume I lists wages for goods-producing industries; Volume II for service industries. Link for Volume II

more... less...

Source: Employment, Hours, and Earnings, United States, 1909-90 : Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 2370 : Volume I
Occupational Wage Surveys
Lists wages by region and by occupation. Some tables are broken down by gender. View full text documents from 1949 to about 1973. More in Hathi Trust.
Wages in 40 U.S. cities, 1951-1952
Shows wages for nurses, secretaries, typists, file clerks, bookkeepers, switchboard operators, office girls, stenographers, truck drivers, watchmen, engineers, electricians, carpenters, machinists, mechanics, etc. This source shows breakouts for major and medium-size U.S. cities including Phoenix, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Hartford CT, Providence RI, Buffalo NY, Cleveland OH, Jacksonville MS and thirty more labor markets.
Wages in major labor markets, 1953-1954
Three-part series, with wages for different U.S. cities shown in each. BLS Bulletin no. 1157
Wage differences in 17 labor markets, 1953-54
Shows average weekly salaries for about 50 different occupations, some with breakouts for men and women. Data shown for 17 major U.S. cities including Boston, Newark, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland Oregon.
Wages and benefits, 1954-1967
Shows wages for office and plant operations across all industries but broken out by cities. Includes all the typical jobs that appear across industries: secretaries, clerks, janitors, watchmen, etc.
Wages in 60 labor markets, 1959-1960
Wages for many occupations, mostly office and industrial, in 60 large and medium-size U.S. cities.
Directory of Occupational Wage Surveys, 1950-1975
This book is an index only; it tells what publications exist. Use it to look up an occupation or a STATE/CITY then the occupation. It will give a bibliographic reference to follow up on. Contact us if you wish to get access to something you see in this index.
Wage Chronologies
Lists of monitored changes in wage rates for selected large U.S. companies including General Motors, Chrysler Corp., Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Berkshire Hathaway, Swift, Armour, United States Steel Corporation, Carolina Coach Co., Western Greyhound Bus Lines, International Harvester Company, International Shoe Co., Bethlehem Atlantic shipyards, Sinclair Oil Companies, Pacific Coast Shipbuilding, Massachusetts Shoe Manufacturing, Ford Motor Company, International Paper Co., Aluminum Company of America, Rockwell International, Boeing, and more. Covers the late 1930s through the 1970s.

Women's Wages - 1950s

Fact Sheet on the earnings gap - 1955-1969
This six-page document provides a number of statistical tables that contrast earnings of men and women in the 1950s and 1960s. Some tables show pay by occupation and others by educational attainment.
Women's and men's annual earnings, 1951-1991
Compare women's and men's median earnings over thirty years in one simple table. Year-round, full time workers only. Note: "current dollars" are unadjusted figures. "Real dollars" are computed figures showing adjustment for inflation.
Women's pay in physical sciences, 1954-1958
Chapters in this booklet review earnings for women chemists, geologists, physicists, astronomers and meteorologists, plus there is a table that lists the median salary in 1954-1955 for women in each of these occupations.
Women's wages in part-time jobs by occupation, ca. 1950
Hourly wages for women working part-time as saleswomen, waitresses, editors, librarians, nurses, social workers, teachers, therapists, clerical workers in banks, doctors' offices, insurance companies, and more are listed in the U.S. Women's Bureau Bulletin #238 (1951).
Women in clerical positions - Average starting salaries in major American cities, 1957-1958
Table 3. Weekly entrance salaries for women hired as typists and for other entrance clerical positions in selected major labor markets, winter 1957–58. See also salaries for women employed as secretaries and stenographers, 1957-1958. Source: 1959 Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Women's earnings in the 1950s by occupation
The Women's Bureau Handbook on Women Workers series was published annually and included a chapter on earnings. For example, see this section on earnings in the 1956 edition. Scroll forward to see earnings for white collar workers, nurses, school teachers, telephone operators, library workers, factory workers, laundresses, cleaners, elevator operators and more.
Wage differences and establishment practices: 17 Labor Markets, 1953-54
Shows average weekly salaries for a variety of occupations with breakouts for men and women. Data shown for 17 major U.S. cities.

Wages by location, 1950-1959

Description
AL
AZ
CA
CO
CT
DC
FL
GA
IL
IN
KY
LA
ME
MD
MA
MI
MN
MO
MS
NJ
NY
OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
TN
TX
UT
VA
WA
WI

Click on a state tab above to see further breakouts by city. Most of the sources listed here lead to issues of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Wage Survey. It lists wages and salaries for many occupations, including bookkeeper, accounting clerk, carpenter, crane operator, office boy, office girl, secretary, stenographer, switchboard operator, typist, draftsman, nurse, electrician, engineer, fireman, machinist, mechanic, millwright, painter, pipe fitter, plumber, elevator operator, guard, janitor, truck driver, watchman and more.

Another source titled Employment, Hours and Earnings provides average pay for production workers in manufacturing industries by state and city in 1949 and 1950. Click here for the start of the table, beginning with Alabama, and use the "Search in this Text" box to find data for additional states and cities.

Birmingham, Alabama
- April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1107)
- January 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-10)

Phoenix, Arizona
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1103)

Los Angeles, California
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1094)
- February 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-14)
- March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-12)
Los Angeles-Long Beach, California
- March 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-13)
- March 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-11)
- March 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-13)
- March 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-15)
San Bernardino-Riverside-Ontario, California
- November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-15)
San Francisco-Oakland, California
- January 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 996)
- January 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1028)
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1076)
- January 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-9)
- December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-7)
- January 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-7)
- January 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-8)
- January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-8)
- January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-13)

Denver, Colorado
- November 1949 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 985)
- January 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1029)
- November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1066)
- November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-8)
- December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-6)
- December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-6)
- December 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-7)
- December 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-7)
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-11)

Bridgeport, Connecticut
- June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1044)
Hartford, Connecticut
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1059)

Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

Jacksonville, Florida
- May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1110)
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-14)
Miami, Florida
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-6)

Atlanta, Georgia
- March 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1031)
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1102)
- March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-18)
- March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-11)
- April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-18)
- April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-16)
- May 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-17)
- May 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-19)

Chicago, Illinois
- April 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1034)
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1105)
- March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-15)
- April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-14)
- April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-15)
- April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-15)
- April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-14)
- April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-18)

Indianapolis, Indiana
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1075)

Louisville, Kentucky
- May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1112)

New Orleans, Louisiana
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1074)
- November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-5)
- February 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-11)
- February 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-14)

Portland, Maine
- November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-12)

Baltimore, Maryland
- June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1045)
- October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-6)
- April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-15)
- August 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-3)
- August 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-2)
- September 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-7)
Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

Boston, Massachusetts
- March 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1033)
- April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1106)
- March 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-17)
- April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-17)
- September 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-4)
- September 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-2)
- October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-6)
- October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-8)
Lawrence, Massachusetts
- February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-11)
- May 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-21)
Worcester, Massachusetts
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1077)

Detroit, Michigan
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1086)
- October 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-2)
- January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-12)

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
- November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1068)
- November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-7)
- November 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-5)
- December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-8)
- March 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-14)
- January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-10)
- January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-11)

Kansas City, Missouri
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1064)
- October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-4)
- December 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-6)
St. Louis, Missouri
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1095)
- December 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-12)
- February 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-10)
- February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-9)
- November 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-5)
- October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-4)
- October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-5)

Average weekly and hourly earnings for employees in manufacturing jobs, for each year from 1950-1959 provided in Payroll progress in Mississippi, 1939-1959; a study of wage and salary employment. Tables extend from pages 86-107. This is a publication of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.

Newark-Jersey City, New Jersey
- November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1081)
- November 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-11)
- December 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-8)
- December 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-10)
- December 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-12)
- December 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-9)
Trenton, New Jersey
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1104)

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1108)
Buffalo, New York
- January 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 991)
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1085)
- April 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-20)
- September 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-1)
- September 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-2)
- September 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-3)
- October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-4)
New York, New York
- April 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1037)
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1101)
- February 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-16)
- March 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-13)
- April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-17)
- April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-17)
- April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-15)
- April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-17)
Rochester, New York
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1087)

Canton, Ohio
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-10)
Cincinnati, Ohio
- February 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1096)
Cleveland, Ohio
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1056)
- October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-3)
- October 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-2)
- October 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-3)
- June 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-19)
- September 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-1)
Columbus, Ohio
- April 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1109)
Dayton, Ohio
- June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1041)
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-9)

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1070)

Portland, Oregon
- June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1042)
- September 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-2)
- April 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-16)
- April 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-16)
- April 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-12)
- April 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-16)
- April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-20)

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pennsylvania
- May 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1111)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- May 1950 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1008)
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1060)
- October 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-5)
- November 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-4)
- November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-4)
- November 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-7)
- October 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-6)
- November 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-8)
- November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-16)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1082)
- December 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-9)
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-20)
Scranton, Pennsylvania
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1078)

Providence, Rhode Island
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1071)
- December 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-10)
- March 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-14)

Memphis, Tennessee
- November 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1067)
- January 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-13)
- February 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-9)
- February 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-12)
- February 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-13)
- January 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-9)
- January 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-10)

Dallas, Texas
- June 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1043)
- August 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-1)
- September 1954 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1172-3)
- October 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-1)
- October 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-5)
- October 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-4)
- October 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-5)
- October 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-3)
Fort Worth, Texas
- November 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-13)
Houston, Texas
- January 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1084)

Salt Lake City, Utah
- December 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1069)

Norfolk-Portsmouth, Virginia
- February 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1088)
Richmond, Virginia
- October 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1058)
Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia
- December 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-18)

Seattle, Washington
- September 1951 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1057)
- August 1956 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1202-1)
- August 1957 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-1)
- August 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-1)
- August 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1265-2)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- March 1952 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1099)
- April 1953 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1116-19)
- November 1955 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1188-3)
- May 1958 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1224-18)
- April 1959 Occupational Wage Survey (Bulletin 1240-16)

Wages for occupations by industry, 1950-1959

Accountants, public - 1951 and 1953
This source provides earnings data gleaned from IRS tax returns of sole proprietors offering bookkeeping, auditing and accounting services.
Accountants in state government - Average monthly pay, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for accountants employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Agriculture - Farm labor wages, 1930-present
The periodical Farm Labor has been in publication for nearly 90 years. It was originally published monthly, and then became a quarterly. Wages expressed in dollars can be found in every issue, it seems. After clicking on the link above, scroll down the section titled "Previous Releases." The Hathi Trust digital library has these issues as well.
Apparel, accessories and shoe stores - Employee earnings,1956
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Bulletin no. 1220-5
Attorneys in state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for attorneys employed by the states of AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Attorneys
SEE ALSO Lawyers, in this list.
Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations - Employee earnings, 1956
BLS Bulletin no. 1220-4
Baking Industry - Union wages and hours, 1942-1952
Building materials and farm equipment dealers - Employee earnings, 1956
BLS Bulletin no. 1220-1
Building trades - Union wages and hours by location, 1947-1977
Reports both journeymen and apprentice pay for carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, plasterers and related occupations in the construction industry.
Building trades - Union wages and hours in 77 cities, 1951-1952
Gives data for July of each year. Source: Construction During Five Decades: Historical Statistics, 1907-1952, BLS Bulletin #1146.
Carpenters' pay - see "Building Trades"
Chemists in state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for chemists employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Child welfare consultants - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for child welfare consultants employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Dental hygienists - Earnings, 1953
Source: Health Manpower Source Book
Dentists - Median income, 1950-1952
Source: Health Manpower Source Book
Doctors, medical - Income, 1959
Shows median net income for all medical doctors, and for particular specialties: surgeons, obstetricians/gynecologists, internists, general practitioners and pediatricians.
Drug stores and proprietary stores - Employee earnings, 1956
BLS Bulletin no. 1220-7
Education, college -- Salaries, 1959-1960
Covers the salaries paid to teachers, professors and administrators in degree-granting institutions and junior colleges. The library has additional data from 1957-1964 in print format (not yet scanned.) Contact us for a lookup.
Education - Teacher salaries in southern states by race, 1951-1952
Table shows average salary for instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools, by race. Figures are provided for the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TX, VA, DC.
Education - Instructional staff salaries by state, 1952-1953
Table 22, column 7 shows average annual salary for instructional staff in elementary and secondary schools. Instructional staff include principals, supervisors, classroom teachers, and other instructional staff. Find similar data for other years by checking other volumes in this source: Biennial Survey of Education, a U.S. federal government publication.
Electricians' pay - see Building Trades
Engineers - Employment trends, outlook, earnings
BLS Bulletin no. 968
Factory workers' earnings, 1954
BLS Bulletin no. 1179
Factory workers' earnings, 1958
BLS Bulletin no. 1252
Factory workers' earnings, 1959
BLS Bulletin no. 1275
Firefighters' salaries by city size, 1954
Shows average annual salaries for firemen working in cities of various sizes, from 100,000 to 1 million population.
Food and grocery stores - Employee earnings, 1956
BLS Bulletin no. 1220-3
Furniture and appliance stores - Employee earnings, 1956
BLS Bulletin no. 1220-6
Geologists in state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for geologists employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Government (state) officials' salaries - 1950
On pages 46-68, this source compares the salaries of heads of executive agencies and state government elected officials in AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Government (county) salaries in Missouri, early 1950s
Shows salaries for prosecuting attorneys, county court judges, magistrates, clerks of circuit courts, recorders of deeds, county clerks, sheriffs, collectors of revenue, county assessors, county treasurers, county coroners, and superintendents of schools in Missouri.
Highway patrolmen - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for highway patrolmen employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Hospital personnel earnings and benefits by city, 1957-1958
Shows earnings for doctors, nurses and many other hospital employees in 16 major U.S. cities.
Hospital personnel - Earnings and employment conditions, 1958
Lawyers' income, 1947-1954
With breakouts by state, by size of law firm, size of the community served, age of the lawyer, number of years in practice, type of clientele, and more. Source: "Income of Lawyers in the Postwar Period" published in the December 1956 issue of Survey of Current Business, pp. 26-36.
Librarians in state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for librarians employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Machinery industries - Postwar wage trends, 1953-54
Survey of 20 labor markets. BLS Bulletin no. 1160
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.
Medical social worker salaries, 1950
Median annual salaries of medical social workers reported in Health Manpower Source Book (U.S Dept of Health, Education and Welfare)
Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1950
Army pay tables are on pages 1391-1410 of this source.
Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1952
Army pay tables are on pages 1731-1750 of this source.
Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1956
Army pay tables are on pages 575-586 in this source.
Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1959
Army pay tables are on pages 1287-1301 of this source.
Motor vehicles and parts manufacturing jobs - Wages and hours, 1950
BLS Bulletin no. 1015
Nurses employed in hospitals - SEE Hospital personnel (above, in this list)
Nurses employed by state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for public health nurses employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Plumbers' pay - see Building Trades
Police departments - Patrolmens' salaries by city size, 1954
Shows average annual salary for patrolmen working in cities of various sizes, from 100,000 to 1 million in population.
Printing trades jobs - Union wages and hours
Retail trade jobs - Employee earnings, 1956
Source: BLS Bulletin #1220.
Retail trade - Employee earnings, 1956
Covers wages for employees in general merchandise stores, department stores, and variety stores. Source: BLS Bulletin #1220-2.
Roofers' pay - see Building Trades
Seamen on U.S. flag ships - Earnings
BLS Bulletin no. 1238
Social workers
SEE ALSO Child Welfare Consultants in this list.
Telephone operators in state government - Salaries, 1950
Shows weighted average monthly salaries for telephone operators employed by these state governments: AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN and WI. Source: Salaries of State Employees: Missouri and Selected States.
Transit (local) - Union wages and hours by city
Shows hourly union wage rates for bus drivers, subway employees, trolley workers, employees of elevated rail transit, commuter rail and other public transportation systems. See issues for 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1958.
Truckdrivers and helpers - Union wages and hours
Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

Wages - Analysis - 1950s

U.S. Wage Stabilization Board
Wikipedia article gives background on this U.S. government agency and its work in the early 1950s.

Prices, 1950-1959

FOOD PRICES

Food prices, retail - 1950
Data is also available for 1951. Provides average retail price for a variety of food items across the U.S. (overall), and also these U.S. cities....

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Shows specific price data for Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Bridgeport, Buffalo, Butte, Cedar Rapids, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fall River, Houston, Indianapolis, Jackson, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville, Manchester, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Newark, New Haven, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Omaha, Peoria, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland ME, Portland OR, Providence, Richmond, Rochester, St. Louis, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Savannah, Scranton, Seattle, Springfield, Washington DC, Wichita, and Winston-Salem.
Food prices, retail - 1957-1964
Includes both retail prices and price indexes which show the degree of increase or decrease.
Food prices in rural areas, 1947-1954
Shows the average retail prices paid in small towns and rural areas for groceries such as boxes of corn flakes, packaged soda crackers, canned salmon, canned corn, boxes of macaroni and many other specific meats, vegetables, dairy products, etc.
Food prices reported annually from 1890-1970
This one-page table shows the average retail prices for bread, milk, eggs, meats, fruits, vegetables, coffee, beans, sugar, margarine, etc. each year from 1890-1970. Data collection took place in about 30-60 U.S. cities. Jump to page 193 of this resource for an excellent explanation of the historical table and the methodology of data collection.
Restaurant food and drink prices, 1950s
Site has nearly 800 scanned restaurant menus from the 1950-1959 decade. This is not a government resource but it can be useful for spot-checking prices for specific food or beverages at restaurants.
Farm-retail spreads for farm products, 1947-1964
Lists retail prices for many food staples and food products for each year from 1947-1964. It also shows how much of the purchase price went to farmers. The extensive table spans pages 14-45 in this source.

PRICES for MERCHANDISE and SERVICES

Average retail prices in 20 major cities, 1955
The extensive tables list prices for the following items. Each of these items is defined in Appendix C. Sales tax for each city/state is in Appendix D.
- Home maintenance
  House paint, paint brushes, hot water heaters, sink faucets.
- Household textiles
  Sheets, blankets, cotton bedspreads, towels, curtains, fabric for draperies.
- Furniture and floor coverings
  Rugs, bedroom suites with dresser, living room furniture, dinette sets, sofa beds, mattresses.
- Household appliances, housewares and supplies
  Refrigerator, stove, washing machine for laundry, vacuum cleaner, electric sewing machine, toaster, dishes, kitchen saucepan, laundry soap, paper napkins, 60 watt electric light bulb, roll of toilet paper.
- Cost to have clothing cleaned
  Price of laundry soap and detergent. Rates for dry cleaning certain types of garments and for other laundry services by the pound.
- Clothing and shoes
  Itemizes prices for men’s, women’s, boy’s and girls clothing and shoes, including (for men) topcoats, suits, work shirts, trousers, denim dungarees, pajamas, socks, gloves, shorts, undershirts; (for boys) sport shirts, undershorts, slacks and suits. For women, it lists the price of heavy coats, suits, dresses, house dresses, blouses, slips, panties, nightgowns and nylon stockings. For girls, it lists price of cotton dresses, cardigan sweaters, wool skirts, panties and anklets. Also shows the price of diapers for babies. All shoe prices (for pumps, play shoes, work shoes, oxfords, etc.) are listed at the end of this section.
- Personal care
  Price of bathroom soap, tissue, toothpaste, shampoo, shaving cream, razor blades home permanent kit, face powder, face cream, and sanitary napkins. Prices of men’s and women’s haircuts and special hair services for women.
- Reading and recreation
  Price of a radio, price of a television set, cost of television repair, motion picture (movie) admission ticket price for adults and children, price of a newspaper on the street or a home-delivery newspaper subscription.
- Tobacco products
  Price for a pack of cigarettes, carton of cigarettes, price of a cigar. Cigarette tax for each city/state is listed in Appendix D.
Average retail prices paid BY FARMERS with state breakouts, 1947-1954
Shows retail prices for:
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For background on the surveys used to collect retail prices in rural areas, see Chapter 3, "Prices Paid by Farmers" in the USDA publication Major Statistical Series of the United States Department of Agriculture: How They are Constructed and Used," Vol. I (source).
Average retail prices paid BY FARMERS with state breakouts,1954-1959
Shows retail prices for:
Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1950s
This link leads to WishbookWeb.com, a site that displays complete, historic mail order catalogs in color and offers keyword searching in the full text. Find retail prices for clothing, jewelry, toys, household decor and furnishings, gift items and other merchandise selected for inclusion in Christmas catalogs. Retailers include Sears, Spiegel and FAO Schwarz.
Cost to mail a letter, 1863-present
Chart shows postal rates for mailing a domestic letter. Source: the Historian of the U.S. Postal Service.
Cost to send a telegram, 1950
Western Union rates as reported in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission report.

HEALTHCARE COSTS

Hospitalization, cost per day - 1950 and 1955
For the cost per day to stay in a hospital, see column labeled "current dollars," as that refers to the dollar cost at the time. Compares the cost of a hospital stay from 1950 to 1976. See page 31 for a chart showing how much of this cost was paid by insurance.
Medicines and medical care costs in 20 US cities - 1955
Price of a visit to see a physician, and for the doctor to make a house call. Prices of obstetrical care, appendectomy and tonsillectomy. Price to have a dentist fill a cavity or pull a tooth. Price to see optometrist and have eyeglasses made. Hospital room rates by class of room (private, semi-private or ward). Price of a prescription medicine, narcotic and non-narcotic. Price of penicillin tablets, a bottle of multi vitamins (100-count), aspirin (100-count) and for Milk of Magnesia.
Treatment of medical conditions - Average cost in 1951 and 1964
Shows average cost to treat selected medical conditions, including maternity care, appendicitis, forearm fractures in children, and ear infection (otitis media) in children.

PRICES for HOUSING and REAL ESTATE

Median gross rent by state, 1940-2000
Gross rent is defined as "the monthly amount of rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). This source shows data by state and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures. Table displays best in Chrome.
Rent in standard metro areas in the U.S. - 1950
Volume 2 of this source shows contract and gross rent for non-farm housing by Standard Metropolitan Areas (SMAs). Many pages of breakouts show rent by features of the dwelling (for example, number of rooms, type of heat, presence of plumbing) and by characteristics of the people living in the structures (income, race, etc.) Part 2 has SMAs alphabetically listed from A-D, Part 3 shows D-M, Part 4 is M-S and Part 5 has S-Y. See complete list of SMAs included.
Median rent and median value of homes in the U.S., 1950
Table from 1950 U.S. Census of Housing provides median rent for the U.S. as a whole. "Contract monthly rent" is the amount the renter paid regardless of whether the dwelling included furniture, electricity, gas, etc.. "Gross monthly rent" is a calculated figure that eliminates the differential by adding to the contracted rent the amount normally expected to pay for utilities, etc. See definitions of contract and gross rent. Further down on the same page, see the median value of one-dwelling unit structures. On the following page, data is listed with breakouts by state.
Median home values by state, 1940-2000
Median home values for states and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures. The table displays best in Chrome.
Median market value of owner-occupied properties, 1950
Look at the bottom line in the table on page 49. Includes only properties that have a mortgage. Source: 1950 Census of Housing.
Home plan catalog - 1952
This source shows the quality of homes considered affordable to families with incomes of$3000-5000, and $5000-7000 annually. Floor plans and exterior drawings are included. Also includes mortgage charts for financial planning. This is not a government document.
House construction costs, 1950
Costs of labor and materials are covered in this book, published in 1950.
Farm and farmland values by state, 1950
Shows average farmland value by acre, and the average value of farms (both land and buildings), by state. The USDA definition of a farm is provided on page 2.
Farm real estate values in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, 1912-2018
Shows average value per acre (statewide) for farm real estate including both land and buildings. Table shows price per acre for each year from 1912 to 2018. Compares the figures to the average for all other states.

HOUSEHOLD UTILITIES

Telephone, average monthly bill in rural areas, 1947-1954
Source tells prices paid by farmers for telephone service.
Average monthly electric bill - January 1959
See U.S. map showing the average monthly electric bill by state, plus average for the whole U.S. Table 1 in the source shows average electric bills for cities having population over 2,500. Arranged alphabetically by state and then city.
Typical Electric Bills For Missouri: 1940, 1943, 1951-57
Rates charged for electric service in Missouri. Includes mostly residential rates, but commercial and industrial rates for some larger towns and cities are also listed.
Electric bills, residential 1959-1988
Shows dollar amount of typical electric bills for residential as well as commercial and industrial customers.
Residential gas and electricity, average monthly bills - 1955
Shows data for 20 American cities: natural gas for residential heating, electricity, coal, fuel oil and range oil.

TRANSPORTATION PRICES

Automobile prices and maintenance costs in small towns/rural areas, 1947-1954
Indicates the average amount that rural people paid for specific models of Ford, Chevrolet, Plymouth and Buick cars, the price of gas per gallon, motor oil, tires, inner tubes and spark plugs.
Average used car prices, 1950-1955
Not a government document, but cites government data. Info is at bottom of page 17 in this source.
Price of gasoline, 1949-2011
"Nominal price" was the price paid by the consumer at the time of the transaction. This table shows the nominal price of leaded regular gasoline from 1949-1990. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Gasoline prices by city in 1951, 1958, 1959, 1960
Shows gas prices and gas taxes for 62 American cities. Source: American Petroleum Institute.
Gasoline prices paid by farmers, 1954-1959
Gives nationwide averages for 1954-1958, and state breakouts for the year 1959. Also gives the price of motor oil and tires. Scroll forward in the source for prices of additional auto supplies and expenses.
Gas and car maintenance costs in major cities - 1955
Average price for a gallon of gasoline or a quart of motor oil. Also reports average price of new tires, brake relining, chassis lubrication. Gasoline taxes for each city/state are in Appendix D.
Gasoline, tractor fuel and oil prices paid by farmers, 1951 and 1961
Source: congressional hearing titled Farm Cost-Price Squeeze, 1961.
Bus and streetcar fares - 1955
Reports fares by the ride for twenty different U.S. cities.

COST of a COLLEGE EDUCATION

Average resident tuition and fees for full time undergraduates, 1957-1958
Shows cost to attend by college type (university, liberal arts college, teachers college.

Cost of living and consumer expenditures in the 1950s - Analysis

Consumer prices in the U.S. 1953-58 : Price trends and indexes
Does not provide retail prices. Instead, it addresses the degree to which prices were rising or falling compared to previous years, and discusses reasons for the general trends in various industries. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1256
Consumer expenditures on health care, 1940s-1950s
Congressional document discusses trends in average family expenditures on health care, average cost per patient day in hospitals, the average price of long term care, etc.
Prices: A Chartbook, 1953-62
Does not include actual prices, only price indexes. See also the supplement. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1351

Buying power of historic wages expressed in today's dollars

Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator
This 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.

Prices in Foreign Countries, 1950-1959

Prices and cost of living in foreign countries
Cost of hotel stays, housing, house furnishings, electricity, telephone service or call from a phone booth, food, clothing, education, hospital stays, doctor and dentist visits, theater tickets, cigarettes, haircuts, laundry service, cost to hire domestic help such as cooks and gardeners, services such as shoe repair and tailoring, school tuition, transportation costs such as gasoline, automobile tires, spark plugs, licenses and insurance, fare to ride public transportation, postage rates and much more. Prices are expressed in American dollars or native currency as reported in these U.S. Dept of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign Commerce publications. Exchange rates are included. See list of country reports by publication date:
- 1956: Australia, Japan, Pakistan, Venezuela.
- 1957: Angola, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, British East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika), Colombia, France, Germany, Federal Republic of (West), Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Libya, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Taiwan (Formosa), United Kingdom.
- 1958: Bolivia, Burma, Ceylon, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay.
- 1959: Austria, Brazil, British Honduras (Belize), Germany, Federal Republic of (West), India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama, United Kingdom.
Gasoline, kerosine and motor oil prices by country
Lists retail prices for many countries including the United States, with further breakdown by states and cities. Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosine and motor lubricating oils: an annual inventory of information from United States Foreign Services Offices and other sources.

Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959