Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959
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, 1950-1959
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PRICES in FOREIGN COUNTRIES
WAGES -- GENERAL SOURCES (all occupations and worker types)
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Median annual earnings for full time workers, 1958 and 1969Provides nationwide figures averaged across all occupations, broken out for male and female workers. Includes only people age 14 and over working full time.
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Average annual wage/salary income in 1957According 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.
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Federal Minimum Wage chart, 1938-2009Chart 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.
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Hundreds of occupations - Typical earnings, 1950sIn 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.
Fictional Honeymooners bus driver Ralph Kramden earned $62/wk. See actual NYC bus driver pay here. -
Congressional salaries, 1789-presentHistorical chart shows salaries of members of the U.S. Congress, along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase.
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Wage ChronologiesLists 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.
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Consumer Income Reports, 1944-2018IMPORTANT: wages can be only one part of overall income. Wages alone do not necessarily equate to a person's total income. If income works for your purposes, you can find income tables in the Census Bureau's Current Population Reports P-60 series, "Consumer Income."
This series, which presents data on families, individuals, and households at various income levels, includes a number of annual sub-series as well as individual and advanced data reports.
Click 'more...' below for reports containing 1950s income data.
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Wage and salary income by race, 1939-1960Compares 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." Source: U.S. Dept of Labor report, The Economic Situation of Negroes in the United States.
Wages by Sex, 1950-1959
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Fact Sheet on the earnings gap - 1955-1969This 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.
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Women's and men's annual earnings, 1951-1991Compare 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. Source: 1993 Handbook on women workers.
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Median income by occupation for females, 1959Shows 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. Another table in the same source shows the median earnings for each occupation broken out by the number of weeks worked in 1959. Source: 1960 U.S. Census.
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Median income by occupation for males, 1959Many occupations are listed, including college professors (with breakouts by subject taught), clergymen, lawyers, authors, chiropractors, dancers, musicians, entertainers, photographers, funeral directors and many more. Another table in the same source shows the median earnings broken out by the number of weeks worked in 1959. Source: 1960 U.S. Census.
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Women's pay in physical sciences, 1954-1958Chapters 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.
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Women's wages in part-time jobs by occupation, ca. 1950Hourly 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).
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Women in clerical positions - Average starting salaries in major American cities, 1957-1958Table 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.
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Wage differences and establishment practices: 17 Labor Markets, 1953-54Shows average weekly salaries for a variety of occupations with breakouts for men and women. Data shown for 17 major U.S. cities.
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Women's earnings in the 1950s by occupationThe Women's Bureau Handbook on Women Workers series was published annually and included a chapter on earnings. Follow the links below to access these chapters by year:
- 1952 Handbook of facts on women workers
The chapter "Women's income, wages, and salaries" (p.30-59) is filled with data on women's earnings in 1950-1952:- Income of women (p.30-34) by year (1944, 1947, 1949, 1950), age group, family relationship, and occupation.
- Factors influencing women's earnings (p.35)
- Factory production worker earnings (p. 36-41)
- Service worker earnings (p. 42-47), including power laundries, restaurants and hotels
- White-collar worker earnings (p. 48-57), including office occupations by metro area, department and ready-to wear stores, teachers and nurses, and social workers
- Women benefiting from old-age and survivors insurance (p. 58-59)
- 1954 Handbook on women workers
The chapter "Women's income, earnings, family support" (p.21-36) contains 1952-1953 wage data for female workers in select occupations: - 1956 Handbook on women workers
The chapter "Women's income and earnings" (p.29-48) contains earnings of women in select occupations in 1954-1955: - 1958 Handbook on women workers
The chapter "Women's income and earnings" (p.51-86) includes income data and average earnings by occupations for 1956-1957:- Office occupations, telephone workers, and school teachers
- Factory and manufacturing workers
- Retail trade
- Registered nurses, practical nurses and hospital aids, and other hospital professionals
- Federal employees
- Also discusses the effects of the $1 minimum wage on women's earnings, wages of women in small towns, and starting salaries of recent college graduates
- 1960 Handbook on women workers
The chapter "Women's income and earnings" (p.57-89) contains data on earnings in select occupations for 1957-1959:- Census data on the 1958 income of women (p.58-63)
- Earnings of women workers by occupation (p.64-84)
- Office and telephone workers earnings
- Manufacturing earnings
- Retail earnings
- School teacher salaries
- Registered nurses salaries
- Federal employee salaries
- Retirement and investment income
Wages by Location, 1950-1959
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.
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Wages in 40 U.S. cities, 1951-1952Shows 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.
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Wage differences in 17 labor markets, 1953-54Shows 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. Source: BLS Bulletin no. 1173.
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Wages in major labor markets, 1953-1954Three-part series, with wages for different U.S. cities shown in each. BLS Bulletin no. 1157
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Wages and benefits by city, 1954-1967Shows 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.
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Wages in 60 labor markets, 1959-1960Wages for many occupations, mostly office and industrial, in 60 large and medium-size U.S. 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)
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Pennsylvania legislative officials and employees, 1955-1956Source: Pennsylvania Manual, 1955-1956 edition, pp. 442-444.
- 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)
Texas public school teacher salaries
- 1952-1953 as shown in the Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 edition, p. 406.
- 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 by occupations and industries, 1950-1959
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Accountants, public - 1951 and 1953This source provides earnings data gleaned from IRS tax returns of sole proprietors offering bookkeeping, auditing and accounting services.
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Accountants in state government - Average monthly pay, 1950Shows 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.
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Accountants and auditors - Average salary, 1959-1960Shows national averages. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960.
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Agriculture - Farm labor wages, 1930-presentThe periodical Farm Labor has been in publication for nearly 90 years. It was originally published monthly, and then became a quarterly. The Hathi Trust digital library has these issues as well.
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Apparel, accessory and shoe retail stores - Employee earnings,1956U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Bulletin no. 1220-5
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Attorneys in state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Attorneys - Average salary, 1959-1960Shows national averages. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960 issue.
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AttorneysSEE ALSO Lawyers, in this list.
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Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations - Employee earnings, 1956BLS Bulletin no. 1220-4
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Building materials and farm equipment dealers - Employee earnings, 1956BLS Bulletin no. 1220-1
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Building trades - Union wages and hours by location, 1947-1977Reports both journeymen and apprentice pay for carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, plasterers and related occupations in the construction industry.
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Building trades - Union wages and hours in 77 cities, 1951-1952Gives data for July of each year. Source: Construction During Five Decades: Historical Statistics, 1907-1952, BLS Bulletin #1146.
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Carpenters' pay - see "Building Trades"
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Chemists in state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Child welfare consultants - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Dental hygienists - Earnings, 1953Source: Health Manpower Source Book
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Dentists - Median income, 1950-1952Source: Health Manpower Source Book
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Doctors, medical - Income, 1959Shows median net income for all medical doctors, and for particular specialties: surgeons, obstetricians/gynecologists, internists, general practitioners and pediatricians.
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Drug stores and proprietary stores - Employee earnings, 1956BLS Bulletin no. 1220-7
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Education, college -- Salaries, 1959-1960Covers 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.
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Education - Teacher salaries in southern states by race, 1951-1952Table 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.
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Education - Instructional staff salaries by state, 1952-1953Table 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.
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Electricians' pay - see Building Trades
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Engineers - Median annual income by field, age and education, 1949-1950Source: Report from the U.S. Dept of Labor
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Engineers - Average salary, 1959-1960Shows average salary by grade. Source: Monthly Labor Review, Dec 1960 issue.
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Firefighters' salaries by city size, 1954Shows average annual salaries for firemen working in cities of various sizes, from 100,000 to 1 million population.
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Food and grocery stores - Employee earnings, 1956BLS Bulletin no. 1220-3
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Furniture and appliance stores - Employee earnings, 1956BLS Bulletin no. 1220-6
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Geologists in state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Government (state) officials' salaries - 1950On 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.
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Government (county) salaries in Missouri, early 1950sShows 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.
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Highway patrolmen - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Hospital personnel earnings and benefits by city, 1957-1958Shows earnings for doctors, nurses and many other hospital employees in 16 major U.S. cities.
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Lawyers' income, 1947-1954With 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.
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Librarians in state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Machinery industries - Postwar wage trends, 1953-54Survey of 20 labor markets. BLS Bulletin no. 1160
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Medical personnel - Income of physicians, dentists and [other health workers], 1939-1976Median 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.
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Medical social worker salaries, 1950Median annual salaries of medical social workers reported in Health Manpower Source Book (U.S Dept of Health, Education and Welfare)
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Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1950Army pay tables are on pages 1391-1410 of this source.
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Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1952Army pay tables are on pages 1731-1750 of this source.
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Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1956Army pay tables are on pages 575-586 in this source.
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Military jobs - Army pay tables, 1959Army pay tables are on pages 1287-1301 of this source.
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Military pay charts (US), 1908-presentThis is not a government website but it does a good job of organizing a complex topic. For original government documents showing pay, contact us.
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Nurses employed in hospitals - SEE Hospital personnel (above, in this list)
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Nurses employed by state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Plumbers' pay - see Building Trades
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Police departments - Patrolmens' salaries by city size, 1954Shows average annual salary for patrolmen working in cities of various sizes, from 100,000 to 1 million in population.
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Retail trade jobs - Employee earnings, 1956Source: BLS Bulletin #1220.
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Retail trade - Employee earnings, 1956Covers wages for employees in general merchandise stores, department stores, and variety stores. Source: BLS Bulletin #1220-2.
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Retail store jobs selling apparel, accessory and shoes - Employee earnings,1956U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Bulletin no. 1220-5
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Roofers' pay - see Building Trades
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Seamen on U.S. flag ships - EarningsBLS Bulletin no. 1238
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Small business owner earnings, 1950sThe U.S. Department of Commerce published this Small Business Series as practical guides for anyone thinking of opening their own retail shop or small service business. Each booklet included chapters on financing, organizing, equipping, and operating the new business.
Read more about Establishing and operating a...:- Book-keeping and accounting service -- Earning statistics for 1951 and 1953 given on pages 22-23.
- Restaurant
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Social workersSEE ALSO Child Welfare Consultants in this list.
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Telephone operators in state government - Salaries, 1950Shows 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.
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Truckdrivers and helpers - Union wages and hoursSource: Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Manufacturing Wages, 1950-1959
WAGES in MANUFACTURING, 1950s -- General sources
See tabs above for specific industries
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Manufacturing job hours and earnings, 1919-1960Very simple table shows average hours and earnings for all production workers in manufacturing for each year from 1919-1960.
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Employee earnings in manufacturing industries, 1954-2007Select 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.
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Manufacturing and industry jobs - Hours and earningsThis 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
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Factory workers' earnings, 1954BLS Bulletin no. 1179
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Factory workers' earnings, 1958BLS Bulletin no. 1252
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Factory workers' earnings, 1959BLS Bulletin no. 1275
WAGES in FOOD MANUFACTURING, 1950s
See tabs above for additional industries
WAGES in MOTOR-VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, 1950s
See tabs above for additional industries
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Motor vehicles and parts manufacturing jobs - Wages and hours, 1950BLS Bulletin no. 1015
Wages - Analysis - 1950s
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U.S. Wage Stabilization BoardWikipedia article gives background on this U.S. government agency and its work in the early 1950s.
Wages in Foreign Countries, 1950-1959
Prices in the United States, 1950-1959
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Food prices, retail - 1950
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Food prices, retail - 1957-1964Includes both retail prices and price indexes which show the degree of increase or decrease.
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Food prices in rural areas, 1947-1954Shows 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.
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Average retail food prices reported annually from 1890-1970This 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.
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Retail price of whiskey in New York, 1957
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Farm-retail spreads for farm products, 1947-1964Lists 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.
RESTAURANT PRICES, 1950s
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Restaurant food and drink prices, 1950sSite 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.
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Restaurant meal prices by state, 1959Restaurant directory is arranged by state and cities. Indicates price ranges for breakfast, lunch or dinner at thousands of establishments. Source: Adventures in good eating.
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Average retail prices in 20 major cities, 1955The 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.
This 17-inch RCA television set cost $189.95 in 1953. - Home maintenance
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Retail prices in New York City, 1958Single page shows average retail prices for food, clothing, bus and subway fare, gasoline, medical care, eyeglasses, personal items, household appliances, telephone service rates, cigarettes, movie admission, whiskey and more. Source: Statistical Office of the United Nations.
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Average retail prices paid BY FARMERS with state breakouts, 1947-1954Shows retail prices for:
- Pack of cigarettes and packaged smoking tobacco, men's and boy's articles of clothing
- Women's and girl's clothing, cloth by the yard, electricity, telephone, newspaper subscription, laundry soap and starch, toilet soap, household furnishings such as radios, sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, rugs, blankets, kitchen curtains, dinnerware, building materials such as lumber, nails, shingles, windows and doors
- Gasoline per gallon, automobile tires and farm machinery including tractors and combines
- Tools such as pitchforks and axes, fertilizer, livestock such as baby chicks, hogs, lambs and calves, food for livestock, seeds, and more.
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Average retail prices paid BY FARMERS with state breakouts, 1954-1959Shows retail prices for:
- Steak, hamburger, frankfurters and bologna per pound
- Frying chicken, pork chops, pork sausage and sliced bacon per pound
- Ham, chuck roast, frozen haddock, can of pink salmon, vegetable shortening, margarine, salad dressing
- Lard, peanut butter, quart of milk, can of evaporated milk, pound of butter, 12 oz of cottage cheese
- American cheese, half gallon of ice cream, dozen eggs, 25-pound sack of flour, cake, soda crackers
- Loaf of bread, corn meal, rolled oats, rice, baking powder and cake mix, all by the pound
- Bottle of catsup, cans of corn, peas or beans, 10-pound bag of potatoes, cabbage
- Specific fresh and canned vegetables and fruits and frozen fruit juice
- Sugar, candy, cola, tea, 6-pack of beer
- Ground coffee, instant coffee, smoking tobacco, pack of cigarettes
- Soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent, house brooms, mason jars
- Men's overalls, cotton shirts and work suits
- Men's work shirts, socks
- Men's gloves, work and dress shoes, boots, hats
- Men's undershirts, shorts, union suits, winter coats, wool jackets and trousers
- Men's suits; Boy's overalls, shoes, sweaters
- Boys jackets, caps and wool suits; Women's shoes
- Women's shoes, handbags, slips, girdles
- Women's dresses, nightgowns, panties and hose
- Women's dresses and blouses
- Women's skirts, sweaters, hats and coats; Girl's shoes
- Girl's dresses, socks, hats and coats
- Blankets, sheets, towels, curtains
- Television set (17 inch screen), radios, lamps
- Television set (21 inch screen), washing machines
- Refrigerators
- Sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, electric irons
- Gas ranges, electric ranges, toasters
- Stove (wood or coal burning), kitchen cabinets, mattresses
- Bedsteads, bedsprings
- Furniture for living room and bedroom
- Furniture for dining room, dinette sets, rugs
- Lumber, windows, doors flooring, roof shingles, insulation, cement, concrete blocks, nails, paint, brick, etc. for home building (p. 92-102)
- Farm supplies such as pitchforks, scythes, axes, milk pails
- Tractors, bailers, wagons
- Seed prices extend from page 114-123
- Baby chicks
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Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1950sThis 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.
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Median home values by state, 1940-2000Median 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.
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Median gross rent by state, 1940-2000Gross 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.
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Median rent and median value of homes in the U.S., 1950Table from 1950 U.S. Census of Housing provides median rent for the U.S. as a whole. (See definitions of contract and gross rent.) Further down on the same page, see the median value of one-dwelling unit structures. The following page shows breakouts by state.
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Rent in standard metro areas in the U.S. - 1950Volume 2 of this source shows rent by Standard Metropolitan Areas (SMAs) for 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. For even more detail, see median rent and home values by census tract in major cities.
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Median market value of owner-occupied properties, 1950Look at the bottom line in the table on page 49. Includes only properties that have a mortgage. Source: 1950 Census of Housing.
COSTS of BUILDING a HOME, 1950s
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Home plan catalog - 1952This 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.
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House construction costs, 1950Costs of labor and materials are covered in this book, published in 1950.
PRICE of FARM LAND, 1950s
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Farm and farmland values by state, 1950Shows 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.
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Farm real estate values in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, 1912-2019Shows 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 2019. Compares the figures to the average for all other states.
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Telephone, average monthly bill in rural areas, 1947-1954Source tells prices paid by farmers for telephone service.
Telephone service cost $3.33/mo. on average for farm families in 1954 -
Telephone service rates - New York City, 1958New Yorkers paid $6.33 per month for up to 75 phone calls. Source: Statistical Office of the United Nations.
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Electricity - Average monthly bill by city, 1958Table compares average bills to those of 1948. Source: Federal Power Commission.
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Electric bills, residential 1959-1988Shows dollar amount of typical electric bills for residential as well as commercial and industrial customers.
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Residential gas and electricity, average monthly bills - 1955Shows data for 20 American cities: natural gas for residential heating, electricity, coal, fuel oil and range oil.
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Hospitalization, cost per day - 1950 and 1955For 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.
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Treatment of medical conditions - Average cost in 1951 and 1964Shows average cost to treat selected medical conditions, including maternity care, appendicitis, forearm fractures in children, and ear infection (otitis media) in children. Source: Changes in the costs of treatment of selected illnesses, 1951-1964-1971, School of Medicine, UC-San Francisco.
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Medicines and medical care costs in 20 US cities - 1955Price 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.
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Medical services - Average costs by city, 1958Shows the average rates for hospital rooms, doctor visits, house calls and the average costs for obstetrical cases, appendectomies, tonsillectomies and tooth fillings in twenty American cities. Source: 1960 Statistical Abstract of the United States.
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Medical services - Average costs by city, 1959Shows the average rates for hospital rooms, doctor visits, house calls and the average costs for obstetrical cases, appendectomies, tonsillectomies and tooth fillings in twenty American cities. Source: 1961 Statistical Abstract of the United States.
HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURES, 1950s
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Medical care costs and family expenditures in NYC, 1954The average total expenditure on health care, dental, eye care, drugs and health insurance was $52 per person in 1954. Source: Family budget standard.
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Health care expenditures by consumers in the 1940s-1950sCongressional 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.
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Health care expenditures in rural Missouri, mid-1950s"The Nationwide Survey indicated that the average family in the United States assumed personal obligations of about $119 for physician and hospital services during a year ending ]uly 1953." This report goes into detail on how much residents of Laclede County, MO paid for health care.
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Municipal bus and streetcar fares - 1955Reports fares by the ride for twenty different U.S. cities.
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Automobile prices and maintenance costs in rural areas, 1947-1954Indicates 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.
This new 1953 Oldsmobile listed at $2462 -
Chevrolet new car prices, 1950-1953See full-page images and descriptions on pages 87-102 in this source.
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New car prices in the 1950s according to NADAManufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) for 1950s cars and trucks are available through the NADA website. Choose a make, year, and body type. Select a car then enter any zip code. Click "Get Base Values" to see the original suggested retail price.
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Used car prices, 1950-1955Not a government document, but cites government data. Info is at bottom of page 17 in this source.
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Price ceilings on used cars, 1951The federal government put price ceilings on used passenger cars. See prices organized by year, make and model of automobile. Source: Federal Register, Nov 16, 1951.
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Greyhound bus fares from Seattle, 1950Newspaper ad shows fares from Seattle to ten major cities.
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Greyhound bus fares from Washington DC, 1954Newspaper ad shows fares from Washington DC to 22 major cities.
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Railroad passenger ticket prices, 1950s-1960sSee fare tables from a variety of railway companies scanned and available on the "Welcome to the Ticket Office" page on the StreamlinerSchedules.com website.
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Air travel - Average fare expressed in cents per mile, 1946-1966Historical airfare rates were published in Forecast of scheduled domestic air passenger traffic for the eleven trunkline carriers, 1968-1977, published by the Civil Aeronautics Board.
PRICES for GASOLINE, 1950s
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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.
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Gasoline prices by city in 1951, 1958, 1959, 1960Shows gas prices and gas taxes for 62 American cities. Source: American Petroleum Institute.
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Gasoline prices paid by farmers (U.S. average), 1951-1954Also tells the prices paid for motor oil, batteries, spark plugs, tires and more. Source: USDA Agricultural Statistics, 1955.
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Gas and car maintenance costs in major cities - 1955Average 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.
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Gasoline, tractor fuel and oil prices paid by farmers, 1951 and 1961Source: Congressional hearing titled Farm Cost-Price Squeeze, 1961.
HOTEL RATES
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Travel guide for African Americans, 1947-1963The Travelguide series was subtitled "Vacation and recreation without humiliation." It listed hotels and travel attractions that were friendly to African American vacationers. Issues show nightly rates for many hotels and costs for other vacation expenses such as fishing licenses.
Hotel rates were printed in Travelguides -
Budget vacations with costs itemized, 1955The book 150 Budget Vacations from $100 to $1,000 shows prices of hotels, transportation, attractions, etc.
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Vacation accommodations, 1953Travel guidebook lists rates for cabins, cottages, guest ranches, resort hotels, etc. by state. Source: Vacation guide by Duncan Hines.
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Hotel rates by state and city, 1959The travel guidebook New Horizons U.S.A. had a section for price of accommodations in each city, showing rates as of 1959.
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College costs and student expenditures, 1952-1953"The average tuition and fees at public institutions in 1952-53 approximated $150, while at private institutions it was $550," see page 17 in Cost of attending college: a study of student expenditures and source of income, U.S. Dept of HEW Bulletin 1957 #9.
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Average college undergraduate tuition and fees, 1957-1958Shows cost for residents to attend college by type of institution (university, liberal arts college, teachers college, etc.)
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Undergraduate college costs by institution, 1955-1956The tuition, fees, room and board rates for each individual college and university in every state is listed in this source, arranged by state. Use these quick links to colleges in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. Scroll to find the other states in the alphabetical list. Source: Financial aid for college students: undergraduate, U.S. Dept of Health, Education and Welfare Bulletin 1957 #18.
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Graduate school costs by institution, 1955-1956Arranged by state, this source lists the tuition, fees, room and board rates for each individual college and university. Use these quick links to graduate programs in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. Scroll to see the other states. Source: Financial aid for college students: graduate. U.S. Dept of Health, Education and Welfare Bulletin 1957 #17.
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Cost to mail a letter or postcard, 1863-presentSource: the Historian of the U.S. Postal Service.
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Cost to send a telegram, 1950Western Union rates as reported in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission report.
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Local pay phone call in Wisconsin, 1959Local calls made on coin telephones operated by the Wisconsin Telephone Company were 10 cents for the first five minutes and 5 cents for each additional five minutes.
Cost of living and consumer expenditures in the 1950s - Analysis
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Household budgets in NYC, 1954Chart shows typical dollar expenditures by category for various types of families: parents with children, single working men, elderly couples, single mothers, dual-income couples, and more. Source: Family budget standard, pp. 54-55.
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Consumer prices in the U.S. 1953-58 : Price trends and indexesDoes 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
Buying power of historic wages expressed in today's dollars
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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.
Prices in Foreign Countries, 1950-1959
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Prices and cost of living in foreign countriesCost 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, Republic of, Israel, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama, United Kingdom.
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Gasoline, kerosene and motor oil prices by countryLists retail prices for many countries including the United States, with further breakdown by states and cities. Source: World retail prices and taxes on gasoline, kerosene and motor lubricating oils: an annual inventory of information from United States Foreign Services Offices and other sources.
Quotable facts for the 1950-1959 decade
In the United States...
- In 1950, minimum wage was $0.75 per hour. Source: U.S. Department of Labor
- In 1950, bread cost an average of $0.14 per pound. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, milk cost an average of $0.41 per ½ gallon. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, eggs cost an average of $0.66 per dozen in the United States. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, sugar cost an average of $0.48 per pound. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, flour cost an average of 49.1¢ per 5lbs. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, the cost of a Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup truck was $1,243. Source: J.D. Power
- In 1950, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline was $0.27. Source: Energy Information Administration
- In 1950, the median cost of a home in the US was $7,354. Source: US Census Bureau
- In 1950, average weekly salaries for nurses in various US cities started at $58.50. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, teachers in the United States made an average annual salary of $4,172-$4,947. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1951, engineers at powerplants made an average of $1.71 per hour in Boston. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1950, the average cost of a plane ticket per mile was $0.0643. Source: U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board
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Government Documents Department
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Phone (573) 882-0748
