Prices and Wages by Decade: 1980-1989
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, 1980-1989
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by RACE and SEX
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PRICES in FOREIGN COUNTRIES
WAGES - GENERAL SOURCES (all occupations and worker types)
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Minimum wage (set by federal law), 1938-2009The first federal minimum wage law was enacted in 1938. Get downloadable data from FRED.
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The 1989 Handbook of Labor Statistics shows the following data:
- Table 40: Median hourly earnings of workers paid hourly rates by sex, age, and race, 1979-1988
- Table 41: Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race and sex, 1979-1988
- Table 42: Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation, industry and union affiliation, 1983-1988
- Table 43: Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1983-1988, pages 169-198.
- Table 44: Median weekly earnings of families by type of family, number of earners, and race, 1979-1980
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Weekly and annual earnings - 1981Two BLS Monthly Labor Review articles: one reports on the weekly earnings in 1981 by age, race, occupation, and years of school completed and the other compares the weekly and annual earnings of workers by occupation in 1981 (separate tables for male and female workers).
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Earnings by occupation, sex and race - 1980This is a definitive source from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Table of Contents lists a separate data table for each race. Note the page number for any table of interest, then use the "jump to..." box. The first page of any given table will show overall averages. Page forward to see earnings for individual occupations. Each table extends for about 50 pages.
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Median weekly earnings by race, sex and educational attainment, 1981This publication provides data along with discussion and analysis on how earnings had changed since 1967 for various demographic groups. Source: Analyzing 1981 Earnings Data..., BLS Bulletin 2149.
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Workers paid by the hour - Hourly earnings, 1979-1984This article reports the median hourly earnings of workers paid hourly rates by sex, age, race, hours worked, occupations, and years of school completed for 1984 (p.22) as well as by sex and race for the years 1979 to 1984 (p.23) (source).
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Average earnings for selected occupations in metro areas, 1986This source reports the estimated average earnings for selected occupations across 262 metro areas, with breakouts by industry and by each of the four U.S. regions. Includes office, professional, technical occupations as well as custodial, maintenance, tool room, power plant, and material movement occupations. Jump to the edition showing August 1987 data.
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Average annual pay by state, 1984-1985This source clearly shows where people earned the most and least, on average. Page forward to find additional breakouts by industry in each state. Source: Average Annual Pay by State and Industry in BLS News. Find similar data for other years in the 1980s by checking other issues of this series.
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Hundreds of occupations - Expected earnings, 1980sThe annual Occupational Outlook Handbook discusses each occupation in a short chapter. Many of these include a section titled "Earnings." Use the Table of Contents to find a page number, then use the page number box and page-turner buttons to navigate to it.
- Table of contents for occupations, 1980-1981 edition
- Table of contents for occupations, 1984-1985 edition
- Table of contents for occupations, 1988-1989 edition
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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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Employment, Hours, and Earnings, United States 1909-90This 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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Employment and Wages - Annual averages, 1980s-2000sThis series is a rich source for average wage data. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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National Survey of Professional, Administrative, Technical, and Clerical PayThis is part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin Series, 1960-1987.
- March 1980 (Bulletin 2081)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 2108)
- March 1982 (Bulletin 2145)
- March 1983 (Bulletin 2181)
- March 1984 (Bulletin 2208)
- March 1985 (Bulletin 2243)
- March 1986 (Bulletin 2271)
- March 1987 (Bulletin 2290)
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White-collar salaries, 1982-1988These articles report the average weekly or annual salaries of white-collar workers in March 1982, March 1983, March 1984, March 1985, March 1986, March 1987, March 1988. Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review.
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White-collar salaries, 1987-1989This series from the Bureau of Labor Statistics contain the results of nation-wide white-collar pay surveys. They include the average salaries, broken down by level, of many occupations including accountants, attorneys, auditors, buyers, chemists, computer programmers, drafters, engineers, medical machine technicians, nursing assistants, personnel specialists and supervisors, registered nurses, secretaries, stenographers, systems analysts, typists, and more.
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College and high school graduate - Wages & earnings, 1989This article investigates the economic value of a college education. Table 2 (p.20) shows mean annual earnings of college graduates by cohort in 1979 and 1989, table 3 (p.21) compares annual earnings and hourly wages of college versus high school graduates those same years. Please note: data given in 1990 dollars (source).
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Earnings and Other Characteristics of Organized Workers, May 1980Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 2105
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Analyzing 1981 Earnings Data from the Current Population SurveyIncludes some tables that compare earnings to that from other years. Source: BLS Bulletin, No. 2149
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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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Major league baseball salaries - 1970-1996This article investigates the history of major league baseball players' salaries; table 1 (page 5) shows average and median annual salaries for 1970-1996, table 2 (page 6) shows the average salaries for the highest and lowest playing teams for select years 1980-1995, and table 4 (page 7) shows minimum baseball salaries for 1967-1997 (source).
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Professional team sports - Salaries, 1984-1997This article explores salary caps for basketball, football, baseball, and hockey players.It included tables showing the average salaries for each sport (source).
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Foreign born workers - Earnings, 1982This article compare the earnings of foreign and native born workers, table on page 21 shows median annual earnings of both (source).
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Temporary workers - Earnings, 1987This article reports the findings of a BLS survey conducted in September 1987 on the pay and benefits of temporary workers by occupational category (source).
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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 1980s income data.
Earnings by race and sex, 1980-1989
EARNINGS by SEX, 1980s
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Women's income and earnings, 1981This chapter on earnings from the 1983 Handbook on women workers extends from pages 81-105. It contains extensive tables show data in a variety of breakouts such as:
- Hourly earnings by sex and race
- Earnings by industry and occupation
- Annual earnings by age
- Income by education
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Families at Work: The Jobs and the PayProvides special analysis of women's contribution to household income, dual-income families, childcare needs, the effect of retirement on family income, etc. Source: BLS Bulletin #2209.
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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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Women who moonlight - Earnings, May 1985This article discusses women workers who hold multiple jobs, page 24 reports median weekly earnings in May 1985 (source).
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Older women workers - Earnings in 1986This article on the employment characteristics of older women discusses their 1986 earnings, table on page 9 shows median annual earnings with breakdowns by sex, age, and years of school completed (source).
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Mean and median annual earnings of women - 1989This article discusses the distribution of wages by gender in the 1980s. See table 1 (p.6) for the mean and median annual earnings of women and men in 1979 and 1989; see table 2 (p.8) for mean annual earnings for men and women by educational attainment for the same years. Please note: data is in 1992 dollars (source).
EARNINGS by BOTH RACE AND SEX, 1980s
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Wages and salaries by race and gender - 1980This table of mean incomes by race and gender is from an article on inequality in wages and salaries for 1960-1980. This source also shows overall mean incomes by census region and industry sector. Source: U.S. Monthly Labor Review, April 1989.
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Earnings by race and sex -1988This table from an article on earnings inequality shows mean earnings for white, black, and Hispanic workers by sex for the years 1978 and 1988 (source).
BLACK PERSONS' EARNINGS BY SEX, 1980
Mean hourly and annual earnings reported in the 1980 Census, Special Report: Earnings by Occupation and Education. The Census Bureau also has a digitized copy of this volume available on its website.
- Experienced civilian labor force
- Executive, managerial and administrative occupations
- Executive and administrative occupations
- Includes legislators, chief executives, general administrators, administrators, protective services; financial, personnel and labor relations, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and public relations managers; education and health administrators, property and real estate managers; postmasters and mail superintendents; and funeral directors.
- Management related occupations
- Includes accountants; auditors; financial officers; management analysts; personnel, training, and labor relations specialist; buyers and purchasing agents; business and promotion agents; and inspectors and compliance officers, including construction.
- Professional specialty occupations
- Engineers, architects and surveyors
- Includes architects, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, chemical, nuclear, civil, agricultural, electrical and electronic, industrial, mechanical, and marine engineers, naval architects, surveyors, and mapping scientists.
- Mathematical and computer scientists
- Includes computer systems analysts; operations and systems researchers and analysts; actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians.
- Natural scientists
- Includes physicists, geologists, and chemists, except biochemists; and atmospheric, space, agricultural, biological, forestry, conservation, and medical scientists.
- Health diagnosing occupations
- Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, and podiatrists.
- Health assessment and treating occupations
- Includes registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists, and physicians' assistants.
- Teachers, post-secondary
- Teachers, except post-secondary
- lncludes pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, but excludes principals and supervisors.
- Librarians, archivists and curators
- Social scientists and urban planners
- Includes economists, psychologists, sociologists, and urban planners.
- Social, recreation and religious workers
- Lawyers and judges
- Writers, artists, entertainers and athletes
- Includes authors, technical writers, designers, musicians and composers, actors and directors, painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist print makers, photographers, dancers, editors and reporters, public relations specialists, announcers, and athletes.
- Technical, sales and administrative support occupations
- Health technologists and technicians
- Includes clinical laboratory, health record, and radiologic technicians, dental hygienists; and licensed practical nurses.
- Engineering and related technologists and technicians
- Includes electrical, electronic, industrial and mechanical engineering, and survey and mapping technicians; and drafting occupations.
- Science technicians
- Technicians, except health, engineering and science
- Includes airplane pilots and navigators; air traffic controllers; broadcast equipment operators; computer programmers; tool programmers, numerical control; and legal assistants.
- Sales occupations
- Sales representatives, finance and business services
- Includes insurance, real estate, securities, advertising, and other business service sales occupations.
- Sales representatives, commodities, except retail
- Includes sales engineers and sales representatives, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.
- Sales workers, retail and personal services
- Sales related occupations
- Includes demonstrators, promoters, and models; auctioneers, and sales support occupations.
- Administrative support occupations, including clerical
- Supervisors, administrative support occupations
- Computer equipment operators
- Secretaries, stenographers and typists
- Information clerks
- Includes interviewers, hotel clerks, transportation and reservation agents, and receptionists.
- Records processing occupations, except financial
- Includes classified ad, correspondence, order, personnel, library, file, and record clerks.
- Financial records processing occupations
- Includes bookkeepers; accounting, payroll, billing, and cost clerks; and billing and calculating machine operators.
- Duplicating, mail and other office machine operators
- Communications equipment operators
- Includes telephone operators and telegraphers.
- Mail and message distributing occupations
- Includes postal clerks, mail carriers, mail clerks, and messengers.
- Material recording, scheduling and distributing clerks
- Includes dispatchers; production coordinators; traffic shipping, and receiving clerks; stock and inventory clerks; meter readers; weighers, measurers and checkers; samplers; and expediters.
- Adjusters and investigators
- Includes adjusters and investigators, eligibility clerks, social welfare; and bill and account collectors.
- Miscellaneous administrative support occupations
- Includes general office and statistical clerks; book tellers; proofreaders; data-entry keyers; statistical clerks, and teacher's aides.
- Service occupations
- Private household occupations
- Includes launderers, cooks, housekeepers, child care workers, and household cleaners and servants.
- Supervisors, protective service occupations
- Firefighting and fire prevention occupations
- Police and detectives
- Includes police and detectives; sheriffs, bailiffs, and correctional institution officers.
- Guards
- Food preparation and service occupations
- Includes bartenders; cooks; waiters; kitchen, food counter, and fountain workers; and waiters' assistants.
- Health service occupations
- Includes dental assistants; health and nursing aides; orderlies; and attendants.
- Cleaning and building service occupations, except household
- Includes maids and housemen, janitors, elevator operators, and pest control occupations.
- Personal service occupations
- Includes barbers, hairdressers and cosmetologists, recreation and public transportation attendants, guides, ushers, baggage porters, bellhops, welfare service aides, and child care workers.
- Farming, forestry and fishing occupations
- Farm operators and managers
- Farm occupations, except managerial
- Includes farm, marine life cultivation and nursery workers.
- Related agricultural occupations
- Includes groundskeepers and gardeners animal caretakers; and graders, sorters and inspectors, agricultural products.
- Forestry and logging occupations
- Fishers, hunters and trappers
- Precision production, craft and repair occupations
- Mechanics and repairers
- Includes vehicle and mobile equipment, industrial machinery, machinery maintenance, heating, and air conditioning mechanics; electrical and electronic equipment repairers, including telephone and telephone line installers; and camera, watch, musical instrument, office machine, mechanic controls, and valve repairers; locksmiths; elevator installers; and millwrights.
- Construction trades
- Includes brickmasons, stonemasons, tile setters, carpet installers, carpenters, drywall installers, electricians, electrical power installers and repairers, painters, paperhangers, plasterers, plumbers, concrete finishers, glaziers, insulation workers, paving equipment operators, roofers, sheetmetal duct installers, structural metal workers, earth drillers, and construction apprentices.
- Extractive occupations
- Includes oil well drillers, explosives workers, mine and mining machine operators.
- Precision metalworking occupations
- Includes tool and die makers; precision assemblers and grinders; machinists, boilermakers; pattern and model makers lay-out workers; jewelers; engravers; and sheet metal workers.
- Precision woodworking occupations
- Precision textile, apparel and furnishings machine workers
- Precision workers, assorted materials
- Precision food production occupations
- Precision inspectors, tester and related workers
- Plant and system operators
- Operators, fabricators and laborers
- Metalworking and plastic working machine operators
- Metal and plastic processing machine operators
- Woodworking machine operators
- Printing machine operators
- Textile, apparel and furnishings machine operators
- Machine operators, assorted materials
- Fabricators, assemblers and hand working occupations
- Production inspectors, testers, samplers and weighers
- Motor vehicle operators
- Rail transportation occupations
- Water transportation occupations
- Material moving equipment operators
- Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers
HISPANIC PERSONS' EARNINGS BY SEX, 1980
Mean hourly and annual earnings reported in the 1980 Census, Special Report: Earnings by Occupation and Education. The Census Bureau also has a digitized copy of this volume available on its website.
- Experienced civilian labor force
- Executive, managerial and administrative occupations
- Executive and administrative occupations
- Includes legislators, chief executives, general administrators, administrators, protective services; financial, personnel and labor relations, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and public relations managers; education and health administrators, property and real estate managers; postmasters and mail superintendents; and funeral directors.
- Management related occupations
- Includes accountants; auditors; financial officers; management analysts; personnel, training, and labor relations specialist; buyers and purchasing agents; business and promotion agents; and inspectors and compliance officers, including construction.
- Professional specialty occupations
- Engineers, architects and surveyors
- Includes architects, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, chemical, nuclear, civil, agricultural, electrical and electronic, industrial, mechanical, and marine engineers, naval architects, surveyors, and mapping scientists.
- Mathematical and computer scientists
- Includes computer systems analysts; operations and systems researchers and analysts; actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians.
- Natural scientists
- Includes physicists, geologists, and chemists, except biochemists; and atmospheric, space, agricultural, biological, forestry, conservation, and medical scientists.
- Health diagnosing occupations
- Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, and podiatrists.
- Health assessment and treating occupations
- Includes registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists, and physicians' assistants.
- Teachers, post-secondary
- Teachers, except post-secondary
- Includes pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, but excludes principals and supervisors.
- Librarians, archivists and curators
- Social scientists and urban planners
- Includes economists, psychologists, sociologists, and urban planners.
- Social, recreation and religious workers
- Lawyers and judges
- Writers, artists, entertainers and athletes
- Includes authors, technical writers, designers, musicians and composers, actors and directors, painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist print makers, photographers, dancers, editors and reporters, public relations specialists, announcers, and athletes.
- Technical, sales and administrative support occupations
- Health technologists and technicians
- Includes clinical laboratory, health record, and radiologic technicians, dental hygienists; and licensed practical nurses.
- Engineering and related technologists and technicians
- Includes electrical, electronic, industrial and mechanical engineering, and survey and mapping technicians; and drafting occupations.
- Science technicians
- Technicians, except health, engineering and science
- Includes airplane pilots and navigators; air traffic controllers; broadcast equipment operators; computer programmers; tool programmers, numerical control; and legal assistants.
- Sales occupations
- Sales representatives, finance and business services
- Includes insurance, real estate, securities, advertising, and other business service sales occupations.
- Sales representatives, commodities, except retail
- Sales workers, retail and personal services
- Sales related occupations
- Administrative support occupations, including clerical
- Supervisors, administrative support occupations
- Computer equipment operators
- Secretaries, stenographers and typists
- Information clerks
- Records processing occupations, except financial
- Financial records processing occupations
- Duplicating, mail and other office machine operators
- Communications equipment operators
- Mail and message distributing occupations
- Material recording, scheduling and distributing clerks
- Adjusters and investigators
- Miscellaneous administrative support occupations
- Service occupations
- Private household occupations
- Supervisors, protective service occupations
- Firefighting and fire prevention occupations
- Police and detectives
- Guards
- Food preparation and service occupations
- Health service occupations
- Cleaning and building service occupations, except household
- Personal service occupations
- Farming, forestry and fishing occupations
- Farm operators and managers
- Farm occupations, except managerial
- Related agricultural occupations
- Forestry and logging occupations
- Fishers, hunters and trappers
- Precision production, craft and repair occupations
- Mechanics and repairers
- Construction trades
- Contractive occupations
- Precision metalworking occupations
- Precision woodworking occupations
- Precision textile, apparel and furnishings machine workers
- Precision workers, assorted materials
- Precision food production occupations
- Precision inspectors, tester and related workers
- Plant and system operators
- Operators, fabricators and laborers
- Metalworking and plastic working machine operators
- Metal and plastic processing machine operators
- Woodworking machine operators
- Printing machine operators
- Textile, apparel and furnishings machine operators
- Machine operators, assorted materials
- Fabricators, assemblers and hand working occupations
- Production inspectors, testers, samplers and weighers
- Motor vehicle operators
- Rail transportation occupations
- Water transportation occupations
- Material moving equipment operators
- Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers
ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER EARNINGS BY SEX, 1980
Mean hourly and annual earnings reported in the 1980 Census, Special Report: Earnings by Occupation and Education. The Census Bureau also has a digitized copy of this volume available on its website.
- Experienced civilian labor force
- Executive, managerial and administrative occupations
- Executive and administrative occupations
- Includes legislators, chief executives, general administrators, administrators, protective services; financial, personnel and labor relations, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and public relations managers; education and health administrators, property and real estate managers; postmasters and mail superintendents; and funeral directors.
- Management related occupations
- Includes accountants; auditors; financial officers; management analysts; personnel, training, and labor relations specialists; buyers and purchasing agents; business and promotion agents; and inspectors and compliance officers, including construction.
- Professional specialty occupations
- Engineers, architects and surveyors
- Includes architects, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, chemical, nuclear, civil, agricultural, electrical and electronic, industrial, mechanical, and marine engineers, naval architects, surveyors, and mapping scientists.
- Mathematical and computer scientists
- Includes computer systems analysts; operations and systems researchers and analysts; actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians.
- Natural scientists
- Includes physicists, geologists, and chemists, except biochemists; and atmospheric, space, agricultural, biological, forestry, conservation, and medical scientists.
- Health diagnosing occupations
- Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, and podiatrists.
- Health assessment and treating occupations
- Includes registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists, and physicians' assistants.
- Teachers, post-secondary
- Teachers, except post-secondary
- Includes pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, but excludes principals and supervisors.
- Librarians, archivists and curators
- Social scientists and urban planners
- Includes economists, psychologists, sociologists, and urban planners.
- Social, recreation and religious workers
- Lawyers and judges
- Writers, artists, entertainers and athletes
- Includes authors, technical writers, designers, musicians and composers, actors and directors, painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist print makers, photographers, dancers, editors and reporters, public relations specialists, announcers, and athletes.
- Technical, sales and administrative support occupations
- Health technologists and technicians
- Includes clinical laboratory, health record, and radiologic technicians, dental hygienists; and licensed practical nurses.
- Engineering and related technologists and technicians
- Includes electrical, electronic, industrial and mechanical engineering, and survey and mapping technicians; and drafting occupations.
- Science technicians
- Technicians, except health, engineering and science
- Includes airplane pilots and navigators; air traffic controllers; broadcast equipment operators; computer programmers; tool programmers, numerical control; and legal assistants.
- Sales occupations
- Sales representatives, finance and business services
- Includes insurance, real estate, securities, advertising, and other business service sales occupations.
- Sales representatives, commodities, except retail
- Includes sales engineers and sales representatives, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.
- Sales workers, retail and personal services
- Includes sales workers, commodities; sales counter clerks, cashiers, street and door-to-door sales workers; and news vendors.
- Sales related occupations
- Includes demonstrators, promoters, and models; auctioneers, and sales support occupations.
- Administrative support occupations, including clerical
- Supervisors, administrative support occupations
- Computer equipment operators
- Secretaries, stenographers and typists
- Information clerks
- Includes interviewers, hotel clerks, transportation and reservation agents, and receptionists.
- Records processing occupations, except financial
- Includes classified ad, correspondence, order, personnel, library, file, and record clerks.
- Financial records processing occupations
- Includes bookkeepers; accounting, payroll, billing, and cost clerks; and billing and calculating machine operators.
- Duplicating, mail and other office machine operators
- Communications equipment operators
- Includes telephone operators and telegraphers.
- Mail and message distributing occupations
- Includes postal clerks, mail carriers, mail clerks, and messengers.
- Material recording, scheduling and distributing clerks
- Includes dispatchers; production coordinators; traffic shipping, and receiving clerks; stock and inventory clerks; meter readers; weighers, measurers and checkers; samplers; and expediters.
- Adjusters and investigators
- Includes adjusters and investigators, eligibility clerks, social welfare; and bill and account collectors.
- Miscellaneous administrative support occupations
- Includes general office and statistical clerks; book tellers; proofreaders; data-entry keyers; statistical clerks, and teacher's aides.
- Service occupations
- Private household occupations
- Includes launderers, cooks, housekeepers, child care workers, and household cleaners and servants.
- Supervisors, protective service occupations
- Firefighting and fire prevention occupations
- Police and detectives
- Includes police and detectives; sheriffs, bailiffs, and correctional institution officers.
- Guards
- Food preparation and service occupations
- Includes bartenders; cooks; waiters; kitchen, food counter, and fountain workers; and waiters' assistants.
- Health service occupations
- Includes dental assistants; health and nursing aides; orderlies; and attendants.
- Cleaning and building service occupations, except household
- Includes maids and housemen, janitors, elevator operators, and pest control occupations.
- Personal service occupations
- Includes barbers, hairdressers and cosmetologists, recreation and public transportation attendants, guides, ushers, baggage porters, bellhops, welfare service aides, and child care workers.
- Farming, forestry and fishing occupations
- Farm operators and managers
- Farm occupations, except managerial
- Includes farm, marine life cultivation and nursery workers.
- Related agricultural occupations
- Includes groundskeepers and gardeners animal caretakers; and graders, sorters and inspectors, agricultural products.
- Forestry and logging occupations
- Fishers, hunters and trappers
- Precision production, craft and repair occupations
- Mechanics and repairers
- Includes vehicle and mobile equipment, industrial machinery, machinery maintenance, heating, and air conditioning mechanics; electrical and electronic equipment repairers, including telephone and telephone line installers; and camera, watch, musical instrument, office machine, mechanic controls, and valve repairers; locksmiths; elevator installers; and millwrights.
- Construction trades
- Contractive occupations
- Precision metalworking occupations
- Precision woodworking occupations
- Precision textile, apparel and furnishings machine workers
- Precision workers, assorted materials
- Precision food production occupations
- Precision inspectors, tester and related workers
- Plant and system operators
- Operators, fabricators and laborers
- Metalworking and plastic working machine operators
- Metal and plastic processing machine operators
- Woodworking machine operators
- Printing machine operators
- Textile, apparel and furnishings machine operators
- Machine operators, assorted materials
- Fabricators, assemblers and hand working occupations
- Production inspectors, testers, samplers and weighers
- Motor vehicle operators
- Rail transportation occupations
- Water transportation occupations
- Material moving equipment operators
- Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers
AMERICAN INDIAN, ESKIMO AND ALEUT PERSONS' EARNINGS BY SEX, 1980
Mean hourly and annual earnings reported in the 1980 Census, Special Report: Earnings by Occupation and Education. The Census Bureau also has a digitized copy of this volume available on its website.
- Experienced civilian labor force
- Executive, managerial and administrative occupations
- Executive and administrative occupations
- Includes legislators, chief executives, general administrators, administrators, protective services; financial, personnel and labor relations, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and public relations managers; education and health administrators, property and real estate managers; postmasters and mail superintendents; and funeral directors.
- Management related occupations
- Includes accountants; auditors; financial officers; management analysts; personnel, training, and labor relations specialist; buyers and purchasing agents; business and promotion agents; and inspectors and compliance officers, including construction.
- Professional specialty occupations
- Engineers, architects and surveyors
- Includes architects, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, chemical, nuclear, civil, agricultural, electrical and electronic, industrial, mechanical, and marine engineers, naval architects, surveyors, and mapping scientists.
- Mathematical and computer scientists
- Includes computer systems analysts; operations and systems researchers and analysts; actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians.
- Natural scientists
- Includes physicists, geologists, and chemists, except biochemists; and atmospheric, space, agricultural, biological, forestry, conservation, and medical scientists.
- Health diagnosing occupations
- Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, and podiatrists.
- Health assessment and treating occupations
- Includes registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists, and physicians' assistants.
- Teachers, post-secondary
- Teachers, except post-secondary
- lncludes pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, but excludes principals and supervisors.
- Librarians, archivists and curators
- Social scientists and urban planners
- Includes economists, psychologists, sociologists, and urban planners.
- Social, recreation and religious workers
- Lawyers and judges
- Writers, artists, entertainers and athletes
- Includes authors, technical writers, designers, musicians and composers, actors and directors, painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist print makers, photographers, dancers, editors and reporters, public relations specialists, announcers, and athletes.
- Technical, sales and administrative support occupations
- Health technologists and technicians
- Includes clinical laboratory, health record, and radiologic technicians, dental hygienists; and licensed practical nurses.
- Engineering and related technologists and technicians
- Includes electrical, electronic, industrial and mechanical engineering, and survey and mapping technicians; and drafting occupations.
- Science technicians
- Technicians, except health, engineering and science
- Includes airplane pilots and navigators; air traffic controllers; broadcast equipment operators; computer programmers; tool programmers, numerical control; and legal assistants.
- Sales occupations
- Sales representatives, finance and business services
- Includes insurance, real estate, securities, advertising, and other business service sales occupations.
- Sales representatives, commodities, except retail
- Includes sales engineers and sales representatives, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.
- Sales workers, retail and personal services
- Includes sales workers, commodities; sales counter clerks, cashiers, street and door-to-door sales workers; and news vendors.
- Sales related occupations
- Includes demonstrators, promoters, and models; auctioneers, and sales support occupations.
- Administrative support occupations, including clerical
- Supervisors, administrative support occupations
- Computer equipment operators
- Secretaries, stenographers and typists
- Information clerks
- Includes interviewers, hotel clerks, transportation and reservation agents, and receptionists.
- Records processing occupations, except financial
- Includes classified ad, correspondence, order, personnel, library, file, and record clerks.
- Financial records processing occupations
- Includes bookkeepers; accounting, payroll, billing, and cost clerks; and billing and calculating machine operators.
- Duplicating, mail and other office machine operators
- Communications equipment operators
- Includes telephone operators and telegraphers.
- Mail and message distributing occupations
- Includes postal clerks, mail carriers, mail clerks, and messengers.
- Material recording, scheduling and distributing clerks
- Includes dispatchers; production coordinators; traffic shipping, and receiving clerks; stock and inventory clerks; meter readers; weighers, measurers and checkers; samplers; and expediters.
- Adjusters and investigators
- Includes adjusters and investigators, eligibility clerks, social welfare; and bill and account collectors.
- Miscellaneous administrative support occupations
- Includes general office and statistical clerks; book tellers; proofreaders; data-entry keyers; statistical clerks, and teacher's aides.
- Service occupations
- Private household occupations
- Includes launderers, cooks, housekeepers, child care workers, and household cleaners and servants.
- Supervisors, protective service occupations
- Firefighting and fire prevention occupations
- Police and detectives
- Includes police and detectives; sheriffs, bailiffs, and correctional institution officers.
- Guards
- Food preparation and service occupations
- Includes bartenders; cooks; waiters; kitchen, food counter, and fountain workers; and waiters' assistants.
- Health service occupations
- Includes dental assistants; health and nursing aides; orderlies; and attendants.
- Cleaning and building service occupations, except household
- Includes maids and housemen, janitors, elevator operators, and pest control occupations.
- Personal service occupations
- Includes barbers, hairdressers and cosmetologists, recreation and public transportation attendants, guides, ushers, baggage porters, bellhops, welfare service aides, and child care workers.
- Farming, forestry and fishing occupations
- Farm operators and managers
- Farm occupations, except managerial
- Includes farm, marine life cultivation and nursery workers.
- Related agricultural occupations
- Includes groundskeepers and gardeners animal caretakers; and graders, sorters and inspectors, agricultural products.
- Forestry and logging occupations
- Fishers, hunters and trappers
- Precision production, craft and repair occupations
- Mechanics and repairers
- Includes vehicle and mobile equipment, industrial machinery, machinery maintenance, heating, and air conditioning mechanics; electrical and electronic equipment repairers, including telephone and telephone line installers; and camera, watch, musical instrument, office machine, mechanic controls, and valve repairers; locksmiths; elevator installers; and millwrights.
- Construction trades
- Includes brickmasons, stonemasons, tile setters, carpet installers, carpenters, drywall installers, electricians, electrical power installers and repairers, painters, paperhangers, plasterers, plumbers, concrete finishers, glaziers, insulation workers, paving equipment operators, roofers, sheetmetal duct installers, structural metal workers, earth drillers, and construction apprentices.
- Extractive occupations
- Includes oil well drillers, explosives workers, mine and mining machine operators.
- Precision metalworking occupations
- Includes tool and die makers; precision assemblers and grinders; machinists, boilermakers; pattern and model makers lay-out workers; jewelers; engravers; and sheet metal workers.
- Precision woodworking occupations
- Precision textile, apparel and furnishings machine workers
- Precision workers, assorted materials
- Precision food production occupations
- Precision inspectors, tester and related workers
- Plant and system operators
- Operators, fabricators and laborers
- Metalworking and plastic working machine operators
- Metal and plastic processing machine operators
- Woodworking machine operators
- Printing machine operators
- Textile, apparel and furnishings machine operators
- Machine operators, assorted materials
- Fabricators, assemblers and hand working occupations
- Production inspectors, testers, samplers and weighers
- Motor vehicle operators
- Rail transportation occupations
- Water transportation occupations
- Material moving equipment operators
- Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers
WHITE PERSONS' EARNINGS BY SEX, 1980
Mean hourly and annual earnings reported in the 1980 Census, Special Report: Earnings by Occupation and Education. The Census Bureau also has a digitized copy of this volume available on its website.
- Experienced civilian labor force
- Executive, managerial and administrative occupations
- Executive and administrative occupations
- Includes legislators, chief executives, general administrators, administrators, protective services; financial, personnel and labor relations, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and public relations managers; education and health administrators, property and real estate managers; postmasters and mail superintendents; and funeral directors.
- Management related occupations
- Includes accountants; auditors; financial officers; management analysts; personnel, training, and labor relations specialist; buyers and purchasing agents; business and promotion agents; and inspectors and compliance officers, including construction.
- Professional specialty occupations
- Engineers, architects and surveyors
- Includes architects, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, chemical, nuclear, civil, agricultural, electrical and electronic, industrial, mechanical, and marine engineers, naval architects, surveyors, and mapping scientists.
- Mathematical and computer scientists
- Includes computer systems analysts; operations and systems researchers and analysts; actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians.
- Natural scientists
- Includes physicists, geologists, and chemists, except biochemists; and atmospheric, space, agricultural, biological, forestry, conservation, and medical scientists.
- Health diagnosing occupations
- Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, and podiatrists.
- Health assessment and treating occupations
- Includes registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, therapists, and physicians' assistants.
- Teachers, post-secondary
- Teachers, except post-secondary
- lncludes pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers, but excludes principals and supervisors.
- Librarians, archivists and curators
- Social scientists and urban planners
- Includes economists, psychologists, sociologists, and urban planners.
- Social, recreation and religious workers
- Lawyers and judges
- Writers, artists, entertainers and athletes
- Includes authors, technical writers, designers, musicians and composers, actors and directors, painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist print makers, photographers, dancers, editors and reporters, public relations specialists, announcers, and athletes.
- Technical, sales and administrative support occupations
- Health technologists and technicians
- Includes clinical laboratory, health record, and radiologic technicians, dental hygienists; and licensed practical nurses.
- Engineering and related technologists and technicians
- Includes electrical, electronic, industrial and mechanical engineering, and survey and mapping technicians; and drafting occupations.
- Science technicians
- Technicians, except health, engineering and science
- Includes airplane pilots and navigators; air traffic controllers; broadcast equipment operators; computer programmers; tool programmers, numerical control; and legal assistants.
- Sales occupations
- Sales representatives, finance and business services
- Includes insurance, real estate, securities, advertising, and other business service sales occupations.
- Sales representatives, commodities, except retail
- Includes sales engineers and sales representatives, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.
- Sales workers, retail and personal services
- Sales related occupations
- Includes demonstrators, promoters, and models; auctioneers, and sales support occupations.
- Administrative support occupations, including clerical
- Supervisors, administrative support occupations
- Computer equipment operators
- Secretaries, stenographers and typists
- Information clerks
- Includes interviewers, hotel clerks, transportation and reservation agents, and receptionists.
- Records processing occupations, except financial
- Includes classified ad, correspondence, order, personnel, library, file, and record clerks.
- Financial records processing occupations
- Includes bookkeepers; accounting, payroll, billing, and cost clerks; and billing and calculating machine operators.
- Duplicating, mail and other office machine operators
- Communications equipment operators
- Includes telephone operators and telegraphers.
- Mail and message distributing occupations
- Includes postal clerks, mail carriers, mail clerks, and messengers.
- Material recording, scheduling and distributing clerks
- Includes dispatchers; production coordinators; traffic shipping, and receiving clerks; stock and inventory clerks; meter readers; weighers, measurers and checkers; samplers; and expediters.
- Adjusters and investigators
- Includes adjusters and investigators, eligibility clerks, social welfare; and bill and account collectors.
- Miscellaneous administrative support occupations
- Includes general office and statistical clerks; book tellers; proofreaders; data-entry keyers; statistical clerks, and teacher's aides.
- Service occupations
- Private household occupations
- Includes launderers, cooks, housekeepers, child care workers, and household cleaners and servants.
- Supervisors, protective service occupations
- Firefighting and fire prevention occupations
- Police and detectives
- Includes police and detectives; sheriffs, bailiffs, and correctional institution officers.
- Guards
- Food preparation and service occupations
- Includes bartenders; cooks; waiters; kitchen, food counter, and fountain workers; and waiters' assistants.
- Health service occupations
- Includes dental assistants; health and nursing aides; orderlies; and attendants.
- Cleaning and building service occupations, except household
- Includes maids and housemen, janitors, elevator operators, and pest control occupations.
- Personal service occupations
- Includes barbers, hairdressers and cosmetologists, recreation and public transportation attendants, guides, ushers, baggage porters, bellhops, welfare service aides, and child care workers.
- Farming, forestry and fishing occupations
- Farm operators and managers
- Farm occupations, except managerial
- Includes farm, marine life cultivation and nursery workers.
- Related agricultural occupations
- Includes groundskeepers and gardeners animal caretakers; and graders, sorters and inspectors, agricultural products.
- Forestry and logging occupations
- Fishers, hunters and trappers
- Precision production, craft and repair occupations
- Mechanics and repairers
- Includes vehicle and mobile equipment, industrial machinery, machinery maintenance, heating, and air conditioning mechanics; electrical and electronic equipment repairers, including telephone and telephone line installers; and camera, watch, musical instrument, office machine, mechanic controls, and valve repairers; locksmiths; elevator installers; and millwrights.
- Construction trades
- Includes brickmasons, stonemasons, tile setters, carpet installers, carpenters, drywall installers, electricians, electrical power installers and repairers, painters, paperhangers, plasterers, plumbers, concrete finishers, glaziers, insulation workers, paving equipment operators, roofers, sheetmetal duct installers, structural metal workers, earth drillers, and construction apprentices.
- Extractive occupations
- Includes oil well drillers, explosives workers, mine and mining machine operators.
- Precision metalworking occupations
- Includes tool and die makers; precision assemblers and grinders; machinists, boilermakers; pattern and model makers lay-out workers; jewelers; engravers; and sheet metal workers.
- Precision woodworking occupations
- Precision textile, apparel and furnishings machine workers
- Precision workers, assorted materials
- Precision food production occupations
- Precision inspectors, tester and related workers
- Plant and system operators
- Operators, fabricators and laborers
- Metalworking and plastic working machine operators
- Metal and plastic processing machine operators
- Woodworking machine operators
- Printing machine operators
- Textile, apparel and furnishings machine operators
- Machine operators, assorted materials
- Fabricators, assemblers and hand working occupations
- Production inspectors, testers, samplers and weighers
- Motor vehicle operators
- Rail transportation occupations
- Water transportation occupations
- Material moving equipment operators
- Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers
Wages by location for selected occupations, 1980-1989
Click on a state tab above to see metro area reports. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Area Wage Survey series for metropolitan areas were published as part of the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics bulletin series. They show wages and salaries for occupations such as secretary, stenographer, file clerk, messenger, typist, switchboard operator, order clerk, accounting clerk, payroll clerk, key entry operator, computer systems analyst, computer programmer, drafter, electronics technician, registered industrial nurse, maintenance carpenter, electrician, painter, machinist, mechanic, millwright, sheet-metal worker, pipe fitter, truck driver, stationary engineer, guard, janitor, and more.
Wages, salaries and earnings in Alabama --1980s
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Huntsville, Alabama, Metropolitan Area
- February 1980 (Bulletin 3000-14)
- February 1981 (Bulletin 3010-5)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-3)
- Mobile, Alabama, Metropolitan Area
- July 1988 (Bulletin 3045-20)
- Selma, Alabama
Wages, salaries and earnings in Arkansas metro areas -- 1980s
- Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas-Mississippi, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-59)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-55)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-56)
Wages, salaries and earnings in California metro areas -- 1980s
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Garden Grove, California, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-62)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-57)
- October 1984 (Bulletin 3025-58)
- October 1985 (Bulletin 3030-54)
- September 1986 (Bulletin 3035-45)
- Anaheim-Santa Ana, California, Metropolitan Area
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-43)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-39)
- Fresno, California, Metropolitan Area
- June 1980 (Bulletin 3000-30)
- June 1981 (Bulletin 3010-27)
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-38)
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, California, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-63)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-66)
- October 1982 (Bulletin 3015-62)
- October 1983 (Bulletin 3020-55)
- October 1984 (Bulletin 3025-65)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-49)
- October 1989 (Bulletin 3050-57)
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-57/corrected)
- Oakland, California, Metropolitan Area
- February 1988 (Bulletin 3045-4)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-6)
- Riverside-San Bernardino, California, Metropolitan Area
- June 1988 (Bulletin 3045-21)
- Sacramento, California, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-70)
- San Diego, California, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-71)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-68)
- November 1982 (Bulletin 3015-67)
- December 1983 (Bulletin 3020-70)
- December 1984 (Bulletin 3025-62)
- December 1986 (Bulletin 3035-71)
- December 1987 (Bulletin 3040-55)
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-58)
- San Francisco-Oakland, California, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-9)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-13)
- San Francisco, California, Metropolitan Area
- March 1989 (Bulletin 3050-9)
- San Jose, California, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-6)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-10)
- March 1988 (Bulletin 3045-13)
- March 1989 (Bulletin 3050-12)
- Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, California, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-29)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Colorado metro areas - 1980s
- Denver-Boulder, Colorado, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-68)
- December 1981 (Bulletin 3010-67)
- December 1982 (Bulletin 3015-68)
- December 1983 (Bulletin 3020-72)
- December 1984 (Bulletin 3025-67)
- December 1985 (Bulletin 3030-67)
- December 1988 (Bulletin 3045-59)
- Denver, Colorado, Metropolitan Area
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-52)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Connecticut metro areas -- 1980s
- Danbury, Connecticut, Metropolitan Area
- July 1989 (Bulletin 3050-18)
- Hartford, Connecticut, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-19)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-21)
- July 1982 (Bulletin 3015-57)
- July 1983 (Bulletin 3020-44)
- July 1984 (Bulletin 3025-35)
- July 1985 (Bulletin 3030-30)
- July 1986 (Bulletin 3035-32)
- July 1988 (Bulletin 3045-25)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Delaware -- 1980s
- Wilmington, Delaware-New Jersey-Maryland, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-45)
Wages, salaries and earnings in the District of Columbia - 1980s
- Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-4)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-6)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Florida metro areas -- 1980s
- Bradenton, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- June 1989 (Bulletin 3050-15)
- Daytona Beach, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-33)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-38)
- Gainesville, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-55)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-45)
- Jacksonville, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-66)
- December 1981 (Bulletin 3010-63)
- Miami, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-51)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-53)
- Miami-Hialeah, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- October 1987 (Bulletin 3040-42)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-47)
- October 1989 (Bulletin 3050-37)
- Orlando, Florida, Metropolitan Area
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-41)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Georgia metro areas -- 1980s
- Atlanta, Georgia, Metropolitan Area
- Augusta, Georgia-South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- July 1989 (Bulletin 3050-17)
- Chattanooga, Tennessee-Georgia, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-44)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-42)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-43)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-38)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-40)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 3030-40)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Illinois metro areas -- 1980s
- Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul, Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- August 1988 (Bulletin 3045-30)
- Chicago, Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, Iowa-Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- February 1980 (Bulletin 3000-5)
- February 1981 (Bulletin 3010-7)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-8)
- Decatur, Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- July 1988 (Bulletin 3045-28)
- Joliet, Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-55)
- St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-12)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-8)
- March 1982 (Bulletin 3015-11)
- March 1983 (Bulletin 3020-9)
- March 1984 (Bulletin 3025-13)
- March 1985 (Bulletin 3030-14)
- March 1986 (Bulletin 3035-10)
- March 1987 (Bulletin 3040-13)
- March 1988 (Bulletin 3045-11)
- March 1989 (Bulletin 3050-11)
See also Illinois Statewide Wage and Salary Survey of Selected Occupations, September 1980, published by the Illnois Bureau of Employment Security, Research and Analysis. This state-produced source lists wages by region of the state, then by occupation.
Wages, salaries and earnings in Indiana metro areas - 1980s
- Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- October 1987 (Bulletin 3040-43)
- October 1989 (Bulletin 3050-38)
- Gary-Hammond-East Chicago, Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-56)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-59)
- Gary-Hammond, Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-55)
- Indianapolis, Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-47)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-56)
- Louisville, Kentucky-Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-65)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-60)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-44)
- South Bend, Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-36)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-33)
- August 1982 (Bulletin 3015-37)
- August 1983 (Bulletin 3020-33)
- August 1985 (Bulletin 3030-41)
- August 1986 (Bulletin 3035-34)
- August 1987 (Bulletin 3040-27)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Iowa metro areas - 1980s
- Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, Iowa-Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- February 1980 (Bulletin 3000-5)
- February 1981 (Bulletin 3010-7)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-8)
- Omaha, Nebraska-Iowa, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-57)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-51)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-48)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Kansas metro areas -- 1980s
- Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-42)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-47)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-49)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-50)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-45)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 3030-46)
- September 1986 (Bulletin 3035-44)
- September 1987 (Bulletin 3040-37)
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-42)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-25)
- Wichita, Kansas, Metropolitan Area
- April 1980 (Bulletin 3000-15)
- April 1981 (Bulletin 3010-11)
- April 1982 (Bulletin 3015-13)
- April 1983 (Bulletin 3020-12)
- April 1985 (Bulletin 3030-15)
- April 1986 (Bulletin 3035-17)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Kentucky metro areas -- 1980s
- Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- Louisville, Kentucky-Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-65)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-60)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-44)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Louisiana metro areas -- 1980s
- New Orleans, Louisiana, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-58)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-46)
- October 1982 (Bulletin 3015-47)
- October 1983 (Bulletin 3020-48)
- October 1984 (Bulletin 3025-49)
- October 1985 (Bulletin 3030-49)
- October 1987 (Bulletin 3040-49)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-46)
- October 1989 (Bulletin 3050-36)
- Shreveport, Louisiana, Metropolitan Area
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-53)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Maine -- 1980s
- Portland, Maine, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-61)
- December 1981 (Bulletin 3010-64)
- December 1986 (Bulletin 3035-66)
- December 1988 (Bulletin 3045-54)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Maryland metro areas -- 1980s
- Baltimore, Maryland, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-38)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-39)
- August 1982 (Bulletin 3015-39)
- August 1983 (Bulletin 3020-39)
- August 1984 (Bulletin 3025-39)
- August 1985 (Bulletin 3030-35)
- August 1986 (Bulletin 3035-37)
- September 1987 (Bulletin 3040-33)
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-34)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-40)
- Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-4)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-6)
- Wilmington, Delaware-New Jersey-Maryland, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-45)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Massachusetts metro areas -- 1980s
- Boston, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-40)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-48)
- August 1982 (Bulletin 3015-55)
- August 1983 (Bulletin 3020-41)
- August 1984 (Bulletin 3025-46)
- August 1985 (Bulletin 3030-39)
- August 1986 (Bulletin 3035-40)
- August 1987 (Bulletin 3040-34)
- August 1988 (Bulletin 3045-31)
- August 1989 (Bulletin 3050-23)
- Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, Rhode Island-Massachusetts, Metropolitan Area
- Worcester, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Area
- April 1980 (Bulletin 3000-25)
- April 1981 (Bulletin 3010-34)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-47)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Michigan metro areas -- 1980s
- Detroit, Michigan, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-7)
- April 1981 (Bulletin 3010-12)
- April 1988 (Bulletin 3045-14)
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-59)
- Saginaw, Michigan, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-54)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-58)
- Toledo, Ohio-Michigan, Metropolitan Area
Wages, salaries and earnings in Minnesota metro areas -- 1980s
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area
- January 1980 (Bulletin 3000-1)
- January 1981 (Bulletin 3010-1)
- January 1984 (Bulletin 3025-2)
- February 1988 (Bulletin 3045-6)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-5)
- St. Cloud, Minnesota, Metropolitan Area
- October 1989 (Bulletin 3050-31)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Mississippi metro areas -- 1980s
- Jackson, Mississippi, Metropolitan Area
- January 1980 (Bulletin 3000-2)
- January 1981 (Bulletin 3010-4—READEX microfiche, Government Documents, 82-16616)
- January 1982 (Bulletin 3015-1)
- January 1983 (Bulletin 3020-2)
- January 1987 (Bulletin 3040-1)
- January 1989 (Bulletin 3050-1)
- Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas-Mississippi, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-59)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-55)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-56)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Missouri metro areas -- 1980s
- Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-42)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-47)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-49)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-50)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-45)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 3030-46)
- September 1986 (Bulletin 3035-44)
- September 1987 (Bulletin 3040-37)
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-42)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-25)
- St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-12)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-8)
- March 1982 (Bulletin 3015-11)
- March 1983 (Bulletin 3020-9)
- March 1984 (Bulletin 3025-13)
- March 1985 (Bulletin 3030-14)
- March 1986 (Bulletin 3035-10)
- March 1987 (Bulletin 3040-13)
- March 1988 (Bulletin 3045-11)
- March 1989 (Bulletin 3050-11)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Montana -- 1980s
- Billings, Montana, Metropolitan Area
- July 1980 (Bulletin 3000-31)
- July 1981 (Bulletin 3010-25)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-41)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Nebraska -- 1980s
- Omaha, Nebraska-Iowa, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-57)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-51)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-48)
Wages, salaries and earnings in New Jersey metro areas -- 1980s
- Bergen-Passaic, New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-40)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-35)
- Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- January 1989 (Bulletin 3050-2)
- New York, New York-New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- Newark, New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- January 1980 (Bulletin 3000-8)
- January 1981 (Bulletin 3010-3)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-7)
- Paterson-Clifton-Passaic, New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- June 1980 (Bulletin 3000-34)
- June 1981 (Bulletin 3010-35)
- April 1982 (Bulletin 3015-14)
- April 1983 (Bulletin 3020-24)
- June 1984 (Bulletin 3025-38)
- June 1985 (Bulletin 3030-31)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-53)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-52)
- Trenton, New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-43)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-50)
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-51)
- Wilmington, Delaware-New Jersey-Maryland, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-45)
Wages, salaries and earnings in New York metro areas -- 1980s
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-45)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-49)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-46)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-45)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-43)
- Buffalo, New York, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-52)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-61)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 3045-52)
- Nassau-Suffolk, New York, Metropolitan Area
- June 1980 (Bulletin 3000-29)
- June 1981 (Bulletin 3010-31)
- August 1989 (Bulletin 3050-28)
- New York, New York, Metropolitan Area
- June 1989 (Bulletin 3050-32)
- New York, New York-New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- Poughkeepsie, New York, Metropolitan Area
- June 1980 (Bulletin 3000-35)
- June 1981 (Bulletin 3010-28)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-52)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-53)
- Poughkeepsie-Kingston-Newburgh, New York Area
- June 1980 (Bulletin 3000-39)
- June 1981 (Bulletin 3010-32)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-60)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-56)
- September 1986 (Bulletin 3035-47)
- Rochester, New York, Metropolitan Area
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-42)
Wages, salaries and earnings in North Carolina -- 1980s
- Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-39)
- Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, North Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-50)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-43)
- Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Portsmouth, Virginia-North Carolina, Metropolitan Area
Wages, salaries and earnings in Ohio metro areas -- 1980s
- Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana, Metropolitan Area
- Cleveland, Ohio, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-46)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-44)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-45)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-46)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-44)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 3030-45)
- September 1986 (Bulletin 3035-42)
- September 1987 (Bulletin 3040-40)
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-35)
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-33)
- Columbus, Ohio, Metropolitan Area
- October 1980 (Bulletin 3000-48)
- October 1981 (Bulletin 3010-54)
- October 1982 (Bulletin 3015-51)
- October 1983 (Bulletin 3020-49)
- October 1984 (Bulletin 3025-50)
- October 1985 (Bulletin 3030-51)
- October 1986 (Bulletin 3035-51)
- Dayton, Ohio, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-64)
- December 1981 (Bulletin 3010-65)
- December 1982 (Bulletin 3015-66)
- December 1983 (Bulletin 3020-66)
- December 1984 (Bulletin 3025-61)
- December 1986 (Bulletin 3035-64)
- Toledo, Ohio-Michigan, Metropolitan Area
- Toledo, Ohio, Metropolitan Area
- December 1988 (Bulletin 3045-60)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Oklahoma -- 1980s
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-41)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-37)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Oregon -- 1980s
- Portland, Oregon-Washington, Metropolitan Area
- Portland, Oregon, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-48)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Pennsylvania metro areas -- 1980s
- Northeast Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Area
- August 1980 (Bulletin 3000-37)
- August 1981 (Bulletin 3010-40)
- August 1982 (Bulletin 3015-41)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-New Jersey, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-53)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-52)
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Area
- January 1980 (Bulletin 3000-3)
- January 1981 (Bulletin 3010-2)
- January 1982 (Bulletin 3015-6)
- January 1983 (Bulletin 3020-3)
- January 1984 (Bulletin 3025-4)
- January 1985 (Bulletin 3030-3)
- January 1986 (Bulletin 3035-4)
- February 1987 (Bulletin 3040-2)
- February 1988 (Bulletin 3045-7)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-4)
- Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Area
- August 1988 (Bulletin 3045-36)
- August 1989 (Bulletin 3050-26)
- York, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Area
- February 1980 (Bulletin 3000-11)
- February 1981 (Bulletin 3010-9)
Wages, salaries and earnings in South Carolina metro areas -- 1980s
- Augusta, Georgia-South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- July 1989 (Bulletin 3050-17)
- Charleston, South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-44)
- Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- September 1988 (Bulletin 3045-39)
- Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, Metropolitan Area
Wages, salaries and earnings in Tennessee -- 1980s
- Chattanooga, Tennessee-Georgia, Metropolitan Area
- September 1980 (Bulletin 3000-44)
- September 1981 (Bulletin 3010-42)
- September 1982 (Bulletin 3015-43)
- September 1983 (Bulletin 3020-38)
- September 1984 (Bulletin 3025-40)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 3030-40)
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas-Mississippi, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-59)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-55)
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-56)
- Nashville, Tennessee, Metropolitan Area
- September 1989 (Bulletin 3050-30)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Texas metro areas -- 1980s
- Austin, Texas, Metropolitan Area
- August 1988 (Bulletin 3045-32)
- Corpus Christi, Texas, Metropolitan Area
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-67)
- December 1981 (Bulletin 3010-69)
- December 1982 (Bulletin 3015-65)
- December 1983 (Bulletin 3020-67)
- December 1984 (Bulletin 3025-71)
- December 1985 (Bulletin 3030-66)
- December 1986 (Bulletin 3035-69)
- December 1987 (Bulletin 3040-53)
- December 1988 (Bulletin 3045-58)
- December 1989 (Bulletin 3050-51)
- Houston, Texas, Metropolitan Area
- April 1980 (Bulletin 3000-18)
- May 1981 (Bulletin 3010-14)
- April 1988 (Bulletin 3045-15)
- April 1989 (Bulletin 3050-13)
- San Antonio, Texas, Metropolitan Area
Wages, salaries and earnings in Utah -- 1980s
- Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah, Metropolitan Area
- November 1980 (Bulletin 3000-60)
- November 1981 (Bulletin 3010-62)
- November 1984 (Bulletin 3025-68)
- November 1985 (Bulletin 3030-56)
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-56)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Virginia metro areas -- 1980s
- Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Portsmouth, Virginia-North Carolina, Metropolitan Area
- Richmond, Virginia, Metropolitan Area
- Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia, Metropolitan Area
- August 1989 (Bulletin 3050-24)
- Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia, Metropolitan Area
- March 1980 (Bulletin 3000-4)
- March 1981 (Bulletin 3010-6)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Washington state metro areas -- 1980s
- Portland, Oregon-Washington, Metropolitan Area
- Seattle-Everett, Washington, Metropolitan Area
- December 1980 (Bulletin 3000-69)
- Seattle, Washington, Metropolitan Area
- November 1988 (Bulletin 3045-50)
Wages, salaries and earnings in Wisconsin metro areas -- 1980s
- Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area
- November 1989 (Bulletin 3050-43)
- Green Bay, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area
- January 1980 (Bulletin 3000-1)
- January 1981 (Bulletin 3010-1)
- January 1984 (Bulletin 3025-2)
- February 1988 (Bulletin 3045-6)
- February 1989 (Bulletin 3050-5)
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Area
Wages for occupations by industry, 1980-1989
Unless otherwise noted, the following listings refer to Industry Wage Surveys from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Bulletin series. Listings followed by a 'source' link are from the BLS Monthly Labor Review.
- Air Carrier job wages
- September 1980 (Bulletin 2129)
- June 1984 (Bulletin 2241)
- January 1989 (Bulletin 2356)
- Apparel - Men's and boys' suits and coats manufacturing job wages
- Apparel - Men's and boys' shirts and nightwear manufacturing job wages
- June 1987 (Bulletin 2304)
- Apparel - Women's dress manufacturing job wages
- August 1982 (Bulletin 2187)
- Appliance Repair job wages
- November 1981 (Bulletin 2177)
- Armed Forces
- Auto dealer repair shops
- Banking job wages
- Banking jobs
Occupational earnings in selected metro areas, 1985
Lists the average weekly earnings of bank employees in 14 cities by specific occupation such as accounting clerk, stenographer, loan officer, etc. - Building trades - Union wages and hours,
- July 1980 (Bulletin 2091)
- Chemical (industrial) manufacturing job wages
- Cigarette manufacturing job wages
- Coal industry job wages
- Communications industry job wages
- October-December 1981 (Bulletin 2188)
- Computer and data processing service job wages
- October 1982 (source)
- 1987 (Bulletin 2318)
- Congress, Members of - Salaries
- See Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables, page 16 (page 20 of the pdf)
- Contract cleaning service job wages
- July 1981 (Bulletin 2152)
- August 1986 (Bulletin 2299)
- Deep sea freighters wages
- Deep sea tankers wages
- Department store job wages
- August 1986 (Bulletin 2311)
- Education - School teacher salaries
- 1981-82 teacher salaries in 23 states plus Guam are listed in ERIC document 213678. Source: American Federation of Teachers data.
- 1982-1983 Illinois teacher salaries. Source: Illinois State Board of Education, Planning, Research, and Evaluation.
- Electric and gas utility job wages
- October 1982 (Bulletin 2218)
- February 1988 (Bulletin 2338)
- Farming
- March 1981 earnings of hired farm workers (source)
- 1982 wages of California farmers (source)
- Footwear manufacturing job wages
- October 1986 (Bulletin 2291)
- Glass and glassware manufacturing job wages
- Government - Congress persons' salaries
- See Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables, page 16.
- Grain mill product industry job wages
- September 1987 (Bulletin 2325)
- High technology industry job wages
- Hosiery manufacturing industry job wages
- August 1981 (Bulletin 2151)
- August 1987 (Bulletin 2321)
- Hospital job wages
- August 1984 (Bulletin 2204)
- March 1989 (Bulletin 2364)
- Hotel and motel job wages
Includes occupations such as bell boys, porters, housekeepers / maids, waiters and waitresses, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers, checkout cashiers, maintenance workers and stationary engineers. Reports pay by metro areas, including Atlantic city, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Washington DC, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles, Oakland CA, San Diego and San Francisco.- July-September 1983 (Bulletin 2227)
- June-July 1988 (Bulletin 2335)
- Iron and steel foundry job wages
- October 1986 (Bulletin 2291)
- Iron and steel industry job wages
- August 1983 (Bulletin 2221)
- October 1988 (Bulletin 2346)
- Librarian salaries at research institutions - 1982, 1983, 1984.
- Source: Association of Research Libraries.
- Life and health insurance job wages
- July 1986 (Bulletin 2293)
- Life insurance job wages
Earnings of actuaries, claim approvers, underwriters, etc.- February 1980 (Bulletin 2119)
- Machinery manufacturing job wages
- January 1981 (Bulletin 2124)
- November 1983 (Bulletin 2229)
- Meat products
- June 1984 (Bulletin 2247)
- Military pay charts, U.S.
This is not a government website but it does a good job of organizing a complex topic. If you need original government documents showing pay, contact us. - Motor vehicles and parts manufacturing job wages
- May 1983 (Bulletin 2223)
- June & August 1989 (Bulletin 2384)
- Moving and storage job wages, 1984
- Some reports cover the entire states of Connecticut, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, and northern New York state,
- Some reports cover specific cities and counties (listed here alphabetically by state) :
- Phoenix AZ
- Oxnard/Simi Valley/Ventura CA
- Mobile AL/Pensacola FL/Panama City FL
- Topeka KS, and Wichita KS
- Corpus Christi TX and Houston TX and El Paso TX
- Saint Louis MO
- Raleigh-Durham NC
- Alamogordo/Las Cruces NM
- Newark NJ and Middlesex/Monmouth/Ocean County NJ, and Paterson/Clifton/Passaic NJ
- Oklahoma City OK
- Charleston/North Charleston/Walterboro SC
- Richmond VA
- Nonprofit organizations
- Oil and gas extraction job wages
- June 1988 (Bulletin 2334)
- Paper manufacturing job wages
- July 1982 (Bulletin 2180)
- September 1987 (Bulletin 2324)
- Philanthropic sector earnings
- Printing trades - Union wages and hours,
- September 1980 (Bulletin 2125)
- Savings and loan associations job wages
- February 1980 (Bulletin 2106)
- Self-employed
- Shipbuilding and repairing job wages
- October 1986 (Bulletin 2295)
- Structural clay product industry job wages
- September 1980 (Bulletin 2139)
- October 1986 (Bulletin 2288)
- Synthetic fiber manufacturing job wages
- August 1981 (Bulletin 2150)
- September 1985 (Bulletin 2268)
- Textile mills and textile dying and finishing plant wages
- August 1980 (Bulletin 2122)
- June 1985 (source)
- Wood household furniture manufacturing job wages
- June 1986 (Bulletin 2283)
Wages in Foreign Countries, 1980-1989
Prices in the United States, 1980-1989
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Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, 1980-2018Prices for meats, fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, milk and more foods, as well as gasoline, electricity, natural gas and other residential energy. To view data back to 1980, click the green "Historical Data" icon in the rows, then use drop-down boxes near the top of the page to set start and end years.
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Food Consumption, Prices, and ExpendituresThis source gives average retail food prices much as the source above, but it also discusses consumer expenditure patterns, and shows the percent of household disposable income going for food.
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Restaurant food and drink prices, 1980sSite has nearly 300 scanned restaurant menus from the 1980-1989 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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Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1980sThis 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, JCPenney and Wards.
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Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1980sThis 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, JCPenney and Wards.
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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 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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New home sale prices by characteristic - 1980sThe U.S. Census Bureau's Characteristics of New Housing series tells average and median sale prices of new homes by number of bedrooms, square feet, and also by region of the country. First choose a report by date, then use the "Search in this Text" feature for the phrase "SALES PRICE," or just "price." See for example this table that shows sales price by square footage and location for 1982-1986.
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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.
HOUSEHOLD UTILITIES, 1980s
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Average Energy Prices, 1980-2018Scroll to the bottom of this table to see prices for gasoline, electricity, natural gas and other residential energy. To view data back to 1980, click the green "Historical Data" icon in the rows, then use drop-down boxes near the top of the page to set start and end years.
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Telephone service, residential - Average monthly rates, 1983-1991Average rates for unlimited local calling, taxes and average connection charges. Source: U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
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Rates for interstate long-distance telephone calls - 1980This chart shows U.S. mainland phone charges. Scroll forward in the source to see rates for international calls and for calls to Alaska and Hawaii. Source: U.S. Federal Communications Commission
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Wholesale prescription drug prices, 1985-1991Tracks price increases for twenty-five common prescription drugs including Percocet, Valium, Premarin, Prozac, Motrin and more. Note: this shows prices paid by retail pharmacies, not the prices paid by the consumer.
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Child-care costs for women, 1988This article investigates child care arrangements, including costs, of employed mothers based on data from a survey conducted in 1988 (source).
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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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New car prices in the 1980s according to NADAManufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) for 1980s 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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Gasoline prices, 1983-2019Shows gasoline retail price data by state, region, or for the whole U.S. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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Gasoline prices, 1949-2011"Nominal price" was the price paid by the customer at the time of the transaction. This table shows the nominal price of leaded regular gasoline from 1949-1990 and unleaded regular gas from 1976-2011. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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New car loans - Average amount financed, 1971-2011Indicates how much people were paying on average for their new cars. Downloadable data from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
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Intercity bus fares, 1983Fares were regulated and based on mileage. See fare chart in this National Bus Traffic Association publication.
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Undergraduate college tuition, fees, room and board, 1963-2019Shows average undergraduate tuition/fees and room/board rates charged for full-time students, with breakouts for public, private, non-profit and for-profit institutions.
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College costs by institution, 1979-1980Chart lists tuition and required fees, room and board for each major U.S. college and university. Distinguishes between undergraduate and graduate school charges. Source: Digest of Education Statistics, 1981 edition, table 134.
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Average college tuition/fees, room and board rates, 1980sShows average tuition, room and board rates for 2- and 4-year institutions by state. Source: Digest of Education Statistics
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Price of gold per ounce, 1968-1998Annual data for 1968-1998 plus narrative information on historical gold prices back to the 1700s. Tells the eras in which "a man could buy a fine suit of clothes" with one ounce of gold. Source: U.S. Geological Survey publication, Metal prices in the United States through 1998
Consumer expenditures, 1980-1989
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Consumer expenditures, 1986 compared to 2010Simple table shows average annual amounts spent on food, housing, apparel, transportation, health care, entertainment, etc. in 1986 and compares these figures to that collected for the year 2010. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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How family spending has changed in the U.S. - 1901 to 1986-87This Monthly Labor Review article discusses expenditure trends, including a table showing consumption expenditures of urban wage earners for 1901 to 1986-87.
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Health Care expenditures by the elderly, 1977-1988Chart shows average annual out-of-pocket expenditures for health care by the elderly. Source: U.S. congressional hearing "Health Care Costs for America's Elderly, 1977-1988."
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Trends in out of pocket spending on health care, 1980-1992Includes consumer expenditures for health insurance. Source: Monthly Labor Review, December 1995 issue.
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Household expenditures of single and married parents, 1984-1986This profile on the spending patterns of of single and married parents includes tables showing average expenditures of households and of poor single-parent families (source).
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Income and expenditures of the elderly, 1986-87This article looks at the spending patterns of older households; in includes tables showing money incomes (pages 36 and 39) and average annual expenditures of persons aged 62-74 in the year 1986-87 (source).
Prices in Foreign Countries, 1980-1989
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Travelers' expenses in foreign ports - early 1980sThe U.S. Navy published a series of travel guidebooks for naval personnel who would be visiting ports as tourists. These guidebooks tell prices for transportation, hotel stays, meals at restaurants, etc. These booklets also tell the monetary rates of exchange. Note that prices can appear anywhere in these texts so you may need to use the tables of contents to find chapters and page numbers.
- Africa (eastern), including Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya in 1980
- Brazil (southern) in 1982
- Italy -- Napoli in 1982
- Spain
- Malaga and Torremolinos in 1986
- Rota in 1982
- Palma de Mallorca in 1982
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.
Quotable facts for the 1980-1989 decade
In the United States...
- In 1980, minimum wage was $3.10 per hour. Source: U.S. Department of Labor
- In 1986, milk cost an average of $1.11 per gallon in the United States. Source: USDA Economic Research Service
- In 1980, eggs cost an average of $0.84 per dozen in the United States. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1980, sugar cost an average of $0.430 per pound un the United States. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1980, flour cost an average of $0.203 per pound. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1980, the cost of a Ford F-150 was $5,697. Source: J.D. Power
- In 1980, the cost of a Ford Bronco was $8,392. Source: J.D. Power
- In 1980, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline was $0.86. Source: Energy Information Administration
- In 1980, the average cost of a plane ticket per mile was $11.50. Source: U.S. General Accounting Office
- In 1980, the median cost of a home in the US was $47,200. Source: US Census Bureau
- In 1980, registered industrial nurses in Chicago earned an average weekly wage of $330.00. Source: U.S. BLS
- In 1980, teachers earned an average annual income of $15,970. Source: National Center for Education Statistics
- In 1980, stationary engineers made an average of $10.54 per hour. Source: U.S. BLS
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Marie Concannon, Government Information Librarian
Government Documents Department
106B Ellis Library (1st Floor East)
University of Missouri, Columbia
Phone (573) 882-0748
