Library Guides: Prices and Wages by Decade: 1990-1999

Wages, 1990-1999

Minimum wage (set by federal law), 1938-2009
Chart from the U.S. Dept of Labor shows the first federal minimum wage law enacted in 1938 (25 cents), and all subsequent increases through 2009. Some states set minimum wage higher than the federal level.
Minimum wage by state, 1968-2016
Shows the minimum wage rates set by state laws, as well as the federal minimum wage rate. Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Average wage per employee, 1995-2005
Chart shows the nationwide average annual and weekly wages per employee, across all industries, for each year from 1995-2005. This data is also available as a downloadable Excel file from the 2012 Statistical Abstract of the United States (source)
Average annual pay by state, 1995-1996
This source clearly shows where people earned the most and least, on average. Source: Average Annual Pay by State and Industry in BLS News. Page forward in the source to find breakouts by industry in each state. Find similar data for other years in the 1990s by checking other issues of this series.
Women's and men's annual earnings, 1951-1991
Compare women's and men's median earnings over thirty years in one simple table. Year-round, full time workers only. Note: "current dollars" are unadjusted figures. "Real dollars" are computed figures showing adjustment for inflation.
Earnings - Full-time workers by occupation, 1999
Tables show earnings data for males and females, by occupation. Source: Census Bureau.
Hundreds of occupations - Expected earnings, 1990s
The 1998-1999 Occupational Outlook Handbook discusses each occupation in a short chapter. Many of these chapters include a section titled "Earnings." Use the table of contents to find a page number, then enter it in the "Jump to" box to quickly navigate to a certain occupation.
Employee earnings in manufacturing industries, 1954-2007
Select any year from 1954-2007; tables of contents will appear for each issue. Look for tables describing EARNINGS expressed in "current dollars." Mostly covers jobs in manufacturing, industry and production. Note that earnings data for states and major cities are also available in these reports.
Industry Wage Surveys
Employment, Hours, and Earnings, States and Areas
Employment and Wages - Annual averages, 1980s-2000s
This series is a rich source for average wage data. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Agriculture - Farm labor wages, 1930-present
The periodical Farm Labor has been in publication for nearly 90 years. It was originally published monthly, and then became a quarterly. Wages expressed in dollars can be found in every issue, it seems. After clicking on the link above, scroll down the section titled "Previous Releases." The Hathi Trust digital library has these issues as well.
Lawyers' and judges' earnings, 1990-1991
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin on social science and legal occupations.
Congressional salaries, 1789-present
Historical chart shows salaries of members of the U.S. Congress, along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase.

Wages by local area for selected occupations, 1990-1999

National and regional data
AL
AR
AK
AZ
CA
CO
CT
DC
DE
FL
GA
HI
IA
ID
IL
IN
KS
KY
LA
MA
MD
ME
MI
MN
MO
MS
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH
NJ
NM
NV
NY
OH
OK
OR
PA
PR
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
VI
VT
WA
WI
WV
WY

These reports are a mix of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Compensation Surveys and Occupational Compensation Surveys. Find national and regional reports below, or click on a tab above to access state level data.

National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in...
- the United States: 1997, 1998, 1999
- the East South Central Census Division, 1997
- the West North Central Census Division, 1997
Occupational Compensation Survey: National Summary
- 1992 (Part I)
- 1992 (Part II & III)
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994

Birmingham, AL - National Compensation Survey
- July 1998
Birmingham, AL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Dothan, AL - National Compensation Survey, Wages and Salaries
- May 1997
Dothan, AL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1991
Gadsden and Anniston, AL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Huntsville, AL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- January 1992
Mobile, AL - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Montgomery, AL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Selma, AL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- July 1992

Fort Smith, AR-OK - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1992
- November 1994
Memphis, TN-AR-MS - National Compensation Survey
- March 1999
Memphis, TN-AR-MS, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Pine Bluff, AR - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- December 1991
- December 1993

Alaska - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay Only

Phoenix, AZ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ - National Compensation Survey
Tuscon-Douglas, AZ - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- February 1992
- February 1994

Colorado Springs, CO, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1992
- July 1994
Denver, CO, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1991
Denver, CO - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Pueblo, CO - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- July 1992
- September 1994

Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT - National Compensation Survey
Connecticut - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1991
- January 1994
Danbury, CT, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA - National Compensation Survey

Washington, DC-MD-VA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Washington, DC-MD-VA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV - National Compensation Survey

Wilmington, DE-NJ-MD, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits

Bradenton, FL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Daytona Beach, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- July 1993
- April 1995
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood-Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1993
- May 1995
Gainesville, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1993
- June 1996
Jacksonville, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1992
- March 1995
Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- February 1993
- February 1995
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL - National Compensation Survey
- April 1998
- April 1998 (Revised)
- July 1999
Miami-Hialeah, FL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Miami-Hialeah, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Northwestern Florida - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- January 1992
Orlando, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1992
Orlando, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL - National Compensation Survey
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- February 1996

Albany, GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Atlanta, GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Augusta, GA-SC, Metropolitan Area, Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Brunswick, GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1992
- May 1994
Chattanooga, TN-GA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1992
- August 1993
Chattanooga, TN-GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1995
- April 1997
Macon-Warner Robins, GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- December 1992
- February 1995
Savannah, GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- February 1992
- March 1994

Honolulu, HI - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Honolulu, HI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- August 1996

Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, IA-IL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Des Moines, IA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1993
- June 1995
Iowa City, IA - National Compensation Survey
- December 1998
Omaha, NE-IA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1992
- August 1994
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1993

Boise City, ID - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only -- Health Services
- November 1994

Bloomington-Normal, IL - National Compensation Survey
- December 1999
Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul, IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1993
Chicago, IL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1991
- May 1992
- May 1993
- May 1994
- June 1995
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI - National Compensation Survey
Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, IA-IL, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Joliet, IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- August 1995
Rockford, IL - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
- October 1999
Springfield, IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- October 1991
- November 1993
St. Louis, MO-IL - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
St. Louis, MO-IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
St. Louis, MO-IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary help supply services
- November 1994
Vermilion County, IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- December 1994

Bloomington, IN - National Compensation Survey
- July 1998
Bloomington-Vincennes, IN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1991
- November 1993
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI - National Compensation Survey
Cincinatti-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN - National Compensation Survey
Elkhart-Goshen, IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Fort Wayne, IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1992
- February 1994
Gary-Hammond, IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Indianapolis, IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Louisville, KY-IN - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Louisville, KY-IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1991
Louisville, KY-IN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- September 1996
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits

Kansas City, MO-KS - National Compensation Survey
Topeka, KS - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- April 1992
- May 1994
Wichita, KS - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1992
- July 1996

Cincinatti-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN - National Compensation Survey
Clarksville-Hopkinsville, TN-KY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1992
Louisville, KY-IN - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Louisville, KY-IN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1991
Louisville, KY-IN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- September 1996

Acadia Parish, LA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- October 1992
Alexandria-Leesville, LA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- April 1993
Baton Rouge, LA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1992
- April 1994
Beaumont-Port Arthur and Lake Charles, TX-LA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
New Orleans, LA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- July 1991
- July 1992
- May 1993
- July 1994
- July 1995

Boston, MA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- April 1991
- May 1992
- May 1993
- May 1994
- May 1995
Boston, MA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT - National Compensation Survey
Lawrence-Haverhill, MA-NH, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Southeastern Massachusetts - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1993
- May 1995
Worcester, MA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Baltimore, MD, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1992
- May 1993
- March 1994
- May 1995
Baltimore, MD - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Washington, DC-MD-VA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Washington, DC-MD-VA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV - National Compensation Survey
Wilmington, DE-NJ-MD, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits

Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT
Maine - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- December 1992
- February 1995

Ann Arbor, MI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- January 1993
- July 1995
Battle Creek, MI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1993
- May 1995 (Includes Kalamazoo)
Detroit, MI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- December 1991
Detroit, MI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI - National Compensation Survey
Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI - National Compensation Survey
- July 1998
Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI - National Compensation Survey
- October 1999
Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, MI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Upper Peninsula, MI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1992
- September 1995

Duluth, MN-WI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1992
- June 1994
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI - National Compensation Survey
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
St. Cloud, MN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- April 1992 (errata)
- February 1993
- March 1994

Butler County, MO - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- June 1994
St. Louis, MO-IL - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
St. Louis, MO-IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
St. Louis, MO-IL - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994

Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Columbus, MS - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1992
- July 1994
Jackson, MS, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- December 1992
- December 1993
Memphis, TN-AR-MS - National Compensation Survey
- March 1999
Memphis, TN-AR-MS, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Meridian, MS - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1993
- July 1996

Billings, MT - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Great Falls, MT - National Compensation Survey
- June 1997
- June 1998
Montana - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only -- Forestry and logging
- 1994

Asheville, NC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC - National Compensation Survey
- February 1997
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- October 1995
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Goldsboro, NC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1992
- August 1994
Greensboro-Winston, Salem-High Point, NC - National Compensation Survey
- September 1998
Greensboro-Winston, Salem-High Point, NC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Jacksonville-Newburn, NC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1993
Raleigh-Durham, NC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1993
- May 1995
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC - National Compensation Survey
Southeastern North Carolina - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- April 1995

North Dakota - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1993
- July 1995

Central Nebraska - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1995
Lincoln, NE - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
Omaha, NE-IA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1992
- August 1994

Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT
Carroll County, NH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- October 1992
- May 1994
Lawrence-Haverhill, MA-NH, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
New Hampshire - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- January 1993

Atlantic City, NJ - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1992
- June 1994
Bergen-Passaic, NJ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ, Metropolitan Area - Area Wage Survey
- November 1990
- October 1991
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1993
Monmouth-Ocean, NJ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Newark, NJ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA - National Compensation Survey
Philadelphia, PA-NJ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Wilmington, DE-NJ-MD, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits

Albuquerque, NM - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1991
El Paso-Las Cruces-Alamogordo, TX-NM - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Reno, NV - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1993
- May 1995
Binghamton, NY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- July 1992
Buffalo, NY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1993
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY - National Compensation Survey
- July 1998
- October 1999
Elmira, NY, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1994
Nassau-Suffolk, NY, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
New York, NY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
New York, NY, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- April 1992
- May 1993
- May 1994
- May 1995
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA - National Compensation Survey
Northern New York - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Poughkeepsie, NY, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Rochester, NY - National Compensation Survey
Rochester, NY, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- November 1991
Syracuse & Utica-Rome, NY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- July 1992

Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN - National Compensation Survey
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- July 1991
- March 1992
- April 1993
- May 1994
- June 1995
- May 1996
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Consolidated Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1996
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
Cleveland, OH, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Cleveland, OH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- November 1994
Cleveland-Akron, OH - National Compensation Survey
Columbus, OH - National Compensation Survey
Columbus, OH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Daytona-Springfield, OH - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
- August 1999
Daytona-Springfield, OH, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Lima, OH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Portsmouth-Chillicothe-Gallipolis, OH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Toledo, OH - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1992
- April 1994
Youngstown-Warren, OH - National Compensation Survey
- June 1998
- October 1999

Fort Smith, AR-OK - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1992
- November 1994
Oklahoma City, OK - National Compensation Survey
- November 1998
Oklahoma City, OK, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- February 1993
- February 1994
Tulsa, OK - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Crook County, OR - National Compensation Survey
- February 1998
Eugene-Springfield-Medford-Roseburg-Klamath Falls-Grants Pass, OR - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1993
- March 1995
Oregon - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only -- Forestry and logging
- 1992
Portland, OR, Metropolitan Area- Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Portland, OR - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Wasco County, OR - National Compensation Survey
- November 1997
Yakima-Richland-Kennewick-Pasco-Walla Walla-Pendleton, WA-OR - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1993
- March 1995

Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, PA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Johnstown, PA - National Compensation Survey, Wages and Salaries
- July 1997
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA - National Compensation Survey
Philadelphia, PA-NJ, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Pittsburgh, PA - National Compensation Survey
Pittsburgh, PA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Scranton-Wilkes Barre, PA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1992
- November 1993
York, PA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1993

Puerto Rico - Occupational Compensation Survey
- July 1993
- October 1995

Providence, RI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1992

Augusta, GA-SC, Metropolitan Area, Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC - National Compensation Survey
- February 1999
Beaufort County, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1994
Charleston, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- February 1992
- March 1994
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC - National Compensation Survey
- February 1997
Columbia-Sumter, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1992
- April 1994
Florence, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- January 1992
Greenwood County, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- October 1992
- September 1994
Greenville-Spartanburg, SC - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- April 1992
- May 1994

South Dakota - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- April 1993
- May 1995

Chattanooga, TN-GA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1992
- August 1993
Chattanooga, TN-GA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- August 1995
- April 1997
Clarksville-Hopkinsville, TN-KY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1992
Knoxville, TN - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- October 1991
- November 1993
Memphis, TN-AR-MS - National Compensation Survey
- March 1999
Memphis, TN-AR-MS, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Nashville, TN, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Amarillo, TX - National Compensation Survey
- June 1999
Austin-San Marcos, TX - National Compensation Survey
- October 1998
- June 1999
Beaumont-Port Arthur and Lake Charles, TX-LA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX - National Compensation Survey
Dallas, TX, Metropolitan Area - Area Wage Survey
- December 1990
Dallas, TX, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX - National Compensation Survey
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, Consolidated Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1996
El Paso-Las Cruces-Alamogordo, TX-NM - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Houston, TX - Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Houston, TX - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX - National Compensation Survey
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- November 1993
Longview-Marshall, TX, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Northwest Texas, TX - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Panola County, TX - National Compensation Survey
- October 1998
San Angelo, TX - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
San Antonio, TX, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Waco & Killeen-Temple, TX - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Richmond-Petersburg, VA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Southwest Virginia - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- January 1993
Washington, DC-MD-VA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Washington, DC-MD-VA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV - National Compensation Survey

Virgin Islands of the U.S. - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1995

Burlington, VT - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Vermont - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits

Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA - National Compensation Survey
- January 1999
- August 1999
Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA - National Compensation Survey
Seattle, WA, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Seattle, WA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- October 1994
Spokane, WA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- May 1993
- May 1995
Tacoma, WA - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- February 1993
Washington - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only -- Forestry and logging
- 1994
Yakima-Richland-Kennewick-Pasco-Walla Walla-Pendleton, WA-OR - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- March 1993
- March 1995

Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI - National Compensation Survey
Duluth, MN-WI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1992
- June 1994
Juneau County, WI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1996
Madison, WI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- March 1992
- March 1994
Milwaukee-Racine, WI - National Compensation Survey
Milwaukee, WI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
Milwaukee, WI - Occupational Compensation Survey: Temporary Help Supply Services
- December 1994
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI - National Compensation Survey
- July 1998
- November 1999
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI, Metropolitan Area - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV - National Compensation Survey
West Virginia - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay and benefits
- June 1992
- June 1994

Cheyenne, WY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- May 1992
- April 1994
Sweetwater County, WY - Occupational Compensation Survey: Pay only
- September 1992
- November 1994

Wages for Occupations by Industry, 1990-1999

Air Transportation Occupational Compension Survey
- Alaska, June 1990, July 1994, 1998
Deep Sea Freighter Occupational Compensation Survey, July 1996
Fast Food Restaurants Occupational Compensation Survey
- Alaska, 1992
- California
  - Kings County, 1990
  - Oxnard-Ventura, 1990, 1992
  - San Diego, 1990, 1992
  - San Jose, 1990, 1993
  - Solano County, 1991
- Colorado, Colorado Springs, 1990
- District of Columbia, Washington, 1991
- Florida
  - Duval County, 1990
  - Orange County, 1990
  - Panama City, 1990
  - Santa Rose County, 1990
- Hawaii, Honolulu, 1990, 1993
- Illinois, Lake County, 1991
- Kansas
  - Leavenworth County, 1991
  - Riley County, 1991
- Kentucky
  - Christian County, 1991
  - Hardin County, 1991
- Louisiana, Orleans Parish, 1990
- Maryland
  - Anne Arundel County, 1990
  - Montgomery County, 1991
  - St. Mary's County, 1990, 1993
- Mississippi
  - Harrison County, 1991, 1993
  - Lauderdale County, 1991, 1993
- Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, 1990
- Rhode Island, Newport County, 1990
- Tennessee
  - Montgomery County, 1990, 1993
  - Shelby County, 1990
- Texas
  - Bell County, 1991
  - Dallas County, 1990
  - El Paso, 1991
- Virginia
  - Norfolk, 1990
  - York County, 1990, 1993
- Washington
  - Bremerton, 1991
  - Island County, 1991, 1992
  - King County, 1990
Hospitals, Occupational Wage Survey, 1991
Shows pay for both medical and administrative positions by city. Includes RNs, LPNs, physical therapists, EKG technicians, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists as well as medical records technicians, accountants, auditors, engineers, directors of personnel, attorneys, buyers, secretaries, typists, file clerks and many more hospital jobs. A companion volume listing all job titles and job descriptions is also available online.

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Prices, 1990-1999

Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, 1980-2018
Prices 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.
Food costs--from farm to retail in 1992
Shows average retail prices in dollars and cents along with the percentage of increase or decrease from previous years.
Food costs - 1997, 1998, 1999
Includes average cost of peanut butter, cold cereal, milk, juice, etc. Scroll down to Appendix A on page 35 of the pdf.
Mail order catalogs for Christmas, 1990s
This link leads to WishbookWeb.com, a site that displays complete, historic mail order catalogs in color and offers keyword searching in the full text. Find retail prices for clothing, jewelry, toys, household decor and furnishings, gift items and other merchandise selected for inclusion in Christmas catalogs. Retailers include Sears and JCPenney.
Median gross rent by state, 1940-2000
Gross rent is defined as "the monthly amount of rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and fuels (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). This source shows data by state and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures. Table displays best in Chrome.
Median home values by state, 1940-2000
Median home values for states and for the U.S. as a whole. Source: U.S. Census of Housing, choose unadjusted figures. The table displays best in Chrome.
New home sale prices - 1963-2011
For those who want a simple figure which does not take into account number of rooms, square footage or home location, this U.S. Census Bureau chart shows the average and median selling price of only NEW homes (not older homes), reported monthly back to January 1963. For greater detail on sales of newly built homes up through 1985, see the Census Bureau's Construction Reports series "Sales of New One Family Homes"
New home sale prices by characteristic - 1990s
The 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 of house by square feet and location for 1995-1999.
Farm real estate values in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, 1912-2018
Shows average value per acre (statewide) for farm real estate including both land and buildings. Table shows price per acre for each year from 1912 to 2018. Compares the figures to the average for all other states.
Gasoline prices, 1983-2019
Shows gasoline retail price data by state, region, or for the whole U.S. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Price of gasoline, 1949-2011
"Nominal price" was the price paid 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.
New car loans - Average amount financed, 1971-2011
Indicates how much people were paying on average for their new cars. Downloadable data from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Telephone service, residential - Average monthly rates, 1983-1991
Average rates for unlimited local calling, taxes and average connection charges. Source: U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
Cost to mail a letter, 1863-present
Chart shows postal rates for mailing a domestic letter. Source: the Historian of the U.S. Postal Service.
Wholesale prescription drug prices, 1985-1991
Tracks 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.
Price of gold per ounce, 1968-1998
Annual 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

Buying power of historic wages expressed in today's dollars

Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator
This calculator allows you to compare the buying power of wages earned at different points in history. For example, a dollar earned in 2016 had the same buying power as 4 cents in 1913. Conversely, a dollar earned in 1913 had the same buying power as $24.24 in the year 2016.

Prices and Wages by Decade: 1990-1999

Wages, 1990-1999

Wages by local area for selected occupations, 1990-1999

Wages for Occupations by Industry, 1990-1999

Prices, 1990-1999

Buying power of historic wages expressed in today's dollars

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