Wages and salaries varied widely during the decide. Manufacturing jobs generally paid well — $1,100 to $1,200 per year —though they were also affected by frequent layoffs. Farming paid poorly, with the average farmworker receiving $500 to $600 annually, though he might also save money by growing his own food. Most office workers earned around $I,200 —unless they were female and therefore brought home only $800 to $900 per year. Salaries for public-school teachers varied widely, but most earned $800 to $1,000 for nine months' service; college faculty collected between $I,200 and $1,800 for filling junior positions, $3,500 and $4,500 for attaining senior positions. Skilled tradesmen —carpenters, mechanics, and the like —pulled down about one dollar per hour, store clerks earned fifteen to twenty cents per hour, and bank clerks brought home about $25 weekly. Middle-level management positions averaged about $3,600 a year.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor,

Source:

David A. Shannon...