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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BULLETIN OF T H E W O M E N ' S BUREAU, No. 96
WOMEN OFFICE WORKERS
IN PHILADELPHIA
[PUBLIC
NO. 259—66TH
CONGRESS]
[H. R. 13229]
An Act To establish in the Department of Labor a bureau to be known as the
W o m e n ' s Bureau
Be it enacted by the Senate and Home of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be
established in the Department of Labor, a bureau to be k n o w as the
Women's Bureau.
SEC. 2. That the said bureau shall be in charge of a director a
woman, to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice
ty? W t '
r e P e i v e a n annual compensaZ t
tion of $5,000. It shall be the duty of said bureau to formulate
standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of waeeearnmg women, improve their working conditions, increase their
efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment
The said bureau shall have authority to investigate and
report to the said department upon all matters pertaining to the
welfare of women in industry. The director of said bureau may
from time to time publish the results of these investigations in
t0
6 X t 6 n t &S t h e S e c r e t a i 7 o f L a b o r may
prescribelanner
SEC. 3. That there shall be in said bureau an assistant director to
be appointed by the Secretary of Labor, who shall receive an annual
compensation of $3,500 and stall perform such duties as shall be prescribed b y the director and approved by the Secretary of Labor
bEc. 4. l h a t there is hereby authorized to be employed by said
bureau a chief clerk and such special agents, assistants, clerks, and
other employees at such rates of compensation and in such numbers as
Congress may from time to time provide b y appropriations
BEC. 5 l h a t the Secretary of Labor is hereby directed to furnish
thkbureaqU
rS'
°
furniture>
and
equipment, for the work of
SEC 6. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and
after its passage.
Approved, June 5, 1920.
U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T OF LABOR
W . N. D O A K ,
SECRETARY
WOMEN'S
MARY
BULLETIN
OF
THE
BUREAU
ANDERSON,
Director
WOMEN'S
BUREAU,
No.
96
WOMEN OFFICE WORKERS
IN PHILADELPHIA
By
HARRIET A.
BYRNE
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1932
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.
CONTENTS
Page
Letter of transmittal
Introduction
Scope of Philadelphia study
Occupation
Rate and occupation
Age
Rate and age
Schooling
Rate and schooling
Time with present
Rate and time with present
Hours of wTork
Compensation in addition to wages
Appendix—Tables
firm
v
1
2
2
3
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
9-14
firm
APPENDIX TABLES
Table 1. Number of women employed and median and range of monthly
salaries, by occupation and type of office
2. Monthly salary, by age
3. Median and range of salaries, by extent of schooling
4. Median and range of salaries, by time with present
firm
5. Scheduled hours, by type of office
HI
10
12
13
13
14
LETTER
OF
TRANSMITTAL
U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T OF L A B O R ,
WOMEN'S
BUREAU,
Washington, March
1932.
SIR: I have the honor to submit a brief report on the employment
of women as clerical workers in banks, insurance companies, investment houses, public utilities, and publishing firms in the city of
Philadelphia. These lines of business provide employment for very
large numbers of women.
The report is part of an extensive survey of such employment in a
number of States and covering many thousands of women, undertaken because of the growing importance of clerical work in general
and clerical work for women in particular. In 1910, about 1 employed
woman in 14, and in 1920 about 1 in 6, were in clerical occupations.
The figures for 1930 are not yet available, but almost certainly they
will show still further increase in the proportion.
Because of the remote date of publication of the report as a whole,
the field work having only recently been completed, the Philadelphia
data are offered as the important findings for one of the largest cities
covered.
The field work wTas done under the direction of Ethel Erickson,
industrial supervisor, and the report has been written by Harriet A.
Byrne, assistant editor.
Respectfully submitted.
M A R Y A N D E R S O N , Director.
Hon. W.
N.
DOAK,
Secretary oj Labor.
y
WOMEN OFFICE WORKERS IN
PHILADELPHIA
INTRODUCTION
As part of its research into wages and hours of employed women, a
highly important activity, a survey of women's employment as office
workers is in progress by the Women's Bureau. It was begun in the
fall of 1930 and is covering a wide territory and a large number of
women. Because its findings will not be available for many months,
there is here presented a brief summary of certain data secured from
the employment records of firms in Philadelphia.
The purpose of the survey is to study' the aspects of women's employment in offices such as banks, brokerage and other financial
houses, insurance companies, publishing houses, public-utility firms,
mail-order businesses, and others that offer clerical employment to
women in large numbers. Requests for information concerning women
clerical workers are constantly being received from groups interested
in the welfare of the wrorking woman or concerned with the vocational
training, guidance, and placement of youth. Educators planning
curricula for schools, especially junior and senior high, vocational, and
continuation schools, will find the results of this study helpful, so far
as they show the trend of employment along commercial lines.
Clerical workers formed the third largest group of gainfully employed women in the United States in 1920; the two larger groups were
in manufacturing and domestic and personal service. Of the 8,549,511
gainfully employed women, 1,426,116, or 16.7 per cent, were engaged
in clerical pursuits. Figures are not yet available as to the number
of clerical workers for the most recent census, that of 1930, but even
the same proportion (and a larger proportion is probable) would give
a figure in excess of 1,800,000.
In addition to the data usually obtained in Women's Bureau industrial surveys—hours, wages, and working conditions—it is hoped
to show something of the effects on the employment of women of
changes in office practice. The greatest change is the introduction of
various machines, which was given impetus during the war period,
when the decrease in the number of men available for positions was
felt especially.
The data obtained are of three types:
1. From personnel or other records available in offices, data as to
age, marital status, education and training, occupation, rate of pay,
length of service, promotions within the company, and previous experience are secured for all the women employed or—if the office
employs more than 500—for a representative group.
2. Supplementing this information, an interview is had with one
or more of the officials of the company on the trend of employment,
1
2
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
the use of machines, the effects of this mechanization on women's
employment, the hours of work, policies as to educational requirements, office training, promotions, age and marital status restrictions,
vacations, pensions and retirement, and special welfare activities that
affect women.
3. Questionnaires to be filled in by the women themselves are distributed to employment agencies, public and private, and business
girls' groups of the Young Women's Christian Association. From
these questionnaires, supplementary data regarding personal information, work experience, jobs and rates of pay, and unemployment during the past year will be secured. The material thus obtained should throw much light upon unemployment among women
clerical workers, as well as furnishing data on women employed in
offices other than those included in the study.
SCOPE OF PHILADELPHIA STUDY
In this short preliminary report, only the material obtained through
the business houses of Philadelphia, and not all of that, can be summarized. A total of 6,057 women employed in 44 firms are included.
Practically three-eighths (37.1 per cent) of these women were employed in insurance companies, 26.2 per cent were in public-utility
companies, 18.8 per cent in publishing firms, 15.7 per cent in banks,
and a small proportion (2.2 per cent) in investment houses.
OCCUPATION
Since one of the purposes of this study is to determine the effects
of mechanization of office work on women and their employment, the
tabulation of occupations has been made to group those that involve
operation of machines other than typewriters for so much of the time
that the girls are considered to be machine operators. Some of the
other occupations in which women are employed involve the
occasional use of such machines. (See Table 1.)
Only 11.2 per cent of the women in the Philadelphia survey were
engaged primarily in operating machines other than typewriters.
Roughly, the total of 6,057 may be grouped as follows: Machine
operators, 11.2 per cent; typists, 13.6 per cent; other specified (almost one-half stenographers, who comprised one in six of all the women
employed), 36 per cent; and clerks not specified, 39.1 per cent.
Of the machine operators, 341 (50.1 per cent) worked on bookkeeping and billing machines, the majority being in banks. It is
interesting here to compare the number employed as hand bookkeepers, 95, with the 341 who did such work on machines. This
contrast serves as an indication of the extent of displacement by the
introduction of these machines, a subject that will be discussed in
the full report of the survey. Calculating-machine operators numbered 147. Fewer than 200 women operated other types of machines.
Naturally, the use of machines is more general in some types of
office than in others. This is clear from the following:
3
OCCUPATION
Per cent distribution of—
Type of office
All women
All types
Banks
Investment houses,_.
Insurance companies
Public utilities
Publishers
1
Women machine
operators1
100. 0
100. 0
15. 7
39. 6
2. 2
37. 1
26. 2
18. 8
1. 6
24. 6
24. 6
9. 7
Excludes typists.
As a general rule, the introduction of machines appears not to
have resulted in the discharge of employees, though a few such
cases were reported in Philadelphia. The more usual effect was
said to be the transfer to other work of the employees no longer
needed. But the interview schedules bear repeated references to a
saving of labor, so it is almost certain that fewer additions to the
force have been required. Common practices are to take on operators
provided by the machine companies, and to send girls to such companies for training.
Rate and occupation.
In a study of office workers, the rates of pay reported are the best
indication of earnings received, and medians of the monthly rates
have been computed. (See Table 1.) The median of a given group
means that one-half of the group are paid at a higher rate and onehalf at a lower rate than the median specified.
Of the 6,057 women employed at office work, those having the
highest average monthly rates were the supervisors, with a median
of $151. Their range was from $70-$75 to $300-$350. None of
the 276 supervisors had monthly rates of less than $70; only 17 had
rates of less than $100; 11.6 per cent had rates of $200 or more.
Just over 40 per cent each were in the groups with monthly rates of
$100 and less than $150 and $150 and less than $200.
No
The second highest median was that of secretaries, $141.
secretary had a monthly rate of less than $75, and the same proportion as of supervisors had rates of $200 or more. Almost 51 per cent
were in the groups with rates of $100 and less than $150, and more
than 31 per cent had rates of $150 and less than $200. The range
was from $75-$80 to $300-$350.
T h e median of stenographers was $107, with a range of from
$50-$55 to $200~$250. About 7 per cent (6.8) of this group had rates
of less than $75 and only five women earned as much as $200. More
than one-half the stenographers had rates of $100 and less than $150.
The next highest median was that of the hand bookkeepers and
ledger clerks, $103; 11.6 per cent of these had monthly rates of less
than $75, and only two earned as much as $200. More than 40 per
cent had monthly rates of $100 and less than $150, the majority being
in the lower half of this combined class. The range was from less
than $50 to $250-$300.
107326°—32
-2
4
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
The median of the rates of telephone operators was $103, also with
a range from less than $50 to $170-8180. Practically all were experienced operators and only three earned less than $75. Fifty of the
total of 126 had rates of $100 and less than $120.^
The calculating-machine operators had a median of $100, with a
range from less than $50 to $170-$ 180. About one-eighth of these
earned less than $75; only one earned as much as $170. Nearly
one-half (47.6 per cent) had monthly rates of $100 and under $150.
For the 341 bookkeeping and billing-machine operators, the median
of the rates was $98. The range was from $55-$60 to $150-$160.
Only 6.7 per cent earned less than $75; none earned as much as
$160. More than one-third had monthly rates of $100 and under
$115.
Dictaphone and ediphone operators had a median of $96, the
range being from $60-$65 to S125-$130. One in four earned $110
and under $120.
Tabulating and key-punch operators had a median of $93. Nine
of the 88 had monthly rates of less than $75; only three-eighths
earned as much as $100. The range was from $55-$G0 to $150-$! 60.
Clerks not otherwise specified had a median of $92, the range
being from less than $50 to $250-$300. In this large group a very
small number earned less than $50. Almost three-fifths earned
less than $100; 18.7 per cent, $60 and under $70. More than 36 per
cent earned from $100 to $150.
For all typists, including those classified as clerk typists, the
median was $86. More than one-fourth had rates of less than $75
and more than seven-tenths had rates of less than $100. Only two
typists earned as much as $160. The range was from less than $50
to $170-$180.
The median for those operating addressing machines was $80, or
next to the lowest. The range of earnings was from less than $50
to $115-$120.
The median for file clerks was $76. For one woman a monthly rate
of less than $50 was reported, and for one a rate of as much as $170$180. As the location of the median indicates, well on toward onehalf (45.8 per cent) had monthly rates of less than $75. Fifteen
per cent earned $100 and under $130.
The range of monthly rates for the occupations with fewer than
50 women was from less than $50 to $300-$350. Medians have not
been computed for these.
A G E
Of the 5,660 women whose age was learned (see Table 2), less
than 1 per cent- (0.7) were under 18 and only 7.1 per cent were 18
and under 20. The largest group was the 35 per cent 20 and under
25 years of age, followed by the groups between this and 40 years.
Only 11.3 per cent were as much as 40, and less than 1 per cent had
reached the age of 60. In this connection employers were questioned
as to their policy in regard to age restrictions in taking on employees.
The great majority of replies were to the effect that young workers
were preferred, 34 or 35 years being the dead line in several cases.
This policy was explained most commonly by the statement that
promotion was within the office, and reference to Table 4 shows that
well over one-fifth of the women (22.4 per cent) had been 10 or more
years with the firm.
SCHOOLING
5
Rate and age.
Monthly rates of pay and medians of these rates have been correlated with the ages of the women. (See Table 2.) As the age
increases, the median increases from $67 for those 18 and under 20
to $129 for those 40 and under 50. For the age group 50 and under
60, the median is slightly lower than the maximum, or $127. Medians
have not been computed for those under 18 nor for those 60 or over,
due to the small number in each of these groups. Of the 40 girls
under 18 years, however, 17 (largely messenger and office girls)
were paid less than $50 a month and only 2 as much as $75. Of the
46 women of 60 years or more, only 3 were paid less than $80 and
24 received at least as much as $125.
It is interesting to note that of the small group as much as 60
years of age, as well as of the group 50 and under 60, larger proportions than of any younger group received at least $150 a month.
Of those with monthly rates of less than $50 whose ages were reported, about three-fourths were under 20 years of age. Practically
all the others were 20 and under 25. Only one was as much as 30.
All wiiose monthly rate was as much as $80 were at least 18; of those
whose rate was $100 or more, only three were under 20; of those whose
rate was $150 or more, only two were under 25.
Almost half of the women aged 20 and under 25 had monthly rates of
$75 and less than $100. Considerably more than half of those 25 and
under 30 had monthly rates of $100 and less than $150, and more than
three-fifths of those aged 30 and under 40 had a monthly rate within
this group. The same wage group was the most important also among
the women 40 and under 50 and 50 and under 60 years of age.
The proportion of those whose monthly rates were $150 or more
increased with age from one-tenth of 1 per cent of the women 20 and
under 25 to 35.4 per cent of those 50 and under 60 years of age. In
the next age group, those 60 years or more, like the group 40 and under
50, about 30 per cent received at least $150.
SCHOOLING
Of the 6,057 women included in the study, the extent of schooling
was reported for 4,368. (See Table 3.) Of these, only 1,241 (28.4
per cent) had received a business education in addition to other
schooling.
Only 244 women, 5.6 per cent, had had schooling above the highschool grades. For 77 this was normal school, for 87 university work
not completed, and for 80 a complete university course. For 600
women, about 14 per cent, schooling had extended only through the
grammar grades, supplemented in less than half of the cases by
business training.
Of the 1,241 with some additional business training, 21.4 per cent
had completed only grammar school, 28.4 per cent had completed
high school, and 46.4 per cent had attended high school but had not
completed it (or the time was not reported). A small number (3.9
per cent) had attended a university or normal school.
Of the 3,127 women with no business training, 10.7 per cent had
completed grammar school only and 42.6 per cent had completed
high school. A large number (40.4 per cent) had attended high school
6
WOMEN
OFFICE W O R K E R S
IN
PHILADELPHIA
but had not completed it (or the time attended was not known).
Almost equal proportions—2.1, 2, and 2.1 per cent, respectively—had
completed a university course, had attended a university but had not
finished the course (or the time the}- had attended was not reported),
or had attended a normal school.
Rate and schooling.
The median of the monthly rates of pay of the 4,368 women is $92,
equivalent to only $1,104 a year. It is highest for the 80 women
with complete university training, $108, followed by the 600 with
grammar-school education, $101.
The salary rates of 1,241 women reported as having a business
education have a median of $100, and those of the 3,127 with no
business education have a median of $90.
The fact that the median for the 265 with grammar-school graduation and business education is the highest of all except the medians
for the women who had completed a university course, and that the
335 grammar-school graduates without business training rank next,
may be explained by the fact that about one-half of the women in
these groups were 30 years of age or more. In fact, women of 30 years
or more, who constitute only 26 per cent of all whose age and schooling
are reported, were 49.1 per cent of those not going beyond the grammar schools. Probably the youngest in these groups had had 12 or 14
years of work experience, which would explain in part their higher
salaries. Another factor that must have an effect is that some of these
women completed grammar school during the war or immediately
following it, when there was a scarcity of workers, and for this reason
were able to secure better jobs than would have been available under
normal conditions. For the older women in this group, at the time
they completed grammar school the tendency to go on to high school
and take advantage of the opportunities offered was not so great as it
is at the present time.
The fact that the median for the women with high school complete
and not supplemented by business training is no higher than the median for those with high school incomplete and no business training,
each being $88, probably also is due to differences in age, since only 15.4
per cent of the former, in contrast to 23.8 per cent of the latter, were
as much as 30 years of age. Possibly the older women left school during the war, before completing their studies, tempted by the opportunities for employment.
The range of the monthly rates for this group of 4,368 women for
whom both education and monthly rate were reported was from less
than $50 to $350-$400. Almost one-fourth of the rates were under
$75, more than one-third were $75 but less than $100, about one-fourth
were $100 and less than $125, and less than one-tenth were $125 and
under $150. Only 197 women earned as much as $150 and under
$200, and only 41 earned $200 or more. The median was lowest, $82,
for the women employed in publishing, and it was highest, $112 and
$111, for those in investment houses and public utilities, respectively.
T I M E
W I T H
P R E S E N T
F I R M
For some of the workers the time with the present firm (see Table
4) represents the duration of their work history; for others, only part.
Less than one-tenth (8.7 per cent) of the 6,051 women for whom time
HOURS o r WORK
7
with present firm and monthly rate were reported had been there
less than one year. The relation of this fact to economic conditions
that have caused a reduction in the numbers of new employees taken
on can not be analyzed in this preliminary report.
More than one-eighth (13.4 per cent) had been with the present
firm 1 and less than 2 years, a slightly smaller proportion (12 per cent)
for 2 and less than 3 years, 8.5 and 8.6 per cent, respectively, for 3 and
less than 4 years and 4 and less than 5; 26.3 per cent had seen service
of 5 and less than 10 years, 15 per cent for 10 and less than 15, 3 per
cent for 15 and less than 20 years, and 4.4 per cent for 20 years or
longer.
Rate and time with present firm.
A steady increase in rate with length of service is indicated by the
medians, the figures advancing from $71, for those who had been
with the present firm less than 6 months, to $150, the median of the
rates of those who had been with the firm 20 years or more. (See
Table 4.)
From unpublished figures, details for the employment groups are
available. For the women in banks whose length of service was
reported, the median of the monthly rates ranged from $75 for those
who had been with the firm less than 6 months to $144 for those who
had been there 15 and less than 20 years. The increases in medians
are not continuous for this group as they are for the group as a whole.
On account of small numbers, medians have not been computed
for all the groups of women in investment houses, but those computed increase as the length of service increases. For the women
employed 1 and less than 2 years the median is $98, and for those
employed 10 and less than 15 years it is $136.
For the women in insurance offices the medians of the rates increase
as the length of service increases. The median for those with the
firm less than 6 months is $68, increasing to $154, the median for
those with the same firm 20 years or more.
The advance in median rates for those in public-utility companies
is continuous with the exception of one group. For those employed
less than six months the median is $81. For the next group in length
of service the median declines, but for each group after that it is
higher, until for those with one firm 20 years or more the median is
$159, the highest for any group in the five types of office.
In publishing houses there was a slight decrease—from $68 to $63—
in the medians of the first two service groups, but from there on the
median increases until for those with the firm 20 years or more it
is $134.
H O U R S
OF
W O R K
The scheduled daily and weekly hours reported for the office
workers in Philadelphia were not long. (See Table 5.)
About one-fifth (18.6 per cent) of the women included in the study
had scheduled daily hours of less than 7. None were less than 6%.
One-fifth of the women (20.5 per cent) had a 7-hour day, 15.4 per
cent had one of more than 7 and less than 1){ hours, and the largest
group (28.7 per cent) had a day of 7% hours. About one-seventh
(14.3 per cent) had daily hours of more than 7% and less than 8. An
8-hour day was the maximum schedule, reported for only 2.4 per cent
of the women.
8
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
Saturday hours varied from 3 to 5. Almost one-fourth (22.6 per
cent) of the women had a schedule on Saturday of 3 hours, 48 per cent
had one of more than 3 but less than 4 hours, 9.7 per cent had 4 hours,
17 per cent had between 4 and 5, and 2.7 per cent had a Saturday of
5 hours.
Of the 44 firms included, 1 had scheduled weekly hours of less than
35. This was an investment company from which 38 women were
included in the study. Twenty of the 44 firms had scheduled weekly
hours of 36 but less than 40, and 22 had a week of 40 and less than
45 hours. Only 1 firm had a week as long as 45 hours.
Each type of office had its dominating practice as to hours. In
insurance, 48.4 per cent of the women had a day of less than 7 hours
and a week of 36 and under 38; in investments, 72.1 per cent had a
day of 7 hours and 52.9 per cent had a week of 38 and under 39; in
banking, 42.6 per cent had a 7-hour day and a week of 38 and under
39 hours; in publishing, 72.4 per cent had a day of 7% hours and 50
per cent had a week of 41 hours; and in public utilities, 49.6 per cent
had a day of over 7% and under 8 hours and 38.5 per cent had a week
of over 41 and under 43 hours. Thus insurance companies, with
about 42 per cent more employees than any other group, had the shortest hours, followed, in the order named, by investment houses, banks,
publishing houses, and public utilities.
COMPENSATION IN ADDITION TO WAGES
Of the 44 firms included in the study, 14 reported giving some compensation in addition to the monthly salary. One of these gave a
service bonus only to employees who had been a specified number of
years with the firm. The extra compensation by the 14 firms was as
follows: Bonus only, 7 firms, 629 women; daily luncheon only, 4 firms,
1,181 women; and both bonus and luncheon, 3 firms, 398 women.
Four of the 8 banks gave additional compensation, in 3 cases
luncheon and bonus, and in 1 only a bonus. The bonuses were of
two kinds, a specific cash bonus and a percentage bonus on year's
earnings.
In 7 of the 16 insurance companies some additional compensation
was given; 4 gave a daily luncheon only and 3 gave a bonus. One
firm gave 12 to 20 per cent of the year's earnings, another gave sums
varying from $2.50 to $50, and the third did not report its practice.
In one of these cases the bonus applied only to employees who had
been with the firm a specified number of years.
No investment houses included in the study gave a bonus of any
kind.
Of the public-utility concerns, two reported giving additional compensation, one in the form of a profit-sharing bonus and the other a
stock bonus.
Only 1 of the 10 publishing houses gave anything in the form of
additional compensation. This was a Christinas gift, the amount
not reported.
APPENDIX—TABLES
9
TABLE
1.-—Number of women employed and median and range of monthly salaries, by occupation
Total..
Secretary
Stenographer
Typist:
Clerk-typist
Dictaphone
or
ediphone transcriber.
Other
Correspondent
File clerk
Hand bookkeeper; ledger
clerk.
Cashier; teller
Clerk, n. o. s__
Operator of—
Bookkeeping or billing
machine.
Calculating machine..
Tabulating
or
keypunch machine.
Addressing machine
Duplicating machine...
Machine, n. o. s
Telephone operator
Messenger; office girl
Supervisor
Other
Monthly salaries
Women
Number
Per
cent
Median
6, 057
100.0
$98
Less than $50 to $300-$350.__
266
1,010
4.4
16.7
141
107
$75-$80 to $300~$350_.
$50-$55 to $200-$250~
95
106
623
32
273
95
33
2,370
1.6
1.8
10.3
4.5
1.6
39. 1
71
20
13
126
27
276
45
2.4
1.5
1.2
.3
.2
2.1
.4
4.6
.7
Number
66
170
Per
cent
7.0
17.9
Median
Range
$101
Less than $50 to $300-$350.
150
100
$75-$80 to $200~$250_.
$55-$60 to $170-$180_.
91
96
Less than $50 to $160-$170_
$60-$65 to $125-$ 130
$90-$95 to $160-$170_.
$90-$95 to $125-$130_.
(0
86
Less than
$65-$70 to
Less than
Less than
$50-$55 to $170-$180_.
(0
$50-$55 to $250-$300
Less than $50 to $250-$300_
11
232
24.5
$55~$60 to $150-$ 160
189
19.9
69
7.3
76
103
92
5.6
147
88
Range
Monthly salaries
Women
100
93
80
0)
0)
103
(0
151
0)
$50 to $170-$180.
$200-$250
$50 to $170-$180_
$50 to $250-$300.
Less than $50 to $170-$180.
$55-$60 to $150-$ 160
Less than
$50-$55 to
Less than
Less than
Less than
$70-$75 to
Less than
$50 to $115-$120_
$145-$150
$50 to $110—$115_
$50 to $170-$180.
$50 to $100-$105_
$300-$350
$50 to $300-$350.
$50-$55 to $150-$160
$90-$95 to $115~$120
4.2
.6
1.2
0)
101
$50-$55 to $200-$250_.
$50-$55 to $200-$250_.
Monthly salaries
Women
Number
Per
cent
Median
$112
37
5.9
27.2
Range
$50-$55 to $200-$250.
$105—$110 to $200-$250.
$50-$55 to $160-$170.
$110-$115.
$50-$55 to $125-$ 130.
5.9
2.2
.7
25.7
$55-$60 to $130-$135
88
O
Investment houses (4)
Banks (8)
Total (44)
Occupation
and type of office
$75-$80 to $110-$ 115.
$70-$75 to $150-$160.
$160-$170.
Less than $50 to $100-$105.
$145-$150
3.3
.2
1.9
$70-$75 to $170-$ 180
$60-$65 to $100-$105
$100-$ 105 to $300-$350_.
H
O
2
o
w
o
w
w
w
w
CD
$65-$70 to $200-$250.
t-H
$95-$100 to $150-$160.
•d
w
t-H
J
>H
Less than $50 to $135-$ 140.
1.1
.1
3
O
g
1.5
.7
$110—$115.
$125-$130.
6.6
$95-$100 to $135-$140.
2.2
$105-$110 to $170-$ 180.
o
w1
t^
w
Insurance companies (16)
Women
Occupation
Total .
Monthly salaries
Public utilities (6)
Women
Number
Per
cent
Median
2, 250
100.0
$93
Less than $50 to $300-$350-__ 1, 586
112
367
5.0
16.3
130
101
$75-$80 to $300-$350_.
$55~$G0 to $200-$250_.
Secretary
Stenographer—
Typist:
Clerk typist
Dictaphone
or
ediphone transcriber.
Other
Correspondent
File clerk
Hand bookkeeper; ledger
clerk.
Cashier; teller
Clerk, n. o. s___
Operator of—
Bookkeeping 01* billing
machine.
Calculating machine
Tabulating
or keypunch machine.
Addressing machine—
D uplicating machineMachine, n. o. s
Telephone operator
Messenger; office girl
Supervisor
Other.
50
70
326
6
182
41
2.2
82
0)
8.1 74
1.8 0)
.3
0)
34.7
2.7
3.2
34
306
0)
91
0)
0)
1.5
0)
. 1 0)
3.9
152
.9
0)
$50-$55 to $135-$140
$100-$ 105 to $160-$170_.
$50-$55 to $125-$130____
$65-$70 to $170-$ 180
Per
cent
$111
19.3
46.8
$60-$65 to $150-$160__.
4.0
$75-$80 to $150-$160_.
$55-$60 to $140-$145_.
3.5
.8
$55-$60 to $105-$110_.
$50-$55 to $105-$110_.
$75-$80
$65-$70
$85-$90
$85-$90
to
to
to
to
$160-$170_.
$75-$80
$250-$300_.
$300-$350_.
4
45
4
103
Median
2.1 0)
1.3
.4
$105-$ 110 to $250-$300
Less than $50 to $250-$300.
1 Median not computed for fewer than 50 cases.
N . 0. s., not otherwise specified.
Number
$60-$65 to $145-$150_.
$60-$65 to $115-$120_.
3.1
14.5
.3
Range
Monthly salaries
1.4
.6
.3
2.8
.3
6.5
.5
Range
$50-$55 to $250-$300
Publishers (10)
Women
Number
Per
cent
Median
1,137
100.0
$82
46
130
4.0
11.4
0)
105
$80-$85 to $300-$350.
$60-$65 to $200-$250.
2.4
0)
0)
Less than $50 to $12Q-$125.
$65-$70 to $125-$ 130.
123
$125-$ 130 to $250-$300_.
$65-$70 to $200-$250—.
0)
0)
$85-$90 to $120-$125_.
$110-$115
27
20
101
$60~$65 to $160-$160„
70
26
23
38
0)
0)
(9
106
$65-$70 to $170-$ 180
$130-$135 to $200-$250_.
$75-$80 to $160~$170_.
$50~$55 to $200-$250_.
$70-$75 to $130-$135
107
$65-$70 to $170-$180—.
$ 8 M 9 0 to $150~$160__„
0)
$65-$70 to $U5-$120_„
$66-$70 to $120-$125
$75-$80 to $11Q-$.115__.
$70-$75 to $120-$125__.
$60-$65 to $65~$70
$9£-$100 to $250-$300_.
$95-$ 100 to $200-$250_.
0)
0)
0)
0)
0)
160
0)
Monthly salaries
3
580
1.8
6.2
2.3
2.0
3.3
.3
51.0
74
(0
(0
0)
0)
73
0)
^
(0
2.2 p
.4
0)
p
.8
.7
0)
1.6 0)
5.7
134
1.5
<0
.4
.2
Range
Less than $50 to $300~$350.
Less than
$65-$70 to
Less than
Less than
$50 to $130-$135.
$200-$250.
$50 to $85-$90.
$50 to $250-$300.
$105-$ 110 to $190-$200.
Less than $50 to $200-$250.
$65-$70 to $105-$110.
$50-$55 to $90-$95.
$60-$65 to $65-$70.
$60-$65 to $95-$ 100.
$55~$60 to $115-$ 120.
Less than $50 to $95-$ 100.
Less than $50 to $100~$105.
Less than $50.
$70-$75 to $200-$250.
Less than $50 to $180-$190.
d
1 2
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
TABLE 2.—Monthly salary, by age
All women
Monthly salary
Total
Per r-ent distribution _
Median 1
_ -
:
_
.
Less than $50..
$50 and less than $75
$75 and less than $100
$100 and less than $125
$125 and less than $150
$150 and less than $200
$200 and less than $250.
$250 and over
Monthly salary
Total
Per cent distribution
Median 1
_ - >
Less than $50
$50 and less than $75
$75 and less than $100
$100 and less than $125
$125 and less than $150
$150 and less than $200
$200 and less than $250
$250 and over...
i
1
!
1
!
!
'
1
Number
Per cent
6,057
. __
$98
100.0
42
1, 148
1,950
1,708
686
422
79
22
5, 660
100.0
$98
Under
18 years
18 and
under
20 years
40
0.7
404
7.1
$67
1,979
35.0
$82
13
314
74
3
10
631
935
373
28
2
(2)
19! 0
32.2
28.2
11.2
7.0
1.3
.4
41
1,082
1,806
1, 699
646
390
75
21
17
21
2
25 and
30 and
under 1 under
30 years j 40 years
40 and
under
50 years
50 and
under
60 years
435
7. 7
$129
158
2.8
$127
13
59
122
111
91
32
7
7
18
48
29
36
13
7
1, 339
23.7
$104
69
465
574
169
61
i Computed on salary distribution in $5 groups.
1 Median not computed for fewer than 50 cases.
i Women
with age
reported
1
1,259
22.2
$119
1
1 I
25
242
470
299
188
29
5
20 and
under
25 years
60 years Age not
and over reported
46
0.8
397
(2)
2
11
9
10
12
1
1
1
66
144
109
40
32
4
1
APPENDIX—TABLES
13
TABLE 3.—Median and range of salaries, by extent of schooling
Women with schooling reported
Extent of schooling
Monthly salaries
Number Per cent
Median
Total
-
Range
6,057
Total reported
4,368
100.0
$92
Less than $50 to $350-$400.
Grammar school-.
High school complete
High school incomplete or time not reported _ University complete
University incomplete or time not reported
Normal
_
600
1, 684
1, 840
80
87
77
13.7
38.6
42.1
1.8
2.0
1.8
101
90
90
108
96
89
Less than $50 to $250-$300.
Less than $50 to $250-$300.
Less than $50 to $300-$350.
$60-$65 to $300~$350.
$60-$65 to $300~$350.
$50-$55 to $350-$400.
Not reported
1,689
Women who reported attending "business college"
Total reported
Grammar school
High school complete
High school incomplete or time not reported _ _
University complete
University incomplete or time not reported...
Normal
1, 241
100.0
$100
265
352
576
14
23
11
21.4
28.4
46.4
1.1
1.9
.9
104
99
96
0)
<9
0)
Less than $50 to $300-$350.
Less than
$50-$55 to
Less than
$60-$65 to
$60-$65 to
$60-$65 to
$50 to $250-$300.
$200-$250.
$50 to $300-$350.
$190-$200.
$200-$250.
$160-$170.
Women who did not report attending "business college"
Total reported
3,127
100.0
$90
Less than $50 to $350-$400.
Grammar school
High school complete
High school incomplete or time not reported __
University complete
. _ _ ..
University incomplete or time not reported...
Normal
.
..
335
1,332
1, 264
66
64
66
10.7
42.6
40.4
2.1
2.0
2.1
100
88
88
109
92
87
Less than
Less than
Less than
$60-$65 to
$60-$65 to
$50-$55 to
1
$50 to $250-$300.
$50 to $250-$300.
$50 to $250-$300.
$300-$350.
$300-$350.
$350-$400.
Median not computed for fewer than 50 cases.
TABLE 4.—Median and range of salaries, by time with present firm
Women
Monthly salaries
Time with present firm
Number Percent Median
Total
Range
6,057
Total reported
6,051
100.0
$98
Less than $50 to $300-$350.
Less than 6 months
6 months and less than 1 year...
1 and less than 2 years
2 and less than 3 years
3 and less than 4 vears
4 and less than 5 years
5 and less than 10 years
10 and less than 15 years
15 and less than 20 years
20 years and over
197
332
810
726
516
522
1,591
906
184
267
3.3
5.5
13.4
12.0
8.5
8.6
26.3
15.0
3.0
4.4
71
72
74
81
90
95
106
121
145
150
Less than $50 to $300-$350.
Less than $50 to $200-$250.
Less than $50 to $160-$170.
Less than $50 to $180-$190.
Less than $50 to $200-$250.
Less than $50 to $200-$250.
$50-$55 to $300-$350.
$50-$55 to $300-$350.
$60-$65 to $300-$350.
$60-$65 to $250-$300.
Not reported
8
!
14
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
TABLE 5.—Scheduled hours, by type of office
Banks
All offices
Scheduled hours
!
Number of
firms
44
Total..
Women employed
Number Per cent
100.0
6,057
Number of
firms
Insurance companies
Women employed
Number Per cent
Number of
firms
Women employed
Number Per cent
948
100.0
16
2,250
100.0
3
2
2
404
269
223
42.6
28.4
23.5
4
5
5
2
1,089
452
583
126
48.4
20.1
25.9
5.6
1
52
5.5
404
42. €
28.4
23.5
5.5
4
7
4
<1
712
847
48.4
81.6
15.4
4.6
8
DAILY HOURS
Under 7
7
Over 7 and under 7
7H
Over 7M and under 8.
5
14
9
10
3
3
1, 127
1, 243
933
1, 739
868
147
18.6
20.5
15.4
28.7
14.3
2.4
W E E K L Y HOURS
Under 35
36 and under
38 and under
40 and under
42 and under
44 and 45
1
4
16
12
8
3
38...
40
42
44
38
1,089
1,503
1,857
1,423
147
0.6
18.0
24.8
30.7
23.5
2.4
Investment houses
Scheduled hours
Total
Number of
firms
4
Women employed
Number Per cent
136
100.0
DAILY
88
08
Under 7 L
7
Over 7 and under 7H-
23
t2
<2
*1
223
52
Public utilities
Number of
firms
Number Per cent
1,586
7H
Over 7H and under 8.
Under 35
36 and under
38 and under
40 and under
42 and under
44 and 45
38.
40
42
44
1
38
27.9
8
98
72.1
i None less than 6M hours.
188 and under 39 hours.
* 41 and under 42 hours.
100.0
Number of
firms
Women employed
Number Per cent
10
1,137
100.0
6.0
7.1
72.4
HOURS
27.9
72.1
WEEKLY
Publishers
Women employed
6
102
232
14.6
57
567
787
85.8
49.6
823
81
95
232
478
876
14.6
80.1
65.2
81
1:1
HOURS
>2
>1
8
>1
5
4 2
•2
* 42 and under 43 hours.
45 hours.
* 44 hours.
1
57
763
222
95
6.4
67.1
19.6
.8.4
PUBLICATIONS OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU
[Any of these bulletins still available will be sent free of charge upon request}
*No.
*No.
No.
No.
*No.
No.
No.
*No.
*No.
*No.
No.
*No.
*No.
*No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
*No.
No.
*No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
1. Proposed Employment of Women During the War in the Industries
of Niagara Falls, N. Y . 18 pp. 1918.
2. Labor Laws for Women in Industry in Indiana. 29 pp. 1919.
3. Standards for the Employment of Women in Industry. 8 pp. Fourth
ed., 1928.
4. Wages of Candv Makers in Philadelphia in 1919. 46 pp. 1919.
5. The Eight-Hour Day in Federal and State Legislation. 19 pp. 1919.
6. The Employment of Women in Hazardous Industries in the United
States. 8 pp. 1921.
7. Night-Work Laws in the United States. (1919.) 4 pp. 1920.
8. Women in the Government Service. 37 pp. 1920.
9. Home Work in Bridgeport, Conn. 35 pp. 1920.
10. Hours and Conditions of Work for Women in Industry in Virginia. 32
pp. 1920.
11. Women Street Car Conductors and Ticket Agents. 90 pp. 1921.
12. The New Position of Women in American Industry. 158 pp. 1920.
13. Industrial Opportunities and Training for Women and Girls. 48 pp.
1921.
14. A Physiological Basis for the Shorter Working Dav for Women. 20
pp. 1921.
15. Some Effects of Legislation Limiting Hours of Work for Women. 26
pp. 1921.
16. (See Bulletin 98.)
17. Women's Wages in Kansas. 104 pp. 1921.
18. Health Problems of Women in Industry. 6 pp. Revised, 1931;
19. Iowa Women in Industry. 73 pp. 1922.
20. Negro Women in Industry. 65 pp. 1922.
21. Women in Rhode Island Industries. 73 pp. 1922.
22. Women in Georgia Industries. 89 pp. 1922.
23. The Family Status of Breadwinning Women. 43 pp. 1922.
24. Women in Maryland Industries. 96 pp. 1922.
25. Women in the Candy Industry in Chicago and St. Louis. 72 pp. 1923.
26. Women in Arkansas Industries. 86 pp. 1923.
27. The Occupational Progress of Women. 37 pp. 1922.
28. Women's Contributions in the Field of Invention. 51 pp. 1923.
29. Women in Kentucky Industries. 114 pp. 1923.
30. The Share of Wage-Earning Women in Family Support. 170 pp.
1923.
31. What Industry Means to Women Workers. 10 pp. 1923.
32. Women in South Carolina Industries. 128 pp. 1923.
3$. Proceedings of the Women's Industrial Conference. 190 pp. 1923.
34. Women in Alabama Industries. 86 pp. 1924.
35. Women in Missouri Industries. 127 pp. 1924.
36. Radio Talks on Women in Industry. 34 pp. 1924.
37. Women in New Jersey Industries. " 99 pp. 1924.
38. Married Women in Industry. 8 pp. 1924.
39. Domestic Workers and Their Employment Relations. 87 pp. 1924.
40. (See Bulletin 98.)
41. Family Status of Breadwinning Women in Four Selected Cities. 145
pp. 1925.
42. List of References on Minimum Wage for Women in the United States
and Canada. 42 pp. 1925.
43. Standard and Scheduled Hours of Work for Women in Industry. 68
pp. 1925.
44. Women in Ohio Industries. 137 pp. 1925.
45. Home Environment and Employment Opportunities of Women in
Coal-Mine Workers' Families. 61 pp. 1925.
* Supply exhausted.
15
16
WOMEN
OFFICE
WORKERS
IN
PHILADELPHIA
No. 46. Facts about Working Women—A Graphic Presentation Based on Census Statistics. 64 pp. 1925.
No. 47. Women in the Fruit-Growing and Canning Industries in the State of
Washington. 223 pp. 1926.
*No. 48. Women in Oklahoma Industries. 118 pp. 1926.
No. 49. Women Workers and Family Support. 10 pp. 1925.
No. 50. Effects of Applied Research upon the Emplo} T ment Opportunities of
American Women. 54 pp. 1926.
No. 51. Women in Illinois Industries. 108 pp. 1926.
No. 52. Lost Time and Labor Turnover in Cotton Mills. 203 pp. 1926.
No. 53. The Status of Women in the Government Service in 1925. 103 pp.
1926.
No. 54. Changing Jobs. 12 pp. 1926.
No. 55. Women in Mississippi Industries. 89 pp. 1926.
No. 56. Women in Tennessee Industries. 120 pp. 1927.
No. 57. Women Workers and Industrial Poisons. 5 pp. 1926.
No. 58. Women in Delaware Industries. 156 pp. 1927.
No. 59. Short Talks About Working Women. 24 pp. 1927.
No. 60. Industrial Accidents to Women in New Jersey, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
316 pp. 1927.
No. 61. The Development of Minimum-Wage Laws in the United States, 1912
to 1927. 635 pp. 1928.
No. 62. Women's Emplovment in Vegetable Canneries in Delaware. 47 pp.
1927.
No. 63. (See Bulletin 98.)
No. 64. The Employment of Women at Night. 86 pp. 1928.
*No. 65. The Effects of Labor Legislation on the Emplovment Opportunities of
Women. 498 pp. 1928.
No. 66-1. History of Labor Legislation for Women in Three States. 133 pp.
1929. (Separated from No. 66-11 in reprint, 1932.)
No. 66.-II. Chronological Development of Labor Legislation for Women in the
United States. 145 pp. 1929. (Separated from No. 66-1
in 1932. In press.)
No. 67. Women Workers in Flint, Mich. 80 pp. 1929.
No. 68. Summary: The Effects of Labor Legislation on the Employment
Opportunities of Women. (Reprint of Chapter II of Bulletin 65.)
22 pp. 1928.
No. 69. Causes of Absence for Men and for Women in Four Cotton Mills. 24
pp. 1929.
No. 70. Negro Women in Industry in 15 States. 74 pp. 1929.
No. 71. Selected References on the Health of Women in Industry. 8 pp. 1929.
No. 72. Conditions of Work in Spin Rooms. 41 pp. 1929.
No. 73. Variations in Emplovment Trends of Women and Men. 143 pp.
1930.
No. 74. The Immigrant Woman and Her Job. 179 pp. 1930.
No. 75. What the Wage-Earning Woman Contributes to Family Support.
21 pp. 1929.
No. 76. Women in 5-and-10-cent Stores and Limited-Price Chain Department
Stores. 58 pp. 1930.
No. 77. A Study of Two Groups of Denver Married Women Applying for Jobs.
11 pp. 1929.
No. 78. A Survey of Laundries and Their Women Workers in 23 Cities. 166
pp. 1930.
No. 79. Industrial Home Work. 20 pp. 1930.
No. 80. Women in Florida Industries. 115 pp. 1930.
No. 81. Industrial Accidents to Men and Women. 48 pp. 1930.
No. 82. The Employment of Women in the Pineapple Canneries of Hawaii.
30 pp. 1930.
No. 83. Fluctuation of Employment in the Radio Industry. 66 pp. 1931.
No. 84. Fact Finding with the Women's Bureau. 37 pp. 1931.
No. 85. Wages of Women in 13 States. 213 pp. 1931.
No. 86. Activities of the Women's Bureau of the United States. 15 pp. 1931.
No. 87. Sanitary Drinking Facilities, with Special Reference to Drinking
Fountains. 28 pp. 1931.
* Supply exhausted.
PUBLICATIONS OP THE WOMEN'S
BUREAU
17
No. 88. The Employment of Women in Slaughtering and Meat Packing.
211 pp. 1932.
No. 89. The Industrial Experience of Women Workers at the Summer Schools,
1928 to 1930. 62 pp. 1931.
No. 90. Oregon Legislation for Women in Industry. 40 pp. 1931.
No. 91. Women in Industry. A Series of Papers to Aid Study Groups. 79
pp.
1931.
No. 92. Wage-Earning Women and the Industrial Conditions of 1930. A
Survey of South Bend. 84 pp. 1932.
No. 93. Household Employment in Philadelphia. 88 pp. 1932.
No. 94.
No. 95. Bookkeepers, Stenographers, and Office Clerks in Ohio, 1914 to 1929.
(In press.)
No. 96. Women Office Workers in Philadelphia. 17 pp. 1932.
No. 97. The Employment of Women in the Sewing Trades of Connecticut.
Preliminary Report. 13 pp. 1932.
No. 98. Labor Laws for Women in the States and Territories. A Revision of
Bulletin 63. (In press.)
Pamphlet—Women's Place in Industry in 10 Southern States. 14 pp. 1931.
Annual Reports of the Director, 1919*, 1920*, 1921*, 1922, 1923, 1924*. 1925,
1926, 1927*, 1928*, 1929*, 1930* 1931.
* Supply exhausted.
O
@FedFRASER