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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary

WOMEN’S BUREAU
MARY ANDERSON, Director

ECONOMIC STATUS
OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
IN THE U. S. A.
REPORT OF THE
Committee on Economic and Legal Status of Women
American Association of JJniversity Ifo men
in cooperation with the Women’s Bureau
United States Department of Labor
By
SUSAN M. KINGSBURY, Ph. D.

$«rcs a*,

Bulletin

of the

Women’s Bureau,

No. 170

UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1939

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.




Price 15 cents




I

CONTENTS
Cover: Front, A Woman’s College.
Back, Department of Labor Building, Washington.
Letter of transmittal_____________________________________________
I. The representative character of the study__________________
1
Returns from members by district_
Colleges and universities represented____ _____________ _____
II. Summary and conclusions~
Representative character of the study_________________
5
Advanced and professional preparation________________
5
Age and marital status~
Occupation and changes, 1925-35g
Unemployment, 1925-35____3
Earnings and the depression__________
~
Responsibility for dependents___________________________ 8
Discriminations reported~
III. Educational preparation of women studied___________
Advanced degrees and training9
Institutions at which prepared~~~
Age and advanced training
Interval between A. B. and advanced degrees________________
IV. Age and marital status of women reporting _ _
Age-------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.IIII..I
Marital status
14
V. Employment, major job in 1934, and unemployment______________
Type of employment
17
Teachers and executives in education
18
Occupations other than in education
Unemployment____________________________________
Length of experience
20
VI. Occupation and training
22
Occupations other than education__________________
Education____________ __________________________ " _ ___ * *
Change in occupation, 1925-35~
~
Reasons for leaving jobs________________________________ _
VII. Highest salaries received, 1925-35, and earnings in 1934-.II_III_I.
Age and experience and earnings in 1934
__
Highest salary, 1925 to 1935, and training __
Highest salary, 1925 to 1935, and occupation_________________
In education
32
In occupations other than education____________________
Effect of the depression
35
Ten-percent increase or decrease in 10-year period related to age.
Fluctuation related to advanced degree
36
VIII. Dependents supported, fully and partially
38
Number of dependents and degree of dependency_____________
Responsibility of married women
39
Responsibility of single women
39
Income of women responsible for dependents_________________




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IV

CONTENTS
Page

IX. Discrimination women have suffered and the causes assigned______
Causes and results of discrimination
42
Discrimination because of sex
43
Discrimination because of marital status
44
Discrimination because of advanced age
45
Discrimination because of youth
46
Summary
48

42

TEXT TABLES
I. Membership of the Association and returns received from mem­
bers, related to district----------------------------------------------------II. Membership of the Association and returns from the members
that were used, related to district--------------------------------------III. Educational preparation of women studied-----------------------------IV. Training beyond the bachelor’s degree, related to age---------------V. Age and marital status of members---------------------------------------VI. Employment and unemployment, related to marital status_____
VII. Occupation other than educational, related to advanced training.
VIII. Type of position in educational work (major job, 1934), related to
higher degree
24
IX. Reasons for leaving jobs, related to marital status_____________
X. Earnings in 1934, related to age-------------------------------------------XI. Highest salary received by doctors, 1925-35---------------------------XII. Highest salary received, 1925-35, related to degree and training,
except doctors______________________________________ ____
XIII. Highest salary in 1925-35 reported by members, related to occupa­
tions in education-----------------------------------------------------------XIV. Highest salary in 1925-35 reported in occupations other than
education
34
XV. Fluctuation in salary, 1925-35, related to age-------------------------XVI. Fluctuation in salary of doctors, 1925-35---------------------------------XVII. Fluctuation in salary, 1925-35, related to training (doctors
excepted)
37
XVIII. Responsibility of members for support of own children in 1934,
related to age of children---------------------------------XIX. Responsibility for dependents in 1934, related to marital status..
XX. Causes of discrimination, 1929-35, related to persons and the
instances cited
42
XXI. Discrimination because of sex, 1929-35, and its results, related
to employment, December 31, 1934------------------------------------XXII. Discrimination because of marital status, 1929-35, and its results,
related to employment, December 31, 1934_________________

2
3
10
12
16
21
22
27
29
30
31
33
36
36

40
40

43
45

GRAPHS
Map: Distribution of membership and of returns used, by district.. Frontispiece
Educational preparation
10
Age and marital status
15
Highest salary received, 1925-35
31
Bachelors and masters.
Doctors.
40
Dependents and marital status of women.




CONTENTS

V

APPENDIX
A. Questionnaire on Economic Status of University Women
Table
'
I. Coflege^and Universities from which respondents received graduate
II. Unemployment, December 31, 1934, related to occupation and reason for
leaving last 30b.
III. Unemployment December 31, 1934, related to years of experience.
IV. 0e.cur>at,ona1tChaiige3 related to education—M. A. and additional trainOccupation of last job, related to marital status.
VI. Earnings in education in 1934.
A. Teachers, executive.
B. Teachers, not executive.
VTir
?f members in occupations other than education in 1934.
Vill. Marital status and living arrangements of women, related to number of
their dependents in 1934.
IX. Salary of women, related to number of their dependents in 1934.
X' Dli 92.^0^935 1929~35, and its results’ related to change in occupation,
A. Because of sex.
B. Because of marital status.
XI. Discrinnnation, 1929-35, and its results, related to employment, December
A. Because of advanced age.
B. Because of youth.
XII. Discrimination, 1929-35, and its results, related to change in occupation,
A. Because of advanced age.
Y
. B. Because of youth.
XIII. Di^crmiiimtiom 1929-35, because of youth, and its results, related to age,







LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
United States Department op Labor,
Women’s Bureau,

Washington, April 5, 1939.
Madam: I have the honor to transmit to you a report on the Eco­
nomic Status of University Women in the United States of America,
based on a cooperative study by the American Association of Universxty Women and the Women’s Bureau.
The data, assembled from 8,796 questionnaires returned by the
Association s gainfully-employed members, relate education and train­
ing to occupation and salary and give important information conyouth^ ^lscnmmatl0ns on account of sex, marital status, age or
The schedules and tables were planned by the A. A. U. W Com­
mittee on the Economic and Legal Status of Women and the Women’s
Bureau. The editing of the schedules and the tabulating of the basic
data were done by the Women’s Bureau. The report has been written
by Susan M._ Kingsbury, chairman of the Committee from 1934 to
the present time. Dr'. Kingsbury was assisted in drafting and computmg the derived tables by Dr. Isabel Janet Blain and Dr. Anne
Hendry Morrison.
Respectfully submitted.
tt
^
xx
Mary Anderson, Director.
Hon. trances Perkins,
Secretary of Labor.




vn

DISTRIBUTION OF MEMBERSHIP AND OF RETURNS USED,
BY DISTRICT

NORTH PACIFIC
NORTHWEST CENTRAL
NORTHEAST
C CENTRAL
rN0RTH
ATLANTIC

SOUTH PACIFIC
ROCKY MOUNTAIN

‘SOUTHEAST
CENTRAL

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL

MEMBERSHIP
RETURNS USED

I Opr
Black Bar Shows Percent of Total Members in U.S.A.
White Bar Shows Percent of Used Returns From
Members in U. S.A.




SCALE - 10 PERCENT

'SOUTH
ATLANTIC

Economic Status of University Women in
the U. S. A.
I. THE REPRESENTATIVE CHARACTER OF THE
STUDY
That the opportunities for women who have received a bachelor’s
degree or additional advanced preparation have been modified mate­
rially in the past 25 years is a matter of common knowledge. Widen­
ing employment during the World War and in periods of prosperity
between 1919 and 1929 and restricted opportunities due to periods of
depression in 1921 and between 1930 and 1935 certainly took place.
But how the economic status of university women was affected is not
known definitely nor what has been the actual trend.
It is for the purpose of discovering the “changing economic status
and occupational opportunities and the responsibility for dependents
of women in professions and business as revealed during the course
of the depression” that this report is presented. As expressed in the
questionnaire, the American Association of University Women,through
its Committee on the Economic and Legal Status of Women, and the
Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor undertook
a study of the members of the association who, in January 1935, were
“employed,” were “in business” for themselves, or “under usual
opportunities probably would be employed.”
The committee members were Elizabeth Brandeis, Sophonisba
Breckinridge, Lillian M. Gilbreth, Pauline Goldmark, Dorothy
Kenyon, Iva L. Peters, Kathryn McHale, ex officio, and Susan M.
Kingsbury, chairman. Mary Anderson, Director of the Women’s
Bureau, United States Department of Labor, cooperated with the
committee throughout the study.
Questionnaires prepared by the Committee and the Women’s Bureau
and printed by the Women’s Bureau were sent by the Bureau to all
Branches of the Association with the request that they should be given
to their members who would be concerned, and the members were
requested to return the questionnaire, unsigned, to the chairman of
the branch. They were sent then to the Women’s Bureau in Wash­
ington. The chairman and other members of the committee in cooper­
ation with the Bureau planned for the tabulation of the returns, and
140620°—39------- 2
1




2

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

accordingly the Bureau began its work, completing by the spring of
1937 the 84 tables that form the basis of this report.1 Dr. Isabel
Janet Blain and Dr. Anne Hendry Morrison assisted the writer of the
report in drafting and computing the derivative tables.
RETURNS FROM MEMBERS, BY DISTRICT

Ten thousand one hundred and seventy-nine members of the asso­
ciation responded to the request. Thus, 26 percent of the 39,110
women who at that time were members submitted information. The
representative character of the sample is as satisfactory as its size.
Of the nine A. A. U. W. districts, covering the United States, the
Northwest Central district and the North Pacific district returned
the maximum proportion of their membership, or 29 percent each, and
the North Atlantic, the minimum, or 22 percent.2 Also the proportion
of women submitting in each district data that could be used follows
closely the proportion of total membership in each district. That is,
in general, where the proportion of total membership is greatest, so is
the proportion of used returns. However, the largest number of
schedules used were from the Northeast Central area, 2,087, or 24
percent, and the second largest number from the North Atlantic
section, 1,725, or 20 percent. It may be significant that six of the
so-called “Seven Women’s Colleges” are located in the North Atlantic
district and that the oldest coeducational institutions are in the
Northeast Central area. These areas were followed by the Southwest
Central, 12 percent, the Northwest Central, 11 percent, and the
South Pacific, 10 percent. The smallest number used from conti­
nental United States represented the Southeast Central district, 320
members or 4 percent.3
Table

I.—Membership of the Association and returns received from members,
related to district
Total membership

Returns received

District (A. A. U. W. classification)

North Atlantic____________________ ___________________

Southwest Central________________________ ____________
Rocky Mountain...

Foreign___________ ________ _________________________ _

Number

Percent

39,110

100.0

10,179

26.0

9,562
3, 321
8,416
3,763
1,471
4,958
1, 408
2,110
3,705
324
72

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

2,077
899
2,353
1,104
373
1,249
388
611
1,020
77
26

21.7
27.1
28.0
29.3
25.4
25.2
27.6
29.0
27.5
23.8
36.1

District not reported........................................................................
1 These tables are on file In the office of the association at Washington, D. C.
pendix A.
2 See table I.
* See table II.




Number

Percent

2
See questionnaire, ap­

3

REPRESENTATIVE CHARACTER OP THE STUDY
Table

II.—Membership of the Association and returns from the members that were
used, related to district
Membership

Returns used

District (A. A. U. W. classification)
Number

Percent

Number

Percent

39,110

100.0

8,796

100.0

9, 562
3,321
8,416
3, 763
1,471
4,958
1,408
2,110
3,705
324
72

24.4
8.5
21.5
9.6
3.8
12.7
3.6
5.4
9.5
.8
.2

1, 725
797
2,087
955
320
1,062
361
510
894
60
23

19.6
9.1
23.7
10.9
3.6
12.1
4.1
5.8
10.2
.7
.3

2

It is even more significant that the replies constitute about 50 per­
cent of the women that form the employed group, a very large pro­
portion indeed. This figure represents an estimate based on other
studies and on casual information. Data from President’s Reports
of 728 Branches, covering 26,172 members in 1937-38, show that over
49 percent were employed outside of their homes. However, in
1937 a study of the Pennsylvania branches of the association indi­
cated that 72 percent of the members were holding paid positions.
The final receipts from any investigation reveal a weakness in the
schedule, and this one proved to be not without limitations. The
actual proportion of members who might be considered as “employed”
should have been secured.
From the returns it was necessary to exclude 1,383 replies because
the experience of the members was not applicable to the study or
the schedules were incomplete. The summaries and interpretation,
therefore, are based on the records given by 8,796 women.4
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES REPRESENTED

Curiously enough, all of the colleges and universities “approved”
by the A. A. U. W., a total of 223 institutions, are represented in this
study by their alumnae that had taken bachelor’s or advanced
degrees.8
One-quarter of the members reporting received degrees from 15
institutions, thus:
200 to 300 women:
University of California
257
University of Minnesota
256
Columbia University—Teachers College-------------------University of Wisconsin
230
University of Chicago_____________

230
200

Total......... ................... ................. — -................... - 1,173
■ dto lauie ii.

.

.

.

® The list of institutions includes those that meet the standards set by the American Association of Uni­
versity Women and by the American Association of Universities. (See appendix, table I.)




4

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

100 to 200 women:
University of Michigan.
Wellesley College_____
Smith College________
Mount Holyoke College
University of Nebraska.
Vassar College________
University of Illinois__
University of Indiana...
Stanford University___
University of Iowa____
Total.

183
158
130
125
125

122

115
115
103
101

1, 277

Furthermore, all States in the Union and the District of Columbia
were represented at the time of the report. California heads the list
as the place of residence of 885 members, Ohio comes second with 634
S?400'to“00 mZb™ ’
PS?n8rlT“i?. “d Mimiesota,
The other States, with the number from
each, were as follows:
t„j;„

n/r- t •

,,

.

„

Number of members

Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas______ _____________ 300 to 400.
Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Washington__
200 to 300.
Massachusetts, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma,
Nebraska, South Dakota, North Carolina, District. of_> 100 to 200.
Columbia.
The other 24 States..
Less than 100.




II. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
REPRESENTATIVE CHARACTER OF THE STUDY

The investigation fairly may be said to be representative of women
in the United States, employed outside their homes, who have had the
advantages of a college education and, in addition, professional prepa­
ration. It is based upon reports by about 50 percent of the employed
women of the American Association of University Women or about
one-quarter of its entire membership in 1934. Thus the data that
were used are from 8,796 returns through a questionnaire circulated
in 1935, and include information from women having attended all of
the 223 institutions approved by the Association, and from every
State in the United States. The proportion of the 8,796 returns in
each district follows closely the proportion of total membership in
each district.
Similarly the investigation may be said to represent professional
women; that is, 79 percent of the women had been prepared by a year
or more of training after leaving college, and 45 percent by 1 to 4
years of study. Two-thirds had taken graduate study of some sort
and 6 percent a doctor’s degree in philosophy, medicine, or some other
field.
ADVANCED AND PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION

Not only a college degree but advanced study preparatory for
business or professions characterizes the group of women here studied.
More than three-fourths had taken some type of additional work
after leaving college, and 45 percent had taken an additional degree.
This applies to all groups, regardless of occupation. Naturally,
executives in schools or colleges had the most extended preparation,
and also those in the established professions, law, medicine, and
research. Also, it should be noted that advanced study takes women
into the more advanced positions, and that the subject of preparation
makes but little difference.
AGE AND MARITAL STATUS

The women considered are comparatively mature, but are pretty
well distributed in the 5-year classes from 25 to 50 years of age. Only
7 percent are under 25 and 17 percent over 50. According to this
study, it is in the older groups, those past 35 or indeed 40 years of age,
that women with advanced professional preparation are to be found.
Similarly they seem to wait 5 to 10 years after leaving college before
taking a master’s degree, 32 percent, and 15 percent wait until 10
to 15 years, but 39 percent did get that preparation within 5 _years.
Also, about one-half of those with a doctor’s degree have attained it




5

6

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

within 10 years, and three-fourths within 15 years. The trend is
certainly toward the requirement of special training for business as
well as professions.
. I* is n°t surprising that a small proportion of the women here stud­
ied are married, only 13 percent, and they tend to be somewhat
younger than the single women. This is not true, however, of the
widowed, separated, or divorced, who constitute 5 percent of the total
number that reported their age; probably they should be classified
with the group of single women.
OCCUPATION AND CHANGES, 1925-3S

The women represented by this study are not in independent busi­
ness, only 3 percent of them; the others are working for an employer.
It is to be expected that a large proportion of “college women” are
engaged in educational work, 69 percent of them, and one-fifth of
these are executives. Also, so far as known, four-fifths of the
teachers and of the executives are in colleges, senior high schools, or
normal schools. However, that 28 percent, or 2,319 women, are
engaged in work other than educational is important, and that’they
represent 11 or more professions. More than half, 55 percent, are
librarians, social, health, and religious workers, home economists, and
those engaged in research, and more than one-fourth are employed in
business as secretaries, clerical workers, or personnel workers.
During the 10-year period, as might be expected, much change
from one occupation to another took place. Somewhat under onethird of those reporting indicated this situation. It may be sur­
prising that women holding a master’s degree changed more frequently
than those with a bachelor’s degree only, those with a doctor’s degree
less frequently than the Masters. This may indicate that early
training led women into the type of work for which they were less
fitted,_ but that they were settled by the time they had completed
the highest preparation. However, only 26 percent of the total
number shifted their job, but married women to a greater degree.
It is significant that the transfer from one job to another is so
largely due to personal reasons; thus 74 percent of those making
changes so reported. The reason for change in position seems not to
have been affected by marital status except that those involving reduc­
tion in force seem to affect the married women more seriously.
UNEMPLOYMENT, 1925-35

These women were not affected so seriously by the depression as
might have been expected. In the 10-year period, 1925-35, a decade
including the great . depression, only 8 percent met more than one
period of enforced idleness, and 21 percent had only one such ex­
perience. Furthermore, on December 31, 1934, only 6 percent were
unemployed and 4 percent doing part-time work. But of the unem­
ployed it is amazing that one-half were idle for personal reasons and
in only 177 cases was it involuntary, a third of the latter because of




SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

7

marriage or age. Also the type of occupation had little to do with
unemployment. On the other hand, a larger proportion of married
women were idle or on part-time work, as also were the younger or
less experienced women.
EARNINGS AND THE DEPRESSION

The amount of earnings by women who have devoted 4 years to a
college education, and especially to more advanced study, is indeed
disturbing. The time and investment seems not to have been
justified, except among those with the highest type of preparation,
that is, those who have secured a doctor’s degree. Of this group, 55
percent attained $3,000 or more. However, 33 percent earned $3,000
to $4,000 and 22 percent $4,000 or more. Thus training counts, but
this is a small proportion of the total number reporting.
Women with a master’s degree or that degree and additional train­
ing, considering the highest salaries in the 10-year period, earned less
than those with the highest degree, only 17 percent reaching $3,000
or more, and that is regardless of experience. But 36 percent of them
earned $2,500 or more. The largest or modal group as well as the
median number attained $2,000 to $2,500.
However, only 8 percent with a bachelor’s degree alone, or a
bachelor’s degree and additional training but not an advanced degree,
earned $3,000 or more. Indeed, 57 percent of the Bachelors with
more work and 73 percent of those without it got less than $2,000,
the mode being $1,500 to $2,000 for the former and $1,000 to $1,500
for the latter. The median for the two groups together was $1 500
to $2,000.
Naturally, executives in educational work were in the higher
salary ranges, and also teachers in colleges, although lower than
executives. Earnings in other occupations vary considerably and
according to the type of work, certain ones yielding higher returns,
especially lawyers, those in independent business, personnel workers,
and physicians and psychiatrists.
The depression does not seem to have affected greatly some groups
of women here studied. Others suffered seriously. Comparing the
salary in 1934 with the highest earnings in the 10-year period, the
proportion of executives in education who earned $3,000 and more
dropped 14 points. Teachers had much the same experience. A
worse effect seems to have been among those in occupations other
than education where the woman was “working for an employer.”
The drop in number of those whose highest salary in the 10-year
period was $2,000 or more is terrific, being 40 percent, and the number
of those who had received less than $1,500 as the highest salary in that
decade was almost doubled in 1934. Of course the worst experience
was among those in independent business. Also, the proportion
meeting a decrease of 10 percent or more seems to have increased
from one age group to the next.




8

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEPENDENTS

Considering the salaries received, the extent to which women are
supporting dependents, either fully or partially, is a matter of deep
concern, 41 percent or 3,618 meeting this obligation. Of the 3,153
women reporting the extent of their responsibility, 36 percent cared
entirely for 1 or more persons, and 76 women cared entirely for 3 or
more. The situation is complicated by the combination of full and
partial responsibility; that is, 3,153 women carried the burden, fully
or partially, for 6,328 dependents, or an average of 2 each.
Usually the individuals supported were adults, and it was more fre­
quently the single women than the married women who assumed the
obligation. Only 20 percent of those with dependents reported that
they were supporting children.
That these women have small incomes is shown by the figures: 41
to 52 percent of those with one to four dependents earned less than
$2,000, and 61 to 71 percent got less than $2,500.
DISCRIMINATIONS REPORTED

An important conclusion may be drawn from this investigationWomen suffer serious discrimination. One-third indicated the num­
ber of instances that had occurred in the period 1929-35 because of
sex, marital status, youth, or advanced age. While the last two reasons
assigned may apply to men also, the other two could not. And it is
sex and marital status that were assigned as causes of discrimination
by 79 percent of these women; also many women maintain that they
have encountered more than one experience. That is, of the instances
cited, 81 percent were given as due to sex and marital status. Al­
though but 13_ percent of all women were married, 19 percent of the
individuals claiming difficulty and 17 percent of the cases of difficulty
indicated marital status as a cause.
The actual discrimination is equally important. It is not surprising
that one-third of the cases caused by sex applied to beginning salarv,
nor that one-half should have meant reduction of salary, demotion, or
restricted promotion. But this indicates that 80 percent faced smaller
returns for the service rendered because they were women. It is
indeed serious in the light of low salary and large responsibility for
dependents.
Not less salary but no salary at all was encountered because of
marital status; that is, in 60 percent of these cases it meant loss of a job
or refusal of a job.
The older women met somewhat the same difficulties as did the
married women. Young women encountered refusal of a job, 39 per­
cent of the instances, but also smaller beginning salary, 32 percent, and
restricted promotion, 17 percent.
Doubtless young men had great difficulties in securing or in keeping
work during the depression and even at all times. To compare the
experience of young women and young men would be valuable but
apparently the necessary data do not exist.




III. EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION OF WOMEN
STUDIED
ADVANCED DEGREES AND TRAINING

The 8,796 women who were employed outside the home or under
normal circumstances would have been so engaged, on December 31,
1934, and who contributed to the report, to a remarkable extent were
prepared for their profession by 1 or more years of study beyond the
Bachelor’s degree, that is, 79 percent of them.
Number

Percent

Total---------------------- .------- ------- ------- -------------------- 8,796

Degree

100.0

One bachelor’s only4 gig
More than one bachelor’s ’ 335
One or more master’s *13, 101
Doctor’s degree
Ph.D____
M.D_____
Other 2___

54. 7
3. 8
35. 3
546
431
96
18

6.2
4.9
1.1
.2

All but 21 percent had prepared for professional occupation or for
business by study after receiving a bachelor’s degree; 39 percent had
taken at least 1 or 2 years of graduate work, and 45 percent from 1 to
4 or more years.
Although 55 percent had secured no degree other than the first
bachelor’s degree, 62 percent of this group had taken additional grad­
uate work or training of some sort. Also, 4 percent of the total had
more than one bachelor’s degree and 36 percent of them had followed
further study. Of the total number, 35 percent had taken one or
more master’s degrees, but 56 percent of the Masters went still further
in professional preparation. A not inconsiderable number, 545, or 6
percent, held a doctor’s degree, 431 in philosophy, 96 in medicine, and
18 in other fields. Moreover, 284 of the women Doctors, or 52 percent
of them, pursued additional courses of study.3
INSTITUTIONS AT WHICH PREPARED

. Again, the institutions where these women gained professional train­
ing are widely representative—121 that are on the A. A. U. W. list
and a number that are not so listed. Thirty percent came from
Columbia University, including Teachers College, and 25 percent from
8 other universities—Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, California,
Stanford, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri.
1 Only 7 respondents reported more than one master’s degree. Of these, 5 reported additional graduate
study or training, 2 reported that they had no such additional work.
1 Includes D.Sc., LL.D., J.D., D.Ed., D.Litt., D.O,
* See table III.

140620°—39-------3




9

10

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

III.—Educational preparation of women studied

Table

No additi onal
graduate work or
training beyond
specified degree

Additional grad­
uate work
or
training beyond
specified degree

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Total with speci­
fied degree
Degree
Number

Percent

------

8,796

100.0

3,672

41.7

6,124

58.3

One bachelor’s only------------------------------More than one bachelor’s. ----------------- .
One or more master’s 1_________ ______

4,815
335
3,101

100.0
100.0
100.0

1,824
213
1,374

37.9
63.6
44.3

2,991
122
1,727

62.1
36.4
55. 7

545
114
431

100.0
100.0
100.0

261
37
224

47.9
32.5
52.0

284
77
207

52.1
67.5
48.0

Total------

-----------------------

Doctor’s_____ ____ ______ ____ _______
M. D. and other 3
Ph. D

i Only 7 respondents reported more than one master’s degree. Of these, 6 reported additional graduate
study or training, 2 reported that they had no such additional work.
* Includes D. Sc., LL. D. J. D., D. Ed., D. Litt., D. 0.

EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION
[Total reporting, 8,796]
0

10

Percent
20

30

40

One A.B. only
___________ ____

A.B. with additional
A.B. or graduate work
or training

One M.A. only

r

v,' >■■; ' •

II.A. with additional
M.A. or graduate work
or training

Doctor's degree only

Doctor's degree with
additional graduate
work or training




".v

mm-

'■'■4

.

11

EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION OF WOMEN STUDIED

Institution at which highest degree (beyond bachelor’s degree) was received
Number

Percent

Total women_____________________

8, 796

Women with one or more bachelor’s degrees only
Women with a higher degree_________________

5, 150
3, 646

Women reporting name of institution______

3, 484

100. 0

Boston University___________________
Columbia University________________
Cornell University__________________
Indiana University______________ _
Iowa State College of Agriculture_____
New York University________________
Northwestern University_____________
Ohio State University________________
Radcliffe College____________________
Stanford University_________________
Teachers College (Columbia University)
University of California______________
University of Chicago________________
University of Colorado_________ _____
University of Illinois_________________
University of Kansas________________
University of Michigan______________
University of Minnesota_____________
University of Missouri_______________
University of Nebraska______________
University of Pennsylvania___________
University of Pittsburgh_____________
University of Texas_________________
University of Washington____________
University of Wisconsin______ ___ •___
Yale University_____________________
All others 4_________________________

25
706
46
42
33
31
36
45
35
73
330
103
257
31
58
30
118
52
53
40
49
25
66
35
139
35
991

. 7
20. 3
1.3
1. 2
.9
.9
1. 0
1. 3
1.0
2. 1
9. 5
3. 0
7.4
.9
1. 7
.9
3. 4
1. 5
1. 5
1. 1
1. 4
.7
1. 9
1. 0
4. 0
1. a
28. 4

Not reporting name of institution_________

162

AGE AND ADVANCED TRAINING

The age of the individual, as well as the years out of college, cer­
tainly influences the extent of professional preparation. A much
larger proportion not having taken advanced work than of the total
were under 35 years of age, 63 percent. Of those reporting age and
training and having a bachelor’s degree only, but with further study,
47 percent were under 35, while only a third of the Masters with no
additional study were in this younger group, as compared with
21 percent of them who had gone beyond the M. A. degree. Arid
few Doctors were under 35, 18 percent. While 25 percent of those
reporting were between 40 and 50 years of age, it is those with addi­
tional study that swell the group—37 percent of those having had
a master’s degree and extra work, and 36 percent of those with a
Ph. D., 31 percent of the Masters, and only 22 percent of the Bachelors
having had more study. Those with more training but not an ad­
vanced degree are in this older group. This is true also in the age
4 Covers 91 institutions, each attended by less than 25 members. See appendix table I.




12

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

classes between 35 and 40 and 50 years and over, but not to so marked
an extent. Indeed, more than half of those having gone beyond the
master’s degree are over 40 years old, 60 percent of the Masters with
additional study, and 62 percent of the Doctors.5 Apparently, then,
it is in the older groups, those past 35 or indeed past 40 years of age,
that women with advanced professional preparation are to be found.
Table

IV.—Training beyond the bachelor’s degree, related to age
Total

Under 35
years

35, under 40
years

40, under 50
years

50 years and
over

Degree
Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

8,266

100.0

3,424

41.4

1,331

16.1

2,102

25.4

1,409

17.0

7,751

100.0

3,332

43.0

1,228

15.8

1,934

25.0

1,257

16.2

1,720

100.0

1,086

63.1

202

11.7

251

14.6

181

10.5

3,142

100.0

1,475

46.9

478

15.2

681

21.7

508

16.2

1,273

100.0

427

33.5

253

19.9

397

31.2

196

15.4

1,616

100.0

344

21.3

295

18.3

605

37.4

372

23.0

515

100.0

92

17.9

103

20.0

168

32.6

152

29.5

408
91

100.0

70
18

17.2

79
22

19.4

147
16

36.0

112
35

27.5

Total A. B. and M. A.
A. B. with no additional
A. B. with additional
graduate work, or more
M. A. with no additional
M. A. with additional
graduate work, or more

Ph. D
M. D
D. Sc., LL. D., J. D.,
D. Ed., D. Litt., D. 0_

16

4

2

5

5

i Excludes 530 not reporting age, 500 of them holding an A. B. or M. A. degree and 30 holding a doctor’s
degree.

INTERVAL BETWEEN A. B. AND ADVANCED DECREES

It should be noted that only 600, or 7 percent, of those indicating
age were less than 25 years old.6 Hence a review of the length of time
intervening between receiving the bachelor’s degree and higher
degrees shows all Masters in about the same situation. Thirteen
percent had attained the degree in less than 2 years. This is surprising.
Equally surprising is it that 39 percent took it in less than 5 years.
But the largest single group waited from 5 to 10 years before securing
it, 32 percent. Fifteen percent waited 10 to 15 years, as seen in the
following list.
» See table IV.
8 See p. 14.




EDUCATIONAL PREDABATION OP WOMEN STUDIED

Number of years between receiving first bachelor’s degree and master’s degree
Number

Total women
Bachelor’s degree only___________
Doctor’s degree, no master’s degree
Master’s degree_______________

5, ISO
224
3, 422

Total reporting interval 7___
Under 1 year.

Percent

8, 796

____________ _

1, under 2 years...I~I.II

2, under 3 years__________

.

3, under 4 years______________
4, under 5 years_____________
5, under 10 years__________________

3,243
_

12
<>04
Srs
2s?
974

'

'

" ' ' ' ‘
”
" ' ~

10, under 15 years__ _____ _____ ”
15, under 20 yearsII.III._I
I" '

100. 0

.4

12. 1

8.
8.
8.
31.
15.
8.

,

~

’401;
273
201

20 years and more“

9
7
4
9
0
4

6. 2

■ ?tle other hand only a few, 16 percent, took a doctor’s degree
within 5 years of graduation from college, but also the largest sinde
group wmted until the 5-to-l 0-year period, 35 percent,
is signifi-l 'at about half of the Doctors attained the highest degree within
10 years of leaving college and 74 percent in less than 15 years, but 26
percent waited 15 years or more.
^

if

Number of years between receiving first bachelor’s degree and doctor’s degree
m . ,

Number

l otal women with doctor s degree reporting interval <L . 486

Under 4 years-------------------------------------4, under 5 years..__________
__ __
10, under 15 years---------------------------15 years and more12g
2g g

oq

^

Percent

100. 0

% Z
of 6

m?y
*hat today women are pursuing graduate work and
professional preparation more quickly after leaving college than in
former years Certainly they are graduating at a yoSnger
Apparently the trend is toward the requirement of special training for
business as well as professions, and particularly for teaching jobs.g
It is pretty well established, therefore, that our employed members
^TiPPed ur the.ir, occupations and that they take their profes­
sional preparation within a 5- or 10-year period after graduation, or
at least withm 15 years when attammg the most advanced degree.
Sifw’nnc lfCmfLrS T not confil’cdto any limited area in the United
btates nor have they been prepared m a few colleges and universities
histitutimis.rePreSent * ^ ^ nUmber °f o^higher educational
’ Not reporting interval, 179.
Not reporting interval, 59. Receiving the degree in less than 3 years, 11 women.




IV. AGE AND MARITAL STATUS OF WOMEN
REPORTING
AGE

The women considered in this investigation are a comparatively
mature group, an important factor in the consideration of their eco­
nomic status. Seven percent of the 8,266 who reported their age were
under 25 years of age, and only a quarter, 24 percent, were less than
30 years old. But 64 percent were between 25 and 45. Considering
5-year groups, the largest number are between 25 and 30, although
almost as many are between 30 and 35. Then, in the next two 5year periods, the numbers are somewhat less, and they drop consider­
ably after 45. Analysis of 10-year groups shows the largest number
to be between 30 and 40 years old, or 33 percent, while a quarter,
26 percent, were between 40 and 50. Or to present the picture other­
wise: 24 percent were under 30 years of age; 59 percent were between
30 and 50; and 17 percent were 50 and more, as shown in the following
statement:
Cumulative Cumulative
number

Age group

600
2, 014
3, 424
4, 755
5, 902
6, 857
7, 499
7, 933
8, 266

Under 25 years.
Under 30 years.
Under 35 years.
Under 40 years.
Under 45 years.
Under 50 years.
Under 55 years
Under 60 years.
Total1..............

percent

7. 3
24. 4
41. 4
57. 5
71. 4
83. 0
90. 7
96. 0
100. 0

MARITAL STATUS

Marriage may account for the decrease in number after 35 years
of age, but one might have expected it to have resulted at an earlier
period. However, the appearance of the highest percent among
married women in the group between 30 and 35 may explain this
situation. Doubtless women continue to work after marriage until
the birth of children occurs and family cares withdraw them from
occupations outside the home. The increase in the number of those
widowed, separated, or divorced between 35 and 45 years of age, 31
percent of them being so reported, may account for the large numbers
in the total at such ages.
Indeed, the proportion of single women drops gradually, but increas­
ingly, after 35 years of age. Naturally those who were widowed,
separated, or divorced tended to be older than those who were single;
and those married, younger.i
i Excludes 630 not reporting age. Includes 333 at 60 years and over.

14




AGE AND MARITAL STATUS OF WOMEN REPORTING

15

A very large proportion of women employed between 1925 and 1935
were single, 82 percent, and 5 percent were widowed, separated, or
divorced. That is, 87 percent were self-dependent, and 13 percent
were married and presumably not dependent solely on their own
earnings. It is the large proportion of those married who were between
30 and 40 years of age, 45 percent, that helped to magnify that group
m the total figures; and also that between 40 and 50, for 22 percent
of them were of that age, as shown by the accompanying list.2
Percent—
Single, widowed,
separated, or
divorced

Age group

Total

__

20, under 30 years
30, under 40 years40, under 50 years
50, under 60 years.
___
60 years and over____ _ _

Married

19.
45.
22.
11.
1.

3
1
4
4
7

AGE AND MARITAL STATUS
20, under 25

599

25, under 30

1,413

30, under 35

1.410

35, under 40

1,330

40, under 45

1,147

45, under 50

955

50, under 55

640

55, under 60

434

60 and over

333

5®

U..19

1,222

1,142

1,108

1,015

843

393

314

“H

1.19

J Single, and Widowed, separated, and divorced
A

Married

a See also table V.




ia
W/mm

16

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
Table

V.—Age and marital status of members
Total

Single

Married

Widowed, sep­
arated, and
divorced

Age group
Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

8,791

100.0

7,187

81.7

1,151

13.1

453

5.2

Total reporting age ».............-.................. 8,261

100.0

6,752

100.0

1,087

100.0

422

100.0

599
1,413
1,410
1, 330
1,147
955
640
434
333

7.3
17.1
17.1
16.1
13.9
11.6
7.7
5.3
4.0

577
1,207
1,106
1,047
944
773
497
335
266

8.5
17.9
16.4
15.5
14.0
11.4
7.4
5.0
3.9

19
191
268
222
132
112
83
41
19

1.7
17.6
24. 7
20.4
12. 1
10.3
7.6
3.8
1.7

3
15
36
61
71
70
60
58
48

.7
3.6
8. 5
14.5
16.8
16.6
14.2
13.7
11.4

Total reporting marital status 1

20, under 25 years____
_____ -........ .........
25, under 30 years------------------------------------30, under 35 years------------------------------------35, under 40 years-------------------- ---------------40, under 45 years-------- ------------------------45, under 50 years---------------- ----------------50, under 55 years
55, under 60 years
60 years and over.------- ------------------- ---------

1 Members not reporting marital status, 5.
2 Not reporting age, 530; of these 435 were single, 64 were married, and 31 were widowed, separated, or
divorced.

Sixty-seven percent of the married women were between 30 and 50
years old, compared with 57 percent of the single women and 56 per­
cent of the widowed, separated, or divorced. The latter group, how­
ever, included fewer women under 30, only 4 percent; and 39 percent
were 50 or more years of age, as compared with 13 percent of those
married and 16 percent of those single.
On the whole, then, the women here studied represent all ages, but
more than two-thirds of them are under 45. A small proportion are
married, 13 percent. Almost one-half of those married are 30 to 40
years old and only about one-fifth are over 45 years._ Those widowed,
separated, or divorced are in the older groups, that is, over 35, almost
evenly distributed, but a much larger proportion than of the single or
married women are as much as 50 years of age.




V. EMPLOYMENT, MAJOR JOB IN 1934,1 AND
UNEMPLOYMENT
On December 31, 1934, almost all of the 8,796 women here studied
were employed, that is, 8,273, or 94 percent; and 7,845, or 89 percent,
were working full time. It is a striking fact that only 6 percent were
unemployed. The contention might be made that those of our mem­
bers who were unemployed did not send in a return, but a careful
review of the questionnaires does not support this conclusion.
TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT

Now, of the 8,202 who were employed and who told what was their
occupation, 97 percent, or 7,993, were working for an employer, and
only 209 were in independent business. Of the former, as might be
expected, a very large proportion, 69 percent, or 5,674, were in educa­
tion, either as teachers or as executives.2 The next largest number were
librarians, 5 percent or 446, while another 5 percent, 415, were in
social, health, or religious work. The others were, in order of number,
secretaries, home economists, clerks, research workers, personnel
workers, managers, editors, physicians (including psychiatrists);
and 8 were lawyers, while 214 are grouped together as “other.”
Naturally, secretarial or clerical workers accounted for a large number,
6 percent or 515. These figures are given in detail below.
Major position in 1934

Number

Total reporting occupation3 8, 202

100. 0

For an employer 7, 993
Education, elementary and junior high school__ 1, 015
Education, senior high school
1, 768
Education, college____ 1,412
Education, normal school and other__________
170
Education, not reporting type
1, 309
Clerical worker
224
Editorial worker
66
Home economist
226
Lawyer
8
Librarian
446
Manager
67
Personnel
139
Physician, psychiatrist
48
Research worker
175
Secretary
291
Social, health, or religious worker_____________
415
Other1______
214
In independent business
Education
42
Other professional
Other
65

209
102

Percent

97. 5
12.4
21.6
17.2
2.1
16.0
2.7
.8
2.8
.1
5.4
.8
1.7
.6
2.1
3.5
5.1
2.6
2,5
.5
1.2
.8* *

* The occupation from which the largest proportion of 1934 earnings were received.
* This situation precludes comparison with the study by Margaret Elliott and Grace E. Manson, Earnings
of Women in Business and the Professions, 1930, in Michigan Business Studies. Only 19.7 percent of the
women reported in that study were teachers and only 26.8 percent had attended a university, college, or
professional school.
* Excludes 337 not employed in 1934 and 257 not reporting occupation. Includes 154 who received com­
pensation in lieu of salary or in addition to salary.
‘ This number includes artists, nurses, sales, advertising and publishing executives, and other.
140620°—39-------4




17

18

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

TEACHERS AND EXECUTIVES IN EDUCATION

The large number of those listed under educational work for an
employer should be subdivided into two groups so far as is known,
those who held the position of teachers, 80 percent, and those who held
executive jobs, 20 percent.
The greatest number of the teachers were giving instruction in
senior high schools, 1,542, and in colleges, 981. A very small number
were in normal schools, 24, but almost the same number were in
elementary and junior high schools combined as were in colleges.
These figures are given below:
Teaching positions in which there are—
Less than 100:
Normal schools

24

400 and less than 500:
Junior high schools
Elementary schools

400
464

900 and less than 1,000:
Colleges--—

981

1,000 and less than 2,000:
Senior high schools 1, 542
Other types
66
Not reporting type 1, 049
Total__________________ _________ -............... 4,526

That a fifth of the teachers are executives in schools and colleges
indicates the responsibility of college graduates. And it is significant
that, of these 1,148, so far as known, over three-fourths of those
reporting the type of institution are in the higher schools—colleges,
normal schools, and senior high schools, 669, as compared with 151 in
junior high or elementary schools.
Executive-educational positions in which there are—
Less than 200:
Administrative departments___________________
Junior high schools
31
Normal schools and others-------------------------------Elementary schools
120
200 and less than 450:
Not reporting type
Senior high schools
Colleges
431

27
53

260
226

Total_________________ _______________ ____1, 148
OCCUPATIONS OTHER THAN IN EDUCATION

Of the 2,319 members reporting the positions other than educational
in which they are employed, the largest single number are librarians,
the next largest are in social, health, and religious organizations.




EMPLOYMENT, MAJOR JOB IN 19 34, AND UNEMPLOYMENT

19

Secretarial and clerical service combined claim an even greater group
than do the libraries, but considering them separately, the secretaries
form the third group. Practically the same number are home econo­
mists as are clerks. It is interesting that so many are to be found in
research or in personnel work and only 8 are lawyers. The details
follow.
Occupations other than education in which there are—
Less than 100:
Lawyer
Artist-----------------------------------------------------------Physician or psychiatrist---------------------------------Nurse
60
Editorial
66
Manager____________________ —------------------Sales
81

8
17
48
67

100 and less than 200:
Personnel
139
Research
176
200 and less than 300:
Clerical
224
Home economics
Secretary
291

226

400 and less than 500:
Social, health, religious------------------------------------Librarian_________________________
Other occupations
56

415
446

Total____ _____ 2,319

To sum up, not far from three-fourths of our members who reported
their jobs in 1934 were engaged in educational work, and one out of
five of these held executive jobs. Of the teachers, about three-fourths
were holding positions in senior high schools or colleges, and a similar
proportion of the executives were in institutions of this advanced
type. The numbers of women in other occupations are not great, but
they represent a widely representative list. During the entire 10year period 1925-35, a very large proportion of those reporting, or 71
percent, had encountered no periods of enforced idleness, and 21 per­
cent met this difficulty but once, as seen from the following statement:
Number of periods not working

Women
Number
Percent

Total_____ __________________________ 8,398
None_________
One period 1, 765
Two periods
507
Three or more periods

5,963
163

100.0
71.0
21. 0
6.0
1.9

UNEMPLOYMENT

Only 6 percent of the entire number of women studied were unem­
ployed on December 31, 1934, and only 4 percent were employed part
time. Of the 523 not holding a job, 135 had been out of work less




20

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

than a year, but 211 had been out 1 to 5 years, and 75 had been idle
5 years or more, as seen from the following list:
Status of employment, December SI, 19Si
Number

Percent

Total______________________

8, 796

100. 0

Employed________________________

. 8,273

94. 1

Full time_____________________
Part time_____________________
Not reporting time____________

. 7,845
.
360
.
68

89. 2
4. 1
.8

Unemployed______________________

.

523

5.9

Under 1 year__________________
1, under 5 years_______________
5 years or more_______________
Not reporting time____________

.
.
.
.

135
211
75
102

1. 5
2. 4
. 9
1. 2

However, more startling is the revelation that of the 415 unem­
ployed who gave the reasons for surrendering their last job, 238
stated that their unemployment was voluntary and 205 of them
claimed that personal reasons caused them to leave. One-half of
the 177 giving up the last job involuntarily reported that changes in
the status of business had caused them to do so. A third of them
attributed their unemployed status to marriage or age, but most of
these had been out of work 1 or more years. Curiously enough the
type of occupation seems to have had little to do with the reasons
assigned for voluntary or involuntary idleness.5
Marital status seems to have affected unemployment and part-time
employment. Thus, on December 31, 1934,'one-quarter of the
married women were unemployed as compared with 5 percent of
those not living with husbands and 3 percent of the single women.
Also, very few employed single women were on part time, only 2 per­
cent, as compared with 20 percent who were married. This certainly
is to be_ expected. More of the widowed, separated, or divorced than
of the single women were only partially employed, but a much smaller
proportion than of those married, only 5 percent.
Similarly, married women, whether living with their husbands or
not, had been unemployed for a longer time than had single women.
Of the “married” who were unemployed, at least 40 percent had been
out of work 3 or more years and 30 percent for 1 to 3 years; of the
single women, only 21 percent for the longer period and 14 percent for
the shorter time.6
LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE

Of those unemployed, 405 gave the length of their experience.
The younger or less experienced women were those who were idle.
Thus 40 percent of the unemployed had had less than 5 years’ ex­
perience as compared with 17 percent of the total number, and 72
percent less than 10 years’ experience as compared with 36 percent of
the total number. This is to be expected. The percentage drops
5 See appendix table II.




EMPLOYMENT, MAJOR JOB IN 1934, AND UNEMPLOYMENT

21

sharply with the 10-to-l 5-year group for the unemployed, although
not for the total number. It is significant that among women who
were employed about the same number had been at work in each 5year experience group up to the 15-to-20-year period, 16 to 19 percent
of those reporting. But 21 percent had worked 20 to 30 years, and
10 percent 30 years or more. Apparently, the proportions of those
in each experience group employed but working part time follow
closely those of the total.7
On the whole, then, actual unemployment or only part-time employ­
ment, even in the period of the worst depression in our history, seems
not to have been serious among university women except among
married women.. The effect of the depression in other ways remains
to be discussed in later sections.
Table

VI.—Employment and unemployment, related to marital status
Marital status

Employment status
Dec. 31, 1934

Total

Single

Widowed,
separated, and
divorced

Married

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total1.............................
Employed
Full time_____________
Part time____________ _
Not reporting time___
Unemployed
Under 1 year
1, under 3 years
3 years or more_______
Not reporting time

8, 791

100.0

7,187

100.0

1,151

100.0

453

100.0

8,268

94.1

6,976

97.1

860

74.7

432

95.4

7, 840
360
68

89.2
4.1
.8

6,755
170
51

94.0
2.4
.7

680
169
11

59.1
14.7
1.0

405

89.4

6

1.3

523

5.9

211

2.9

291

25.3

21

4.6

135
121
165
102

1.5
1.4
1.9
1.2

72
30
44
65

1.0
.4
.6
.9

58
87
115
31

5.0
7.6
10.0
2.7

5
4

1.1
.9

6

1.3

1 Marital status was not reported by 5 persons who were employed full time.
7 See appendix table III.




VI. OCCUPATION AND TRAINING
The preparation of university women for their profession is ex­
tremely important; 7,937 reported what training they had had. A
small number of the entire group, 177, reported advanced study that
could hardly be characterized as professional, inasmuch as the
subjects were not related to their job in 1934. If those that reported
their occupation in 1934 and their training are divided into two
classes—those who were in positions other than teaching and those
who were teachers, both executive and nonexecutive—it appears that
29 percent were holding jobs outside the field of education.
OCCUPATIONS OTHER THAN EDUCATION

What had been the preparation of these 2,263 women who were in
the professions other than education? 1 Seventy percent had pur­
sued additional study and almost a quarter had taken an advanced
degree. _ Of those who had pursued higher study related to their
occupation compared with the total number in order of proportion, as
far as known, research workers rank highest, 29 percent, followed by
home economists, the social worker group, physicians, and personnel
workers, but only 18 to 10 percent of these. However, the classifica­
tion “additional training not related,” and especially “additional train­
ing unspecified,” may well signify valuable or professional preparation.
Table

VII.—Occupation other than educational, related to advanced training 1

Total
Occupation in 1934

Degree beyond A. B. and major A. B. degree
A. B. degree
subject of study—
but addi­
with no
tional train­
Not
Related to
Not related
ing unspeci­ additional
training
re­
occupation to occupation ported
fied •

Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber
ber
ber
cent
cent
Totali2___ _______ 2,263 100.0
Librarian
446 19.7
Social, health, and rcligious work
415 18.3
Secretary._____________
291 13.3
Home economist ... _ _
226 10.0
9.9
224
175
7. 7
Personnel work... _ ____
139
6.1
Sales, advertising and pub3.5
81
Manager ______________
2.9
67
Editorial work. ___ ___
2.9
66
Nurse ... _____________
2.6
60
Physician, psychiatrist___
48
2.1
17
.7
Lawyer_______ ___ ___
8
.3

364 100.0
31
8.5
52
5
65
2
105
37

14.3
1.4
17.9
.5
28.8
10.2

5
6
6
5
42
3

177 100.0
21 11.9

40
3

993 100.0
211 21.2

689
180

100.0
26.1

229
154
91
100
38
30

23.1
15.5
9.2

85
108
57

12.3
15.7
8.3

3.0

18

2.6

25
25
23
50
5
10
2

2. 5
2.5
2.3
5.1
.5
1. 0
.2

44
20
27
3

2.9
3.9
.4

2

.3

39
20
8
9

22.0
11.3
4.5
5.1

10
4
5

46

26.0

4
8

1.4
1.6
1.6
1.4
11.5

7
15
7
1

4.0
8.5
4.0
.6

.8

3
1

1. 7
.6

1
3
1
1

* This means occupation from which the largest proportion of 1934 earnings were received.
2 Of the 8,796 women studied, 5,939 were in educational or other employments, 257 did not report occupa­
tion, and 337 were not employed.
i See tables VII and VIII.

22




OCCUPATION AND TRAINING

23

In the group last named are, in order of proportion, social workers,
librarians, secretaries, and clerical workers, 23 to 10 percent. They
also appear in the former group, except that personnel workers rank
first and clerical workers are few. The picture shown in table VII is
well worth careful consideration.
As might be expected, it was the physicians, 42 of the 48, and those
conducting research, 105 of the 175, who had secured a degree closely
related to their profession; but almost three-tenths of the home
economists and of those in personnel work took related degrees;
however, 43 percent of the former and 55 percent of the latter followed
additional study unrelated or unspecified. Naturally training, but
not an advanced degree, characterized preparation of those in fields
where professional schools offering a degree have not yet been devel­
oped or have grown up recently. In this group is to be found a
large number of the nurses, social, health, and religious workers,
librarians, and secretaries.
EDUCATION

Of the 5,674 listed under education, 20 percent held executive posi­
tions and 80 percent were giving classroom instruction.2 The
professional preparation of the educators is remarkable. Of those
reporting, all the executives but 113 had had additional training
after graduation from college, that is, 90 percent, and 65 percent had
taken a higher degree; of the so-called teachers, 78 percent had pur­
sued further study and 45 percent had received an advanced degree.
It is not surprising that 60 percent of the executives reporting who
had taken an advanced degree were employed in colleges and 8 per­
cent in normal schools or other higher institutions. Twenty-one
percent were in. senior high schools. Also a large percent of the
teachers with higher degrees were in colleges, 52 percent, and 36
percent were in senior high schools and 11 percent in lower schools.
All of this relationship is significant, when the ratio in each group is
compared with that in the total number as given above.1
1 See table VIII.




Table

VIII.—Type of position in educational work (major job, 1934), related to higher degree1
Teachers, executive

Training

Total
num­
ber

Total with
type of position
reported
Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Elementary
junior and
senior high
Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Teachers, not executive

College, nor­
mal, and other

Num­
ber

Total
num­
ber

Per­
cent

Total with
type of position
reported
Num­
ber

Elementary
junior and
senior high

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

College, nor­
mal, and other

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Total K-.........................................

5,674

1,148

888

100.0

377

42.5

511

57.5

4,526

3,477

100.0

2,406

69.2

1,071

A. B., no additional work... _
A. B., additional work but no higher
degree______ ________ __________
Higher degree—Total reporting subject
Education
English____ ____________ _______
History___
Language (modern).......... .............. .
Home economics._ ______ ____
Social science, economics, political
sciences, etc„____ ______ ______
Biology____ _____
___________

1,093

113

83

100.0

64

77.1

19

22.9

980

692

100.0

644

93.1

48

6.9

1,802
2,569
671
451
250
214
150

284
690
262
88
44
40
47

196
560
207
69
36
37
41

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

117
181
92
25
12
10
6

59. 7
32.3
44.4
36.2
33.3
27.0
14.6

79
379
115
44
24
27
35

40.3
67.7
55.6
63.8
66. 7
73.0
85.4

1, 518
1, 879
409
363
206
174
103

1,115
1, 551
325
293
172
152
87

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

990
722
188
167
110
48
21

88.8
46.6
57.8
57.0
64.0
31.6
24.1

125
829
137
126
62
104
66

11.2
53.4
42.2
43.0
36.0
68.4
75.9

131
126
115
107
78
53
49
48
31
23
22
19
14
10
4
3
210

38
24
26
20
26
10
17
12
7
10
8
4
3
3

31
21
20
16
19
10
15
12
5
9
4
3
2
2

100.0

7
1
9
7
5

22.6

77.4

100.0
100 0

* 22

30.1

51

69.9

1
61

1
49

15

1
34

93
102
89
87
52
43
32
36
24
13
14
15
11
7
4
2
149

73
92

1

24
20
11
9
14
10
14
12
3
7
4
2
2
1

Psychology.

Public speaking____ ...
Philosophy and religion
Music______ ____ ______________
Public health______ ________
Business, commercial, secretarial _
Law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy
Journalism_________ _____ ______
Library.................................................
Higher degree, subject not reported...

1
2
2
1

71
41
35
27
33
22
13
12
12
7
7
3
2
119

30.8

100 0
100.0

20.0

80.0

100.0

27.3

72.7

7
5
7
4
1

3
6

50

1 This means the occupation from which the largest proportion of 1934 earnings were received.
2 Of the 8,796 women studied, 2,528 were in occupations other than education, 257 did not report occupation, and 337 were not employed. Percents not computed
where base is less than 30.




ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Grand
total

to

25

OCCUPATION AND TRAINING

A more telling comparison is shown in the ratio of those holding
various types of positions to the total with higher degrees or advanced
training or both. It is, of course, the college executives and college
teachers that took advanced degrees; of the former, 87 percent, of the
latter, 88 percent. The senior-high-school workers seem to have had
similar preparation, 57 percent of the high-school executives and 39
percent of the teachers having taken an advanced degree, and 85 per­
cent of the executives and 81 percent of the teachers continuing study
after graduation. It is necessary to realize that both high-school and
normal executives and teachers have had professional preparation but
that normal and specialized schools do not offer degrees.
The subjects reported for the higher degree are interesting. In order
of frequency they are (1) education, (2) English, (3) history, (4) modem
language, (5) home economics, (6) social science, (7) biology, (8) mathe­
matics, (9) ancient language—each represented by over 100 women.
Two hundred and ten did not report the subject. The first three
constitute over 50 percent and the first six 73 percent of those with
advanced degrees. And this order holds in general regardless of type
of position. Whether the subject taught is related to the subject of
the degree is not indicated in the returns.
Certainly, not considering subject, increased preparation takes
women into more advanced positions, especially of an executive nature.
The number with preparation in specific subjects is too small to reveal
which one offers the greatest opportunity; but the variation seems to
indicate that the subject studied makes little difference.
CHANCE IN OCCUPATION, 1925-35

Somewhat under one-third of the women reported that they had
changed their occupations between 1925 and 1935. Those in education
seem to have shifted to about the same extent as have those in other
lines of work, as is seen in the accompanying list. That is, 80 per­
cent of the changes affected so-called teachers and 70 percent of
those whose occupation in 1934 is known were teachers. A half have
left teaching or entered it, and almost a third simply have changed
the type of educational work. Only 20 percent of those shifting their
type of employment have never taught.
Number

Percent

Total reporting changes in occupation, 1925-35 s_ 2, 103

100. 0

Teaching to other
423
Other to teaching
288
Varied types of teaching
628
Never taught, other changes
424
Other changes of teachers **________

340

20.1
13.7
29.9
20.2
16.2

Women with a master’s degree or more advanced study have
changed from one type of teaching to another considerably more
than those with no work beyond the bachelor’s degree or even those
with graduate training but not a degree. It may be that women have
3 Teaching is here used to indicate work in education.
* In this group are the following changes: (1) Teaching to other occupation to teaching, 177; (2) teaching to
other to teaching to other, 35; (3) other to teaching to other, 66; (4) other to teaching to other to teaching, 31;
(6) 2 or more positions held at the same time, 31.




26

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

changed occupation in the course of advanced study, and it is proper
to hope that the training has resulted in a change for the better.
Members who have not taught but have made other changes are in
exactly the reverse position. It may well be that women in other
occupations have found experience their best source of learning or
that an additional A. B. or other type of training was necessary.6
The number of women with a doctor’s degree who had made occupa­
tional changes (144) is too small to yield significant differences. The
largest number have shifted about in various employments, here
classified as “other,” and the second largest among various types of
teaching. The list follows:
Total with doctor’s degree reporting changes
in occupation, 1925-35 144
Teaching to other 22
Other to teaching 24
Varied types of teaching 36
Never taught, other changes 23
Other 39

Marital status doubtless affected the occupational status of women
in their last job. Also, it seems to have influenced changing of jobs
and especially the reason for giving up employment outside the home.
A somewhat larger proportion, 8 percent, of married women were
working independently, as compared with 2 percent of single women.
Of those who were widowed, separated, or divorced, the percent is
6, approaching more nearly the status of married women. Curiously
enough, in the last job held the actual occupations of married women
vary but little from those of single women. However, of those who
were married, the proportion is somewhat larger in certain occupa­
tions, notably in sales, advertising and publishing executives, in
editorial work, in research, and in social, health, and religious work.
It is smaller among librarians, nurses, educational executives, and
teachers. One may question whether exclusion of married women
from schools and colleges or from libraries has taken place.6
REASONS FOR LEAVING JOBS

Why those reporting had left their positions at any time is of great
importance. That 46 percent should not have given up a position at
any time in the 10-year period may be significant, although no doubt
many of them have held the job for a short time only. Personal
reasons only far outweigh any other reason or combination of reasons,
for each marital status. Thus, 74 percent of the entire group assigned
a personal reason only, while among those married it is somewhat less
than in other groups, 67 percent as compared with 75 and 76 percent.
Even the total cases involving personal reasons where more than one
reason is given show 70 percent by married women, 77 percent by
single women, and 79 percent by those widowed, separated, or di­
vorced. The next important explanation includes business with per­
sonal reasons, but by only 12 percent of the women, followed in order by
fl See appendix table IV.
® See appendix table V.




OCCUPATION AND TRAINING

27

business only, personal and reduction in force, reduction in force only,
personal and reduction and business, and, finally, business and reduc­
tion in force. Tbe difference in reason for surrendering or losing a
position between one marital status and another is negligible, except
that those involving reduction in force seem to affect the married
women more seriously.7
Table

IX.—Reasons for leaving jobs, related to marital status
Marital status

Reasons for leaving jobs

Tc tal

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

4,168

Personal reasons only____________
3,070
Reduction in force only
95
Business conditions only___
299
Personal and reduction in force
134
Personal and business.
483
Personal, reduction, and business.
57
Business conditions and reduction in force...
30

Total i___ _____ __________

Total cases2.

___________

Involving personal reasons.._ .
Involving reduction in force...
Involving business conditions

Single

Married

Widowed,
separated,
and
divorced

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

100.0

3,289

100.0

706

100.0

173

100.0

73.7
2.3
7.2
3.2
11.6
1.4
.7

2,465
51
242
82
389
39
21

74.9
1.6
7.4
2.5
11.8
1.2
.6

473
41
44
48
74
18
8

67.0
5.8
6.2
6.8
10.5
2.5
1.1

132
3
13
4
20

76.3
1.7
7.5
2.8
11.6

1

.6

4,929

100.0

3,859

100.0

872

100.0

198

100.0

3,744
316
869

76.0
6.4
17.6

2,975
193
691

77.1
5.0
17.9

613
115
144

70.3
13.2
16.5

156
8
34

78.8
4.0
17.2

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

1 Women not having left a position, 4,011. Of the 4,785 who had left a position, 613 did not renort the
reason, and of the 4,172 assigning a reason, 4 did not report marital status.
2 in these groups many cases appear 2 or more times.
7 See table IX.




VII. HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED, 1925-35,
AND EARNINGS IN 1934
Analysis of earnings by any group of women who are employed
outside the home involves so many factors that it becomes a difficult
subject. Age, experience, preparation, and type of professional
occupation all enter into consideration.
AGE AND EXPERIENCE AND EARNINGS IN 1934

However, age and experience have proven to be so closely related
that age alone is here presented in relation to salary. For example,
first, the number found with less than 6 years’ experience corresponds
very closely to that for 20 to 30 years of age; second, the number of
those with 6 to 10 years’ experience is fairly comparable to that for
30 to 40 years old; and third, the number with 10 or more years of
experience follows closely that for 40 to 60 years of age and over.
Furthermore, the number in the experience groups between 6 and 8
years is three-fourths of the number in the group 30 to 35 years of
age, and in the experience group of 8 to 10 years it is very little greater
than that for 35 to 40 years of age. This relation is more clearly seen
in the accompanying list. It is not conclusive, but it is suggestive
and permits the analysis of salary related to age as a basis of dis­
cussion. The analysis does not allow a study related to years of
experience.
Experience related to age
Number

Experience

Under 5 years
5, under 6 years
Under 6 years-----

.
—

Number

Age

_ 1,657 20, under 25 years.
.
408 25, under 30 years
- _ 2,065 20, under 30 years

___
.
__

600
1,414
___ 2,014

6, under 8 years.-

483
546
------------ _ 1,029 30, under 35 years____

. ___ 1,410

8, under 10 years.

758
660
. 1,418 35, under 40 years__ __

___ 1,331

. .

6, under 10 years___ __

...

. . . 2,447 30, under 40 years .

. ___ 2,741

___ 1, 147
40, under 45 years .
___
955
45, under 50 years
.
___
642
50, under 55 years _
___
434
55, under 60 years.__
333
60 years and over _______ ___
Entire 10-year period or more. . 3,924 40 to 60 years and over. . _ ___ 3,511
Total1
* Not reporting experience, 34.
* Not reporting age, 390.

28




. 8,436

Total2_____________ ___ 8,266

HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED AND 1934 EARNINGS

29

When age or experience is considered, the salaries are low. One
may not expect the woman to earn a high salary in the first years of
her experience and especially in those years under 25, when she prob­
ably had not had professional training. But that the greatest number
and that one-half between the ages of 25 and 30 had been unable to
secure more than $1,000 to $1,500 in 1934 seems serious. Even
more serious are the modal and median salaries of those 35 to 40 years
of age, namely, $1,500 to $2,000, and also that the mode and median
do not go beyond $2,500 among those 40 to 60 years or more of age.3
Table

Age group

Number
report­
ing

Total..................

7,566

20, under 25 years___
25, under 30 years___
30, under 35 years___
35, under 40 years___
40 years and more___

535
1,276
1,267
1,213
3, 275

X.—Earnings in 1984, related to age 1
Salary range of—
Greatest concentration

Modal number

Median number

Less than $1,000_____
$500, less than $1,500...
$1,000, less than $2,000.
$1,000, less than $2,500.
$1,500, less than $2,500.

$500, less than $1,000..
$1,000, less than $1,500.
$1,000, less than $2,000.
$1,500, less than $2,000.
$1,500, less than $2,500.

$500, less than $1,000.
$1,000, less than $1,500.
$1,000, less than $1,500.
$1,500, less than $2,000.
$2,000, less than $2,500.

i Thei total used is of those giving sufficient information. These figures include some women who also
received compensation in addition to cash salary or in lieu of salary. Supplementary income, however is
not sufficient to invalidate conclusions.

HIGHEST SALARY, 1925 TO 1935, AND TRAINING

Certainly, in consideration of salary, the extent to which these
women have carried on study beyond the bachelor’s degree is of very
great significance. The information following relates to the highest
earnings reported during the 10-year period 1925 to 1935.
It must be remembered that of the 452 members holding a doctor’s
degree and reporting earnings, by far the largest number, 86 percent,
had received the Ph. D. degree, and only 12 percent the M. D., while
9 members had been awarded a D. Sc., J. D., D. Ed , D Litt D O
or LL. D.
’’ ' ’’
The largest single group of those with the most advanced degree
had attained a maximum of $2,000 and less than $3,000, that is, 37
percent, but 55 percent got $3,000 or more. The second largest group
falls in the $3,000-$3,500 class, or 23 percent, and almost as many,
22 percent, were earning $4,000 or more. The Doctors of Medicine
surpassed the Doctors of Philosophy in the maximum class of $4,000
or more, but they also had a larger proportion earning less than
$2,000.4
. Evidently training counts. Even though age is not here con­
sidered, the variation of salaries between those with a doctor’s degree,
a master’s degree with additional training, a master’s degree only, a
bachelor’s degree with additional training, and a bachelor’s degree
only, is significant. While 55 percent of the Doctors receive $3,000* *
3 See table X.
* See table XI.




30

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

or more, only 20 percent of those with M. A. degrees and additional
work get that amount, comparatively few, only 6 percent, of those
with no advanced work attaining it. Again, it is the Masters having
further study that reach $2,500 or more, 41 percent, the percent of
the other three groups dropping precipitately. Indeed, 57 percent
of the Bachelors with more work and 73 percent without it secure
less than $2,000.5
Classifying by 500-dollar groups, the largest number of women,
the modal group, appear in the following classes, each advancing with
additional preparation:
A. B. only- $1,000 to $1,500
A. B. with added work_________________ $1,500 to $2,000
M. A. only$2,000 to $2,500
M. A. with added work$2,000 to $2,500

The median falls, for each given class, as follows:
A. B. only and A. B. with added work$1,500 to $2,000
M. A. only and M. A. with added work$2,000 to $2,500
Table

XI.—Highest salary received by doctors, 1925-85
M. D. and D. Sc.,
LL. D., J. D.,
D. Ed. D. Litt.,
D. O.

Ph. D.

Total
Salary
Number
Total1
Under $2,000
$2,000, under $3,000
$3,000, under $3,500
$3,500, under $4,000 __
___
$4,000 and more 2______________ ____

_

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

452

100.0

387

100.0

65

36
168
104
44
100

8.0
37.2
23.0
9.7
22.1

23
155
95
39
75

5.9
40.1
24.5
10.1
19.4

13
13
9
5
25

1 Includes 8 receiving compensation in addition to cash; excludes 82 not reporting earnings^and 11 with no
full-time job.
a One M. I>. reported $13,300 as received.

5 See table XII.




HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED AND 19 34 EARNINGS
Table

31

XII.—Highest salary received, 1925-35, related to degree and training,
except doctors

Total i
Earnings

One A. B.
with no
additional
graduate
work or
training

One A. B.
with addi­
tional gradu­
ate work or
training, or
more than
one A. B.

One M. A.
with no
additional
graduate
work or
training

One M. A.
with addi­
tional gradu­
ate work or
training, or
more than
one M. A.

Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber
ber
cent
cent
ber
cent
Total_______________ _
Under $1,000 . ____
$1,000, under $1,500.............
$1,600, under $2,000..............
$2,000, under $2,500_____
$2,500, under $3,000............
$3,000, under $3,500________
$3,500 or more ... .

6.918 100.0
365
1,281
1, 903
1,652
892
448
377

5.3
18.5
27. 5
23.9
12.9
6. 5
5.4

1,417 100.0
188
451
398
212
84
37
47

13.3
31.8
28.1
15.0
5.9
2.6
3.3

2,760 100.0
139
603
844
601
311
130
132

1,208 100.0

5.0
21.8
30.6
21.8
11.3
4.7
4.8

18
128
341
368
184
90
79

1.5
10.6
28. 2
30.5
15.2
7.5
6.5

1, 533

100.0

20
99
320
471
313
191
119

1.3
6.5
20.9
30.7
20.4
12.5
7.8

1 Includes 99 receiving compensation in addition to cash and 5 receiving compensation in lieu of salary
Excludes 1,153 not reporting salary and 180 with no full-time job.
y

HIGHEST SALARY RECEIVED, 1925-35
BACHELORS AND MASTERS

Highest salary
Under $1,000

365

81,000, under $1,500

1,281

81,500, under 82,000

1,903

$2,000, under $2,500

1,652

$2,500, under $3,000

892

$3,000, under $3,500

448

$3,500 or more

377

DOCTORS

Under $2,000

36

$2,000, under $3,000

168 1

$3,000, under $4,000

148

$4,000 or more

100 I




32

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

HIGHEST SALARY, 1925 TO 1935, AND OCCUPATION

What is the highest salary our members have earned in the various
occupations during the 10-year period? Here as elsewhere those who
are in education, the largest group, may be studied together, and then
those in other occupations. The former constitute 73 percent of
those reporting, the latter 27 percent. In this connection, income
other than salary is disregarded. It is not sufficient to invalidate
conclusions here or elsewhere in the report.
IN EDUCATION

Naturally, executives in educational work attained higher salaries
than teachers, the mode of the former falling at $3,000 or more, the
median being in the $2,500 to $3,000 class. It was the executives
in colleges that brought this figure up, 41 percent receiving $3,000 or
more and 66 percent $2,500 or more; but in senior high schools the
rating is also high. Elementary-school and other school executives
drop to lower standing, the mode and median being $2,000 to $2,500
although a quarter attained $3,000 or more.6
Teachers in colleges approach executives in earnings, but are still
considerably lower. The mode and median both drop to the $2,000
to $2,500 class. Only 19 percent attain $3,000 or more, and 21 per­
cent $2,500 to $3,000. Those in the group, “normal and other schools”
earn much less. The modal salary for high-school teachers is only
$1,500 to $2,000, and 58 percent earn less than $2,000. Only 6
percent earn $3,000 or more and 17 percent $2,500 or more. In
elementary schools the earnings are very low indeed, considering the
investment the woman has made in her college education, 72 percent
getting less than $2,000 and 49 percent less than $1,500.
6 See table XIII.




T

T

?

Table

f

f

XIII.—Highest salary in 1925-85 reported by members, related to occupations in education 1
Number and percent receiving—
Total i
$1,500, under $2,000 $2,000, under $2,500

$2,500, under $3,000

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

1,063

100.0

74

7.0

173

112
278
421
42
210

100.0
100.0
100.0

9.8
9.4
2.6

100.0

11
26
11
8
18

8.6

24
58
42
9
40

.

4,227

100.0

1,054

24.9

1,206

Elementary.................................................
High school, junior and senior-----... .
College_____ _____ _____ ____________

452
1,919
905
72
879

100.0
100.0
100.0

222
495
56
19
262

49.1
25.8
6.2

105
616
183
22
280

Number
Total executives
Elementary ___________________ _____
High school, junior and senior____ ____
College and administration____ _______
Not reporting type
Total teachers. _

-----------

Not reporting type............. .............. ...........

100.0

29.8

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

16.3

251

23.6

213

20.0

352

33.1

21.4
20.9
10.0

25.9
23.4
21.6

16.7

28
76
174
9
65

25.0
27.3
41.3

24.8

20
53
103
2
35

17.9
19.1
24.5

19.0

29
65
91
14
52

31.0

28.5

1,076

25.5

548

13.0

343

8.1

23.2
32.1
20.2

73
481
304
17
201

16.2
25.1
33.6

43
222
190
6
87

9.5
11.6
21.0

9
105
172
8
49

2.0
5.5
19.0

Percent

31.9

22.9

1 Excludes 480 not reporting earnings, 43 witli compensation in addition to salary, and 2 with compensation in lieu of salary.




$3,000 or more

9.9

Percent

5.6

HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED AND 19 34 EARNINGS

Under $1,500

Type of school

CO
CO

34

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

IN OCCUPATIONS OTHER THAN EDUCATION

Occupations other than those in educational institutions vary
exceedingly in financial remuneration. The best-paid groups seem to
be in order of returns on the highest salary reported in the 10-year
period: lawyers, independent business, personnel workers, and physi­
cians and psycliiatrists; that is, in those occupations from almost onehalf to two-thirds earned $3,000 or more. Between 20 and 30 percent
of the home economists, the sales and advertising group, the nurses,
research workers, editorial workers, “other,” and managers also
attained $3,000 or more. For home economists the mode was $2,000
to $2,500; for editorial workers, librarians, managers, nurses, secretaries,
and the social-worker group it was $1,500 to $2,000.
The group in which 50 percent or more earn less than $1,500 includes
only clerical workers. Groups in which 50 percent earn less than
$2,000 include also librarians, the social-worker group, the sales
group, secretaries, and artists. It follows that 50 percent or more of
all other groups had earnings of at least $2,000; four of them—■
personnel workers, physicians, lawyers, and those in independent
business—had 50 percent or more at $2,500 and over, and the last two
had at least 50 percent earning $3,000 and over.7
Table

XIV.—Highest salary in 1925-85 reported in occupations other than education
Number receiving—
Occupation

For an employer________

___

1,891

Artist........ .................... ..........
Clerical worker______ _
Editorial worker
Home economist
Lawyer. _ .
...
__
Librarian
Manager
Nurse________ ___
...
Personnel worker_____
.
Physician, psychiatrist
Research worker _. _ _ _
Sales, advertising and publishing executive_______
Secretary _______________
Social, health, religious
worker ______________
Other...

8
169
53
184
6
373
64
44
118
44
165

Independent business..
Teacher ____ ___
Other professional ... ___
Other_____________ _____

Under
$1,000

$1,000,
under
$1,500

$1,500,
under
$2,000

$2,000,
under
$2,500

III

Total
number1

$3,000
and
more

171

316

508

371

206

319

56
3
4

2
49
8
19

48
15
36

9
6
52

5
7
34

2
14
39

17
1
1
1
2
6

59
4
4
9
5
18

137
20
13
14
5
34

92
18
10
21
4
36

35
3
6
15
7
29

33
18
10
58
21
42

45
261

12
38

8
72

6
75

7
36

2
22

10
18

313
44

25
5

56
3

92
10

72
6

30
8

38
12

72

7

8

5

6

5

41

11
31
30

2
3
2

3
4
1

2
1

2

4

16
22

1 Excludes 297 not reporting earnings, 63 with compensation in addition to salary, and 3 with compen­
sation in lieu of salary. Supplementary income is not sufficient to invalidate conclusions.
' See tablo XIV.




HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED AND 19 34 EARNINGS

35

EFFECT OF THE DEPRESSION

The depression seems to have hit our members, if it is sound to
compare the highest salary reported with the salary in 1934. For
example, the percent of all executives in education at the $3,000-andmore level was 14 points lower in 1934, and in colleges and administra­
tion it was 17 points less. Among the high-school executives, the
percent earning less than $1,500 was greater by 12 points. But it
was the group of normal and other schools where the penalty was
heaviest, the percent of those earning less than $1,500 being larger,
those in the $2,000 to $2,500 class being much smaller. Teachers seem
to have had much the same serious experience as executives.
Of the members working for an employer but in occupations other
than teaching, the percent earning $1,500 to $2,000 is only 5 points
less in 1934 than of those with the highest salary reported. But the
drop in number of those who had $2,000 or more in the 10-year
period is terrific, being 40 points. The number who reported less
than $1,500 as the highest salary received is almost doubled in 1934
and is almost 50 percent of the whole number. But of course those in
independent business were most seriously affected, the percent earning
$3,000 or more falling from 57 to 20, and the percent of those with
income less than $1,500 increasing from 21 to 58.8
TEN-PERCENT INCREASE OR DECREASE IN 10-YEAR PERIOD RELATED
TO AGE

Perhaps a study of fluctuation in salary during the 10-year period
1925-35 will give a better measure of the effects of the depression,
especially when considered in relation to age and to advanced degree
and training received.
The fluctuation in salary as related to age but disregarding the
training received, as might be expected, affected most seriously the
younger group, those under 30, and the older groups, _ where the
largest proportion had no change or had decreases in earnings during
those years.9
Apparently the largest proportion securing a 10-percent-or-more
increase were in the group between 30 and 40 years of age, 54 percent.
The next largest group were between 40 and 50 years old, 43 percent.
Then came those under 30 and those between 50 and 55 years of age,
36 and 38 percent, respectively. Only a quarter of those between 55
and 60, and over 60, gained in salary to this extent.
On the other hand, naturally, the proportion in each age class ex­
periencing the unfortunate decrease of 10 percent or more grew
greater from the younger to the older groups, beginning with 17 per­
cent, increasing to 36 percent of those 55 to 60 years of age, and
dropping to 33 percent after 60 years. A small proportion in all
groups met an increase or a decrease of less than 10 percent.*
* Compare tables XIII and XIV with appendix tables VI and VII.
® See table XV.




36

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
Table

XV.—Fluctuation in salary, 1925-85, related to age
Under 30
years

Total
Fluctuation, first to last salary,
1925-35

30, under 40
years

40, under 50
years

50 years and
over

Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­ Num­ Per­
ber
ber
ber
cent
cent
ber
ber
cent
cent
cent

Total reporting on fluctuation in
salary1__________ ____________

6,711 100.0

1,025

100.0

Increase of 10 percent or more.._
Increase of less than 10 percent___

2,929
559

43.6
8. 3

598
132

36.1
8.0

1,268
194

54. 4
8.3

738
164

43.4
9.6

325
69

31.7
6.7

No change________________ ____

1,241

18.5

538

32.5

255

10.9

232

13.6

216

21.1

Decrease of less than 10 percent. __
517
Decrease of 10 percent or more...
1,465

7.7
21.8

101
287

6.1
17.3

172
440

7.4
18.9

157
410

9.2
24.1

87
328

8.5
32.0

1,656 100.0

2,329 100.0

1,701 100.0

1 Excludes 630 not reporting age, 184 with no full-time job, and 1,371 reporting salary on a different basis
or had 2 jobs at the same time.

FLUCTUATION RELATED TO ADVANCED DEGREE

In the 10-year period, including the period of the depression, women
with more advanced study more frequently tended to receive greater
returns. A larger proportion of Doctors of Philosophy than of any
other group, 60 percent, secured a 10-percent or higher increase in
salary, while among all others it was 38 to 47 percent, the smallest
group being Bachelors with no other training, and the largest group
the M. D.’s. On the other hand, a loss was met by 19 to 27 percent
of the women, the smallest group being those with least training and
the largest group the Masters with additional training. Also it is the
women with bachelor’s degree only who met no change whatever, 28
percent, while a decrease of less than 10 percent affected all groups
to a small degree, and without much variation between groups.10
Table

XVI.—Fluctuation in salary of doctors, 1925-35

Fluctuation, first to last salary,
1925-35

Total

Ph. D.

M. D.

Number Percent Number Percent Number

D. Sc., LL.D.,
J. D„ D. Ed.,
D. Litt., D. O.
Number

Total reporting on fluctuation in salary L

422

100.0

359

100.0

54

9

Increase of 10 percent or more. ...........

245
23

58.1
5.5

215
19

59.9
5.3

26
4

4

No change_____________________ ____ _

50

11.8

37

10.3

12

1

Decrease of 10 percent or more.-

18
86

4.3
20.4

15
73

4.2
20.3

3
9

4

i Excludes 123 with no full-time job, whose salaries were on a different basis, or who held two positions at
the same time.
io See tables XVI and XVII.




37

HIGHEST SALARIES RECEIVED AND 1934 EARNINGS
Table

XVII.—Fluctuation in salary, 1925-S5, related to training (doctors excepted)

Total
Fluctuation, first to last salary,
1925-35

Total reporting on fluctuation in salary i____________

One A. B. A. B. with ad­ M. A. with no M. A. with ad­
with no addi­ ditional gradu­ additional ditional gradu­
ate work, or
tional gradu­ ate work, or
graduate
more than
more than
ate work
work
one A. B.
one M. A.

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

6, 679

100.0

1,424

100.0

2,669

100.0

1,153

100.0

1,433

100.0

Increase of 10 percent or more. 2,814
Increase of less than 10 percent.
563

42.1
8.4

645
122

38.3
8.6

1,116
229

41.8
8.6

543
101

47.1
8.8

610
111

42. 6
7.7

1, 286

19. 3

399

28.0

499

18.7

177

15.4

211

14.7

Decrease of less than 10 percent_____
526
Decrease of 10 percent or more. 1,490

7.9
22.3

92
266

6.5
18.7

236
589

8.8
22.1

90
242

7.8
21.0

108
393

7.6
27.4

1 Excludes 1,572 who had no full-time position, whose salaries were reported on a different basis, or who
held 2 positions at the same time.




VIII. DEPENDENTS SUPPORTED, FULLY
AND PARTIALLY
NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS AND DEGREE OF DEPENDENCY

Certainly a large number of our members are caring for one or
more dependents; 41 percent—that is, 3,618 out of 8,796—reported
that they had this obligation. And 36 percent of the total number
indicated the extent of their responsibility. In many cases the
woman was supporting entirely one or more persons. Thus, 36 per­
cent of the 3,153 who indicated the extent of their responsibility took
full care of one or more persons—22 percent of one and 9 percent
of two dependents. Then, too, 53 women were wholly responsible
for 3; 17, for 4; and 6, for 5 or more persons. However, the number
of women who were partially supporting dependents was in every
case about twice as great as the number with full responsibility, and
the situation is furthermore complicated by the combination of full
and partial responsibility, as seen from the following summary and
text list:
1,364 women supported 1,364 dependents, of whom 450 were wholly dependent.
1,005 women supported 2,010 dependents, of whom 552 were wholly dependent.
393 women supported 1,179 dependents, of whom 283 were wholly dependent.
180 women supported 720 dependents, of whom 198 were wholly dependent.
211 women supported 1,055 or more dependents, of whom at least 111 were
wholly dependent.
Extent to which women were supporting dependents in 1934
Number
of women

Total reporting number of dependents A . 3, 153
One dependent----------------------- -------- ---------- 1, 364
Wholly dependent
450
Partially dependent
914
Two dependents 1
Both wholly dependent
One wholly__________________________ _

Neither wholly---------------------------- IIIIII
Three dependents
393
All wholly dependent_____________
33
Two wholly
__
_
One wholly-------------------------- 1111111111
None wholly.____ ________
’Excludes 465 who reported dependents but Jailed to indicate number.

38




Percent

100. 0
43. 3
14, 3
29! 0

005

31.9

202
143
655

64
47
20^8

12. g
45
79
231

12
14
2 5
7 3

39

DEPENDENTS SUPPORTED, FULLY AND PARTIALLY

Extent to which women were supporting dependents in 1934—Continued
Number
of women

Four dependents
180
All wholly dependent__________________
Three wholly
15
Two wholly
33
One wholly
19
None wholly
96
Five and more dependents
211
All wholly dependent__________________
Some wholly, some partially 2___________
None wholly
124

17

6
81

Percent

5. 7
.5
.5
1.0
.6
3. 0
6. 7
.2
2.6
3.9

It is very largely adults for whom these women were responsible,
but 727, or 20 percent of those with dependents, reported that they
were supporting children. Of the 709 reporting age of children, 54
percent were responsible only for children under 16 years of age; in
36 percent of the cases all of the children were 16 or older; in the
remaining 10 percent the dependent children were both under and
over 16. Where the woman cared for one child, it was under 16 in 66
percent of the cases; for two children, in 50 percent. Where she sup­
ported three or more children, their ages varied greatly.3
RESPONSIBILITY OF MARRIED WOMEN

One might assume that care of dependents rested chiefly upon
married women, but this is not so. A little over three-fourths of those
having this obligation were single. Also more than three-fourths of
those supporting two persons were single. This proportion falls only to
two-thirds where there were three or four dependents, and rises again
for one and for five or more persons. Were those not living with
husbands added, the proportions here given would be still higher.4
The percentage of married women among the persons supporting
or sharing in the support of three or more persons is much higher than
could be expected from the percent of married women in the entire
group with dependents. Furthermore, of the women reporting num­
ber of dependents, 36 percent of the married women in contrast to 23
percent of those single and 24 percent of the other marital group had
three or more dependents.
RESPONSIBILITY OF SINGLE WOMEN

Three-fifths of the single women with dependents maintain their
own homes; only 40 percent live with their families. And this situation
does not seem to be affected by the.number being supported. As so
many women are caring for adults, it is not surprising that the num­
ber of dependents is not much less among those living with their
families than among those not living with them.5
2 The degree of dependency was not tabulated for these 81.
* See table XVIII.
4 See table XIX.
5 See appendix table VIII.




40

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Table

XVIII.—Responsibility of members for support of own children in 1934,
related to age of children
Women whose children were of given age having—
Total

Age of children

1 child

2 children

3 or more children

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total i.................... .........
All 22 years and over
All 16 and under 22
All under 16____ ___
_ .
16 and under 22 and 22 and
over_______ ___________
Under 16, 16 and under 22,

709

100.0

333

100.0

242

100.0

134

100.0

115
95
381

16.2
13.4
53.7

54
59
220

16.2
17.7
66.1

35
32
122

14.5
13.2
50.4

26
4
39

19.4
3.0
29.1

48

6.8

22

9.1

26

19.4

70

9.9

31

12.8

39

29.1

• Excludes 18 not reporting age of children.

XIX.—Responsibility for dependents in 1934, related to marital status

Table

Women supporting given number of dependents who
were—
Total
Number of dependents

Single

Widowed, sep­
arated, and
divorced

Married

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total with dependents1____

3,617

100.0

2,799

77.4

546

15.1

272

7.5

One dependent___________
Two dependents
Three dependents
Four dependents_________ _
Five or more dependents___
Not reporting number

1,363
1,005
393
180
211
465

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

1,099
766
263
120
167
384

80.6
76.2
66. 9
66.7
79.1
82.6

169
150
95
46
35
51

12.4
14.9
24.2
25.6
16.6
11.0

95
89
35
14
9
30

7.0
8.9
8.9
7.8
4.3
6.5

1 Excludes 1 woman who reported number of dependents but did not report marital status.

DEPENDENTS AND MARITAL STATUS OF WOMEN
Dependents

Women

One

1,363

Two

1,005

1,194

Y///A

Three

393

Four

180

134

Five or more

211

176

Number not
reported

465

I

298

V////A

1

I Single, end Widowed, separated, and divorced

Married




DEPENDENTS SUPPORTED, FULLY AND PARTIALLY

INCOME

or

41

WOMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPENDENTS

The women meeting this responsibility have small incomes. Of the
3,249 who reported care of dependents, almost one-quarter are earn­
ing less than $1,500, almost one-half less than $2,000, and slightly
over two-thirds less than $2,500. The proportions run almost as
above for those supporting one person; they are a little higher for those
with two. In the following summary the income is seen to be a little
higher among women caring for three or more dependents, but still
very low considering the burden, thus:
Percent of women earning—
Number of dependents

One dependent____
______ _________ ..
Two dependents............. __
_ _
Three dependents _________
__
Four dependents__________ ______ __________
Five or more dependents___

Less than $1,500

Less than $2,000

24.7
27.0
25.3
21.3
20.1

49.6
51.6
41.4
40.7
44.4

Less than $2,500
69.0
70.6
60.6
62.0
61.4

However, the picture is not quite so drab as it seems. It is difficult
to discover to what extent the responsibility is lessened by the woman’s
not having to meet the full burden for some of those dependent upon
her. A much larger proportion in each salary group and in each
group indicating the number of dependents were giving partial rather
than whole support, especially among those with lower salaries.6
Nevertheless, the responsibility is there.
6 See appendix table IX. While supplementary income is omitted, it is not sufficient to invalidate
conclusions.




IX. DISCRIMINATION WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED
AND THE CAUSES ASSIGNED
About one-third of the total number of women considered in this
study claimed that between 1929 and 1935 they had been discrimi­
nated against, either in relation to salary or in relation to the jobs
they could get or could hold. But a little over one-fourth again as
many cases of discrimination were reported, indeed sometimes more
than two by an individual. Hence the following discussion applies
not only to 3,061 women but also to 3,880 occasions of unfair treatment.
CAUSES AND RESULTS OF DISCRIMINATION

The causes of discrimination fall into four groups. By far the
greatest proportion, about 60 percent both of individuals and of cases,
were due to sex; the second largest, to marital status; the third, to
youth; and the fourth, to advanced age, as indicated in the following
table:
Table

XX.—Causes of discrimination, 1929-85, related to persons and the
instances cited
Women

Discriminations1

Causes of discrimination
Number

Percent

Number

Total1............................... ............. ...............................................

3,061

100.0

3,880

100.0

Marital status
Youth... -----...
------ ------------------------------------------------Advanced age---------------------------------- _ --------------- ..

1,841
676
412
232

60.1
18.8
13.5
7.6

2,476
673
491
240

63.8
17.3
12.7
6.2

Percent

1 Excludes 144 discriminations with result not reported.

Six types of discrimination are indicated, namely (1) smaller
beginning salary, (2) reduction in salary or demotion in duties, (3)
restriction in promotion, (4) loss of job, (5) refusal of job, and (6) other
results.
The largest number of all cases of discrimination, 26 percent, ap­
plied to the beginning salary. This might well be expected in the
years 1929-35, the time being one-half of the period of the great de­
pression. Next came, about equally, refusal of job, salary reduction
or demotion, and restricted promotion, 22 percent, 21 percent, and 19
percent, respectively. Then, to a much smaller degree, loss of job,
7 percent. Unclassified were 5 percent of the cases.
42




DISCRIMINATION AND THE CAUSES ASSIGNED

43

DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF SEX

That 57 percent of the cases reported by women who believed they
had been penalized because of sex involved a smaller first salary, a
reduction in earnings, or a demotion is surprising; but when to that
number are added the 23 percent where promotion had been re­
stricted—that is, 80 percent causing reduced incomes—it is dis­
turbing. And another 15 percent meant loss of all income through
dismissal from a job or refusal of a job. Five percent more instances
of discrimination occurred, classified as “other.” The effect was
about the same for women who were employed full time on Decem­
ber 31, 1934, as for the whole number; but, as might be expected,
those occupied part time and those unemployed, whether for one or
more years, suffered more instances of refusal of a job than those
employed.1
Table

XXI.—Discrimination because of sex, 1929-35, and its results, related to
employment, December 31, 1934
Employed Dec. 31,1934
Total
Total

Results since 1929

Total reporting discrimination_____
Total reporting results____
Total discriminations reported 1_____

Full time

Not
Part report­
time
ing
time

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

1,841
1, 770

100.0
100.0

1,707
1, 643

92.7
92.8

1,619
1, 560

87. 9
88.1

75
70

13
13

2,476

100.0

2, 298

100.0

2,167

100.0

109

22

781
641
563
85
282
124

31.5
25.9
22. 7
3.4
11.4
5.0

747
620
541
59
212
119

32.5
27.0
23.5
2.6
9. 2
5.2

722
596
517
45
176
111

33.3
27.5
23.9
2. 1
8. 1
5.1

18
20
20
12
34
5

7
4
4
2
2
3

Smaller beginning salary__
Salary reduction, demotion _
Restricted promotion______
Loss of job_____ ...
Refusal of job___
Other______ ..

Num­ Num­
ber
ber

Unemployed Dec. 31,1934

Results since 1929

Total

Num­
ber
Total reporting discrimination.
Total reporting results______
Total discriminations reported i
Smaller beginning salary...
Salary reduction, demotion.. _
Restricted promotion_______
Loss of job______
Refusal of job2____ _
Other_______ _____
* Unemployed ByeMS?'2 m°re tllan °ne rosuIt‘

1 See table XXI.




134
127
178
34
21
22
26
70
5

Per­
cent
7.3
7.2
100.0
19.1
11.8
12.4
14.6
39.3
2.8

1,
3 years Not
Under
and report­
1 year 3under
ing
years more
time
Num­ Num­ Num­ Num­
ber
ber
ber
ber
43
41
64
14
9
9
9
21
2

27
25
38
7
4
6
6
13
2

48
45
56
10
4
5
8
28
1

ElcIu<ies 71 with result of discrimination not reported.

16
16
20
3
4
2
3
8

44

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

A larger proportion of cases cited where occupation was changed
during the 10-year period was due to beginning with a smaller salary
because they were women than those continuing in the same position,
the percentage being 34 for the former and 30 for the latter. Of
the entire number of instances involving a change, 74 percent had a
smaller beginning salary, a salary reduction, or met with demotion or
restricted promotion, as compared with 83 percent of those not chang­
ing. That is, women who had not changed occupations tended to start
with lower salaries and also to suffer reductions or restricted promo­
tions. Women who were in occupations other than teaching and then
entered that field, and those who had never taught but had other
changes, although few in number, had suffered even more from dis­
criminations that affected income—77 percent; and this percent seems
to hold roughly for other phases of change, whether among teachers or
those not having taught. The next largest difficulty in all groups
reporting a change was that of refusal of a job, about the same propor­
tion throughout, 17 percent.3
DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF MARITAL STATUS

About a third as many women felt that marriage had been a handi­
cap as those that claimed sex as the restraining factor. But as all of
our 8,796 members reporting are women and therefore subject to dis­
crimination because of sex, and only 13 percent are married, this com­
parison certainly reveals an ominous situation. That is, 21 percent of
the entire group reported discrimination because of sex, and 50 percent
of the married women because of marital status. However, 673 cases
of discrimination due to marital status were reported. Here it is
refusal of job that comprised the largest number, 37 percent, and the
next most serious result was loss of job, 23 percent—that is, exclusion
from work appeared in 60 percent of the cases, as compared with 15
percent of discriminations being based on sex.
It was not less salary but no salary at all in 406 instances among
married women—213 of them among women unemployed at the close
of 1934. But, whether holding a job or not at that time, very large
proportions of the cases reported were loss or refusal of work due to
marital status; in fact, of the 239 cases reported by women unemployed
at the time of the return, 89 percent were of these types. When
once on the job, apparently, the married woman tends to hold her
own, although it should be noted that 45 percent of the discrimina­
tions reported by employed women had been in the form of loss or
refusal of work. Among these women, 27 percent of the restrictions
came in form of smaller beginning salary, demotion, or restricted
promotion, but 16 percent were of earnings reduced. The propor­
tion of salary limitations among those unemployed is very small, only
9 percent, but that means that 89 percent had comprised loss or
refusal of job.3
Furthermore, one-third of the married women changed their jobs
during the 10-year period, either within the teaching profession or to
8 See appendix table X.
8 See table XXII.




DISCRIMINATION' AND THE CAUSES ASSIGNED

45

other jobs or from. them. Again, the changes in occupation indicated
the result of discrimination as being very largely failure to have any
job at all, 65 percent, as compared with 56 percent where the woman
had remained in the same type of work. And changes, whether within
the teaching profession or not, had largely this result.4
Table

XXII — Discrimination because of marital status, 1929-35, and its results,
related, to employment, December 31, 1934
Employed Dec. 31,1934

Part
time

Not
re­
port­
ing
time

ber

Total
Total

Results since 1929

Full time

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Total reporting discrimination______
Total reporting results______________

576
542

100.0
100.0

368
342

63.9
63.1

278
256

48.3
47.2

84
80

6
6

Total discriminations reported i.

673

100.0

434

100.0

330

100.0

97

7

Smaller beginning salary____________
Salary reduction__________ ______
Demotion in duties________________
Restricted promotion_______________
Loss of job_________________________
Refusal of job_____________________
Other......................... .............................

47
77
19
66
157
249
58

7.0
11.4
2.8
9.8
23. 3
37.0
8.6

41
69
18
59
69
124
54

9.4
15.9
4.1
13.6
15.9
28.6
12.4

36
54
14
55
45
81
45

10. 9
16.4
4.2
16. 7
13.6
24.5
13.6

5
14
4
4
23
39
8

1
1
4
1

Unemployed Dec. 31, 1934

Results since 1929

Total

1 year,
3
Under under years
1 year
3
and
years more

Not
re­
port­
ing
time

Number

Percent

208
200

36.1
36.9

38
37

60
58

90
87

20
18

Total discriminations reported.

239

100.0

45

74

100

20

Smaller beginning salary___________
Salary reduction__________________
Demotion in duties_______________
Restricted promotion______________
Loss of job________________________
Refusal of job_____________________
Other..........................................................

6
8
1
7
88
125
4

2.5
3.3
.4
2.9
36.8
52.3
1:7

3

2
3
1
2
35
30
1

1
3

2

3
23
68
2

4
14

Total reporting discrimination_____
Total reporting results____ ________

Num- Num- Num- Number
ber
ber
ber

2
26
13
1

1 Some women reported more than one result. Excludes 34 with results of discrimination not reported.

DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF ADVANCED AGE

Two hundred and thirteen of the older women met somewhat the
same difficulties as did those that were married. Of the discrimina­
tions because of advanced age, 57 percent had caused loss of job or
failure to get a job. Indeed, in 53 percent of the instances a job had
actually been refused because of age.
4 See appendix table X.




46

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Discrimination because of advanced age, 1989-35, and its results
Results since 1929

Number

Total

Percent

Total reporting discrimination 232
Total reporting results213
Total discriminations reported * 240

100. 0

Smaller beginning salary 12
Salary reduction, demotion 31
Restricted promotion 40
Loss of job 10
Refusal of job____________________ 126
Other 21

5.0
12.9
16.7
4.2
62.5
8.7

As might be expected, women who were employed at the time of
the report had suffered somewhat less, but still 51 percent of the
difficulties had been due to similar problems and 49 percent had
resulted in refusal of opportunity to earn a living. Among those
unemployed on that date, three-fourths of the discriminations had
meant that the job was refused and 86 percent that the job was lost
or refused.6
It is to be expected that the woman of advanced age who, in the
10-year period, changed her occupation would meet difficulties.
Two-thirds of the results had been refusal of a job. But, what seems
extraordinary, 20 percent of the instances had been salary reduction,
demotion, or restricted promotion. Even those who did not change
their type of profession felt their disadvantages, a job being refused
or taken away in 51 percent of the cases and discriminations affecting
salary in 40 percent.7
DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF YOUTH

Certainly, men encounter discrimination because of advanced age
as well as youth, but no figures for comparison are available. The
definition of “youth” as here employed is not clear. In seeking
information with regard to discrimination because of youth, the
questionnaire used the term “because you were too young.” Mani­
festly, it would have been difficult to be more specific. The age
groups used were in 5-year intervals from 20 to 35, and 35 and over.
The percents under 25 and under 30 years of all our members who
were under 35 on December 31, 1934, and the corresponding percents
among those claiming discrimination in 1929-35 because of youth,
follow:
Percent of members under 85 years
of age—
Of all reporting
in. this study

Age group

Under 26years
Under 30years
Under 36years

17.
58.
100.

5
8
0

Of all claiming
discrimination
because of youth

39.8
88.9
100.0

«A number of women reported more than one result. Excludes 19 with result of discrimination not
reported.
8 See appendix table XI.
7 See appendix table XII.




DISCRIMINATION AND THE CAUSES ASSIGNED

47

The number reporting discrimination because of youth was 412.
However, only 58 of the 412 were 30 years old or more on December
31, 1934.8 As might be expected, about one-third, 32 percent, of
all instances cited indicated a smaller beginning salary than legitimate
because of youth; 39 percent, refusal of a job; and 17 percent, re­
stricted promotion. The other effects were inconsiderable, as seen
below.
Discrimination because of youth, 1929-35, and its results
Total
Results since 1929

Total reporting discrimination
Total reporting results 392

I'Jumber

Percent

412

Total discriminations reported9
Smaller beginning salary________________________
Salary reduction, demotion
37
Restricted promotion
81
Loss of job
14
Refusal of job 191
Other-------------------------------------

491

100. 0

159

32. 4
7’ 5
16. 5
2. 9
3^ 9
1. 8

9

Those under 25 years of age considered the restrictions on beginning
salary and refusal of job most important—36 and 46 percent of inci­
dents, respectively; but those 25 to 30 years old stressed restricted
promotion, 18 percent, and lessened the emphasis on beginning salary,
33 percent, and refusal of job, 36 -percent. In the later age groups,
30 to 35 and older, restricted promotion became even more significant.10
Almost all of the 412 stated that they were employed on Decem­
ber 31, 1934, 91 percent, and only 41 of the 491 discriminations were
reported by women who were at that time unemployed. Further­
more, only 26 were by those working part time. Considering the
421 who reported full time, the results were largely, and almost as
above, a smaller salary at first, 34 percent, and refusal of a job, 35
percent, while restriction on promotion was claimed in 18 percent
of the cases. Refusal of a job rather than a smaller beginning salary
became much more frequent among those unemployed, 27 of the 41
instances.*11
It is surprising to find such an amount of change in occupation in
this group, of young, women, 37 percent of the 390 reporting. The
result of discrimination for those not changing, of cases cited, was a
smaller.beginning salary, 36 percent, refusal of job, 34 percent, and
restriction in promotion, 17 percent, as given in the following list.
» Nineteen did not report age, but distributing this number in proportion as reported would not increase
this number over 30 to more than 61.
• Many women reported more than one result. Excludes 20 with result of discrimination not reported
19 See appendix table XIH.
11 See appendix table XI.




48

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Discrimination because of youth 1929-36, and its results, related to change in occupa­
tion 1925-35
Results since 1929

Cases of no change
Number

Percent

Total reporting discrimination_______
Total reporting results______________

. 244
230

62. 6
61. 5

Total discriminations reported a.

280

100. 0

Smaller beginning salary____________
Salary reduction, demotion__________
Restricted promotion_______________
Loss of job________________________
Refusal of job_____________________
Other_____________________________

102
23
47
7
96
5

36.
8.
16.
2.
34.
1.

4
2
8
5
3
8

Among those who did transfer from one type of position to another,
a larger number of cases met refusal of job, 46 percent, reducing the
proportion with smaller first salary to 26 percent. This was apparent
especially in the emphasis on refusal of a job where the women had
changed from teaching to another occupation, while shifting from one
type of teaching to another increased the proportion of discriminations
resulting in a smaller beginning salary, or restricted promotion or
salary reduction, and refusal of work was not so frequent as in the
preceding cases. Among those who had always been in other types of
work, the emphasis was on refusal, smaller beginning salary, and
restricted promotion.
SUMMARY

About one-third, or 3,061, of the women reporting in this study
indicated that they had met with discriminations. They reported
4,024 discriminations, some indicating more than one occasion.
The difficulties met between 1929 and 1935 are classified as (1)
smaller beginning salary, 26 percent, (2) refusal of a job, 22 percent,
(3) reduction in salary or demotion in duties, 21 percent, (4) restriction
in promotion, 19 percent, (5) loss of job, 7 percent, and (6) other
difficulties, 5 percent.
The causes of discrimination, as classified in the questionnaire,
were (1) sex, 64 percent, (2) marital status, 17 percent, (3) youth, 13
percent, (4) advanced age, 6 percent.
Discrimination because of sex resulted very largely—that is, in 80
percent of the cases—in reduced incomes, i. e., smaller initial salary,
reduction in salary, demotion in duties, or restricted promotion!
Women employed part time on December 31, 1934, and those unem­
ployed on that date.suffered more instances of refusal of a job than
those employed full time.
One-half of those who were married reported discrimination. The
effects, however, were quite different from those indicated where sex
was the cause. In 60 percent of the cases it meant the refusal of a
job or loss of a job; that is, no salary rather than lower salary. Over
18 Some women reported more than one result. Excludes 14 with result of discrimination not reported.




DISCBIMINATION AND THE CAUSES ASSIGNED

49

one-third of the women discriminated against because they were
married were unemployed on the given date.
The women of advanced age, like the married women, suffered
heavily by refusal of a job, but the proportion deprived of the job
they held was small. Much larger proportions of the unemployed
older women had experienced discriminations of these types.
For youth, on the other hand, the discriminations caused refusal of
work, lower returns than normal in the first job, or restricted pro­
motion.




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APPENDIX
Form of Questionnaire
List of Colleges and Universities




General Tables

APPENDIX A
(Page 1)
UNITED STATES WOMEN’S BUREAU

DEPARTMENT OP LABOR
WASHINGTON

In cooperation with the
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Questionnaire on the Economic Status of
Women
[Submitted by the National Committee on the Economic and Legal Status of Women, American Associa­
tion of University Women, and by the Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor, for
the purpose of discovering the changing economic status and occupational opportunities and the responsi­
bility for dependents of women in professions and business as revealed during the course of the depression]

To

the

Members

op the

Association:

The committee seeks the cooperation of every national member of the associa­
tion in filling out the questionnaire, in order that the study may become of value
to college women.
If you are now employed, or are in business for yourself, or under usual oppor­
tunities probably would be employed, you can help to make this survey a success
by answering every question carefully. Be sure to answer page 4, and note
instructions carefully.
Do not sign this questionnaire. No names of individuals will be recorded or
used in connection with the study. Enclose it in a plain envelope, seal, and return
to your chairman.
Mary Anderson,

Director, Women’s Bureau, U. S. Department of Labor.
Susan M. Kingsbury,
Chairman of the A. A. U. W. Committee on the
Economic and Legal Status ofWomen.

Elizabeth Brandeib.
Sophonisba Breckinridge.

January

Lillian M. Gilbreth.
Pauline Goldmark.
15, 1935.

52




Dorothy Kenyon.
Iva L. Peters.

Kathryn McHale, ex officio.

53

APPENDIX

QUESTIONNAIRE
Date
A. PERSONAL DATA
1.
2.
3.
4.

Address: City or town State-----------------------------------Do you live with your family?-------- Or independently?
Date of birth
(o) Are you single?_____ Married?_____ Widowed?
Separated or divorced?_________________________
(&) Date of marriage________________________________
(c) Date widowed, separated, or divorced--------------------5. (a) Have you had any children? Yes_________ No __
How many?__________________________________
(ib) How many are living?___________________________
Give sex and date of birth of each living child____
Education:
(a) College
(&) University _

Degree _
_
Advanced
degree._
_
(c) Professional school___ _ _ _ _ _
(d) Technical school_____
_
(e) Special additional training (describe)

Date. _

Major _

Date
...
Degree
_ .
Certificate___

Subject,
Dates.
Dates. _

__

[Page 2]

B. FINANCIAL STATUS AND RESPONSIBILITY
1. (a) Are you employed full time?or part time?or unemployed?

2.
3.
4.

5.

(&) Do you work for an employer?or are you in independent profession
or business?
(c) If employed, do you regard your position as reasonably permanent?
or obviously of temporary character?
(a) Were you wholly self-supporting before 1930? Yes_____ No
(6) Were you during the past year? Yes_____ No___
(c) Have you ever been self-supporting? Yes-------- No
State total amount received, January 1 to December 31, 1934, as salary
commissionor net earnings from independent profession or
business
State amount of income from other sources for same period: (a) Investments
_________ (5) Husband’s salary _______ _
(c) Fees from ac­
tivities not connected with regular occupation_________ (d) Other
(specify source and amount)
(a) Do you have any dependents? Yes_____ No-------(b) How many are dependent on you for full support?_________ Partial
support?




54

Enter numbers in following table to indicate to what extent others have been
dependent on you for support.
Number of own children

22 years of age
or over

....

1930_____
1929_____
1928_____
1927_____

Female

Female

1934____
1933_____
1932____

Male

Female

Full
Partial
Full
Partial
support support support support

Male

1

Under 22 years
of age

Female

jy
as

•a

Male

'a
a
CD

Male

•a

Female

Total amounts ex­
pended (insert
Full
Pai tial
Full
Partial
(e) after amount support sup port support support
if an estimate)

Female

Calendar
year

Number of other persons

22 years of age
or over

Male

Under 22 years
of age

Male

6.

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

—-

—::::

1925_____

7. (a) Are any of your dependents in college? Yes_____ No___
(6) How many such receiving full support? Males_____ Females
(c) How many receiving partial support? Males_____ Females
C. EMPLOYMENT STATUS
1. (a) Were you employed January 1, 1925? Yes_____ No_____ If not,
were you able to work and desirous of work? Yes_____ No__
(b) Was the work for an employer?-------- or your independent profession or
business?
(c) How many years of experience did you have before January 1, 1925?
[Page 3]

(d) How many years did you work for an employer?________________
How many in independent business?__________________
(e) How many positions did you have in those years?_____________ _
How many were for an employer?_____________
2. If at present unemployed or “temporarily” employed, give the following
information:
(o) If you are unemployed, why? (See list 3, p. 4)___ _________________
(6) Name of last “permanent” position. (See list 1, and col. 4, p. 4).............
(c) Reason for leaving last “permanent” position. fSeelist,2 n 41
(d) Date____________________________________________
(e) Have earnings from “temporary” employment been adequate for your
customary standard of living? Yes_____ No_......... For ne­
cessities? Yes_____ No




APPENDIX

55

(f) What resources have you drawn on or what other help have you had since
your last “permanent” position? (Use the following categories if they
apply, or indicate others specifically: Investments, Savings account,
Sale of securities, Borrowing on insurance policy, Mortgages, Unem­
ployment benefits, Loans from banks or other organizations, Credit
unions, Friends or relatives.)
(g) What cuts in expenditure have you found necessary because of reduced
income? (Use the following categories if they apply, or indicate others
specifically: Housing, Maid service, Food, Personal service, Dress,
Travel, Education, Clubs, Medical and dental care, Church and charities,
Books and periodicals, Theater, concerts, or movies, Savings.)
(h) Has your financial responsibility for others shifted to someone else while
you have been unemployed? No_____ Yes_____ In full?
In part?
(*) What has been the most serious result of your unemployment?
3. (a) Have you met with discrimination since 1929 because you were a woman?
Yes_____ No
(6) Has this discrimination resulted in (1) Smaller beginning salary?
(2) Reduced salary?_____
(3) Demotion in duties?______ (4)
Restricted promotion?_____ (5) Loss of job? ......... (6) Refusal
of job?_____ (7) Other?
4. (a) Have you met with discrimination since 1929 because of your marital
status? Yes_____ No
(6) Has this discrimination resulted in (1) Smaller beginning salary?
(2) Reduced salary?_____
(3) Demotion in duties?______ (4)
Restricted promotion?-------- (5) Loss of job?_____ (6) Refusal
of job?_____ (7) Other?
5. (a) Have you met with discrimination since 1929 because you were too young?
Yes-------- No __----- Or too old? Yes_____ No
(5) Has this discrimination resulted in (1) Smaller beginning salary?
(2) Reduced salary?
(3) Demotion in duties?_____ (4) Re­
stricted promotion?-------- __(5) Loss of job?_____ (6) Refusal of
job?-------- (7) Other?




[Page 4]

Cg

D. OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY
It is necessary to have the following information on your occupational experience for the 10 years beginning January 1, 1925,
and ending December 31, 1934, both from women steadily employed and also from those out of work:
(2)

Date entering Date leaving
position
position 1
(Mo.-Yr.)




(Mo.-Yr.)

(3)
Type or title of
position (select
from list 1)

(4)

(5)

Yearly sal­
Nature of business or profession (store, ary or earn­
bank, college, primary school, hos­ ings from
pital, welfare society, settlement)
this posi­
tion J

(6)
Full or part
time 8

(7)

(8)

(9)

Number
Reason for leav­ of months Cause of delayed
reemployment
ing (select fi om
unem­
(select from list 3)
list 2)
ployed

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

(1)

T

f

LIST 1

▼

I

LIST 2

Enter number in column 3 indicating type of position which applies in your case.4 Enter number in column 7 indicating
Indicate if independent business by letters I. B.
reason which applies in your case.
Artist, designer, worker in museum.
Clerical worker.
Department manager, commercial.
Editorial executive.
Editorial worker.
Executive, commercial.
Home-economics specialist.
Household management.
Lawyer or lawyer’s clerk.
Librarian.
Musician, actress.
Nurse, supervisor.
Nurse, not supervisor.
Office manager or supervisor.
Personnel.
Physician, psychiatrist.
Research or other scientific worker.
Sales, advertising, and publishing,
executive.

19. Sales, advertising, publishing, not
executive.
20. Secretary.
21. Worker in social, health, or religious
organization.
22. Teacher, executive.
23. Teacher, not executive.
24. Telegraph or telephone operator.
25. Other (specify).

Lost position because of—
1. Dissolving of business.
2. Merger or change of manage­
ment.
3. Department or job discon­
tinued.
Reduction in force: laid off because of—
4. Marital status.
5. Age.
6. Shortness of service.
7. Other (specify).
Withdrew because of—
8. Inadequate payment.
9. Reduction in pay.
10. Lack of advancement.
11. Better opportunity.
12. Marriage.
13. Pregnancy.
14. Young children.
15. Other personal reasons.

LIST 3
Enter number in column 9 indicating
cause which applies in your case.
1. Suitable position not available.
2. No work available in own special
field.
3. Further education.
4. Illness of self.
5. Desire for leisure.
6. Marriage.
7. Care of children.
8. Other home duties.

1 Count as a new position one after a period of unemployment, even if it means a return to a former position. (Exception, school teacher on summer vacation, etc.)
2 If change in salary, give first and last salary in this position.
3 Part time is a few hours each day, or 2 or 3 days a week.
4 Classification of type of position through the courtesy of the American Woman’s Association.




APPENDIX

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

▼

*

Or

58
Table

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

I.—Colleges and universities from which respondents received graduate
degrees
Name of school

Number
of wom­
en re­
porting

Total reporting grad­
uate degree 3, 646
Total reporting institu­
tion------------------------ 3, 484
Columbia University 1
Teachers College (Columbia
University)
University of Chicago
University of Wisconsin
University of Michigan
University of California
Stanford University
University of Texas
University of Illinois
University of Missouri
University of Minnesota
University of Pennsylvania___
Cornell University
Ohio State University
Indiana University
University of Nebraska
Northwestern University
Radcliffe College
Yale University
University of Washington____
Iowa State College of Agri­
culture
University of Colorado
New York University
University of Kansas
University of Pittsburgh-------Boston University
Brown University
George Washington University.
Syracuse University
1 Exclusivo of Teachers College.




706
330
257
139
118
103
73
66

58
53
52
49
46
45
42
40
36
35
35
35
33
31
31
30
25
25
23
21
21

Name of school

University of Denver
Washington University (St.
Louis)
Harvard University
Bryn Mawr College
University of Cincinnati
University of North Carolina. .
Johns Hopkins University____
University of Iowa
Kansas State College
Clark University
George Peabody College
University of Oregon
Colorado State Teachers Col­
lege----- ------ -------------------Rutgers University
Western Reserve University__
Indiana State Teachers Col­
lege—
Tulane University
University of Southern Cali­
fornia
University of Oklahoma
Southern Methodist Uni­
versity
University of Virginia
Duke University
Pennsylvania State College___
New Jersey College for Women.
University of Hawaii
University of South Dakota__
Wellesley College
Bucknell University
Montana State University____
Ohio Wesleyan University____
University of Alabama

Number
of wom­
en re­
porting

21
20

19
19

19
19
17
15
14
13
13
12

11
11
10

9
9

9

8

77
6
6

5

5
5

5

4
4
4
4

APPENDIX

59

Table I.—Colleges and universities from which respondents received graduate

degrees—Continued
Name of school

University of Maine
University of North Dakota__
Vanderbilt University
Women’s College of the Uni­
versity of North Carolina...
Cornell College
Dickinson College
Louisiana State University___
New York State College for
Teachers
Pomona College
Purdue University
University of Buffalo
University of New Mexico____
University of Rochester
Bates College
Michigan State College of Agri­
culture and Applied Science.
Montana State College
Oberlin College
Oregon State College of Agri­
culture
University of Arkansas
University of California at
Los Angeles
University of Mississippi
University of Tennessee
Wittenburg College
Allegheny College__________
Baylor College
Carleton College
Carnegie Institute of Tech­
nology—
College of William and Mary..
Colorado College
Denison University




Number
of wom­
en re­
porting

4
4
4
4
3
3
3

3
3
3
3
3
3

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
I
1
x

Name of school

DePauw University _
Florida State College for
Women
_
Fordham University . __
Grove City College..
Hunter College.__
Illinois College. _
_
Kansas State Teachers College.. __________ _.
Knox College . _ __ __ _
Lawrence College___ __
McGill University___ ___
Miami University.
__
..
Mississippi State' College.
St. Lawrence University
Simmons College
Smith College____
State University of Ohio ___
State College of Washington__
Texas State College for Women.
Transylvania College_____
University of Akron. ___ __
University of Georgia
__
University of Kentucky _
University of Maryland.
University of New Hampshire. _
University of Vermont
University of Wyoming .. .
Vassar College
_. __
Winthrop College .

Number
of wom­
en re­
porting

i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
T
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

I
I
1
1

1
1

Other colleges and universities
(including foreign) not on
A. A. U. W. list.

498

1

Not reported ._ _______

162

Table

II.—Unemployment, Dec. SI, 1934, related to occupation and reason for leaving last job
Number reporting unemployment
voluntary

Occupation

Number reporting unemployment involuntary
Reduction in force because of—

All women
Reasons related
to job

Total
Marriage or
age

Short service
or other

Change in sta­
tus of business

415
412

238
235

205
202

33
33

177
177

58
58

31
31

88
88

404

231

200

31

173

58

31

84

211
46
24
20
103

130
28
12
13
48

116
24
7
10
43

14
4
5
3
5

81
18
12
7
55

46
6

12
2
3
3
11

23
10
9
4
38

8

4

2

2

4

> Of 523 women reporting that they were unemployed Dec. 31, 1934, 111 did not report the reason for leaving their last job.

6

4
Of these, 108 did not report occupation.

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Personal
reasons

Total




O

V

W

A
Table

T

f

f

w

III.— Unemployment, Dec. 81, 1934, related to years of experience
Unemployed

Employed
All women
Years of experience prior to
Dec. 31, 1934

Total

Part time

Full time

Total

Less
than 1
year

1, less
than 3
years

3 years
and over
Number

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Number

8,320

100.0

7,915

100.0

7,601

100.0

314

100.0

405

100.0

129

117

159

1,424
1,600
1,480
1,296
1,718
802

17.1
19.2
17.8
15.6
20.6
9.6

1,260
1,472
1,429
1,273
1, 685
796

15.9
18.6
18.1
16.1
21.3
10.1

1,157
1. 409
1,372
1,240
1, 643
780

15.2
18.5
18.1
16.3
21.6
10.3

103
63
57
33
42
16

32.8
20.1
18.2
10.5
13.4
5.1

164
128
51
23
33
6

40.5
31.6
12.6
5.7
8.1
1.5

57
32
17
10
12
1

42
36
18
7
11
3

65
60
16
6
10
2

Total ‘
Less than 5_________ _______
5, less than 10............... .
.
15, less than 20.___ _________
20, less than 30............. ..............
30 and over__________ ____

APPENDIX

1 Of the 8,796 women reporting, 411 did not report years of experience and 65 did not report the extent of employment or unemployment.
Table

IV.—Occupational changes related to education—M. A. and additional training—1925 to 1935
A. B., with no addi
tional graduate work

Total
Occupational change

Total reporting change in occupation

Number

Percent

Number

1,959

100.0

342

401
264
592
401
301

20.6
13.5
30.2
20.5
15.4

70
51
75
104
42

Percent
100.0
20.5
14.9
21.9
30.4
12.3

A. B., with additional
graduate work, or
more than 1 A. B.
Number
810
192
110
155
223
130

Percent

M. A., with no addi­
tional graduate work
Number

Percent

M. A., with additional
graduate work or
more than 1 M. A.
Number

Percent

100.0

336

100.0

471

100.0

23.7
13.6
19.1
27.5
16.0

49
39
164
32
52

14.6
11.6
48.8
9.5
15.5

90
64
198
42
77

19.1
13.6
42.0
8.9
16.3

1 Of the 2,706 reporting change in occupation, 144 held a doctor’s degree and 603 did not report the extent of additional training, if any.




C5

62

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
Table

V.—Occupation

of last job, related to marital statusi

Total

Single

Widowed, sepa­
rated, divorced

Married

Occupation of last job

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total reporting1

8,474

100.0

6,963

100.0

1,086

100.0

425

100.0

For an employer___________

8,263

97.6

6,861

98.5

1,001

92.2

401

94.4

Artist... -------. _.
Clerical worker________
Editorial worker
Home economist______ _
Lawyer
Librarian ...
Manager, etc.. _____ .
Nurse ...
Personnel
Physician and psychia­
trist
Research worker___ ..
Sales, advertising, pub­
lishing, executive
Secretary
Social, health, religious
worker
Teacher, executive .........
Teacher, not executive...
Other------------ -------------

18
239
65
232
8
460
75
60
143

.2
2.8
.8
2.7
.1
5.4
.9
.7
1.7

14
201
44
187
4
405
60
50
109

.2
2.9
.6
2.7
.1
5.8
.9
.7
1.6

3
32
19
30
2
37
11
4
15

.3
2.9
1.7
2.8
.2
3.4
1.0
.4
1.4

1
6
2
15
2
18
4
6
19

.2
1.4
3.5
.5
4.2

48
187

.6
2.2

37
147

.5
2.1

9
37

.8
3.4

2

.5

84
300

1.0
3.5

58
246

.8
3.5

24
42

2.2
3.9

2
12

.5
2.8

414
1,168
4,704
58

4.9
13.8
56.5
.7

321
983
3,954
41

4.6
14.1
56.8
.6

72
122
530
12

6.6
11.2
48.8
1.1

21
63
220
5

14.8
51.8
1.2

Independently employed-----

211

2.5

102

1.5

85

7.8

24

6.6

Teacher___________
Other professional
Other _____ ____

44
102
65

.5
1.2
.8

23
61
18

.3
.9
.3

19
28
38

1.7
2.6
3.5

2
13
9

.5
3.1
2.1

_

3

.5

.9

1.4
4.5
.7

4.g

i Of the 8,541 women reporting occupation, 62 held more than 1 job and cannot be included here and 5 did
not report marital status.




t
Table

VI.—Earnings in education in 1934
Women who earned in 1934—

Total
Less than $1,000

Type of position

Total in education L
Teachers, executive______

Teachers, not executive.
Elementary school---------Junior high school----------Senior high school----------College_________________
Normal school__________
Other___________ _____
Not reporting type---------

Number Percent Number

Number

671

1,340

5,393
1,079
115
31
217
400
25

100.0
100.0
100.0

4, 314
441
381
1,487
928

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

22

58
997

1 Of the 5,674 women in education, 225 did not




111

14
13
15
610
131
65
133
88

4
26
163

31
30
3

36
6

14.3
7.5

14.1
29.7
17.1
8.9
9.5
16.4

1, 202
122
152
457
140

15.6
27.9
27.7
39.9
30.7
15.1

2
11

318

48
84

22.1
21.0

71

1

38

$2,500, less than
$3,000

$3,000 and more

376

505

6

6.2

$2,000, less than
$2,500

31. t

4
64
1,214
101

95
445
282
6
10

275

26
5
49
95
7

22.6

23.8

28.1
22.9
24.9
29.9
30. 4

14
4
43
83
4

12.2

13.0

19.8

16.1
23.5

20. 8

1

1

26.3

19. 1

186

23. 2

12.8

10

5.1
3.5

$2,000

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

19

5

1
1

11

37
243

138

100.0

$1,500, less than

4
51

21.0

3
34

14.0

799

18.5

319

7.4

15.6
12.9
20.4
22.2

17
16
110
121

3.9
4.2
7.4
13.0

16.0

2
52

49
303
206
4
8

160

16.9
170

3.9
.2

1.0
2.6

APPENDIX

Elementary school______
Junior high school----------Senior high school----------College--------------------Administrative department..
Normal school..------ -----Other------------------ -------- Not reporting type---------

$1,000, less than
$1,500

9.8

1

report the amount and 56 received compensation in addition to cash salary or in lieu of salary.

C5
00

Table

VII.—Earnings of members in occupations other than education in 1934

05

Women who earned in 1934—
Total
Occupation

Less than $1,000

$1,000, less than
$1,500

$1,500, less than
$2,000

$2,000, less than
$2,500

$2,500, less than
$3,000

$3,000 and more

Total reporting *

2, 239

100.0

607

26.8

531

23.4

471

20.8

272

12.0

2,118

100.0

538

25.4

512

24. 2

454

21.5

264

12.5

Librarian__________ _______
Social,
health,
religious
worker
Secretary_____________ ____
Clerical worker___ ______
Home economist......................
Research worker.. _____
Personnel.- _ ________ ____
Manager_________ ______
Sales, advertising, publishing, executive. _
Editorial_____________
_
Nurse. _________________
Physician, psychiatrist
Artist .
Lawyer................................... .
Other............ ............... .

427

100.0

60

14.1

127

29.7

135

31. 6

67

15.7

385
273
200
185
170
121
68

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

115
82
112
20
34
9
10

29.9
30.0
56.0
10.8
20.0
7.4

92
98
46
33
28
19
16

23.9
35.9
23.0
17.8
16.5
15.7

87
49
29
47
34
18
12

22.6
17.9
14.5
25.4
20.0
14.9

52
20
8
39
21
19
14

13.5
7.3
4.0
21.1
12.4
15.7

Independent business____ ... _

153

.........................
Teacher _.
Other professional________
Other____________

33
75
45

For an employer

68
60
47
43
16
8
49

38
22
10
4
8

14
15
7
4
4
1
8

14
100.0

69
24
25
19

45.1

19
6
9
4

2
8
15
6
3
2
7
12.4

17
1
9
7

232

10.2

6.9

201

9.5

24

5. 6

14

3.3

21
11
3
26
23
18

5.5
4.0
1. 5
14.1
13.5
14.9

18
13
2
20
30
38
10

4.7
4.8
1.0
10.8
17.6
31.4

W~

2

2

4
5
1

6

4
11.1

6.9

156
’

8
3
5

18
11

5
5.2

9

5.9

31

1
7
1

1 Of the 2,528 women in occupations other than education, 157 did not report the amount and 102 received compensation in addition to or in lieu of salary.


http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
Federal Reserve Bank of* St. Louis

1
9

20.3

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Table

▼

r

-J

VIII.—Marital status and living arrangements of women, related to number of their dependents in 1984
Women supporting given number of dependents who were—
Single

Total

Widowed, sepa­
rated, divorced

Married

Dependents

Living inde­
pendently

Total

Living with
family

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total reporting i

Five wholly or partially dependent

3,091

100.0

2,354

100.0

1,398

100.0

956

100.0

495

100.0

242

100.0

439
897

14.2
29.0

312
760

13.3
32.3

169
467

12.1
33.4

143
293

15.0
30.6

68
101

13.7
20.4

59
36

24.4
14.9

198
786

6.4
25.4

117
628

5.0
26.7

46
384

3.3
27.5

71
244

7.4
25.5

38
112

7.7
22.6

43
46

17.8
19.0

37
348

1.2
11.8

20
235

.8
10.0

9
141

.6
10.1

11
94

1.2
9.8

12
83

2.4
16.8

5
30

2.1
12.4

17
161

.5
5.2

11
107

.5
4.5

4
68

.3
4.9

7
39

.7
4.1

4
42

.8
8.5

2
12

.8
5.0

6
202

.2
6.5

4
160

.2
6.8

2
108

.1
7.7

2
52

.2
5.4

2
33

.4
6.7

9

3.7

APPENDIX

One dependent:
One wholly dependent___________________ ...
One partially dependent.................................. .........
Two dependents:
Two wholly dependent
Two wholly or partially dependent
Three dependents:
Three wholly dependent. __
. ..
Three wholly or partially dependent
Four dependents:
Four wholly dependent______________________
Four wholly or partially dependent----------------Five dependents:

1 Of the 3,618 women with dependents, 465 did not report number of dependents, 1 did not give marital status, and 61 did not state living arrangements.




Oi
Oi

Table

IX.—Salary of women, related to number of their dependents in 1934

5^

Women supporting given number of dependents with salary of—
Total
$1,000, less
than $1,500

$1,500, less
than $2,000

$2,000,less
than $2,500

$2,500,less
than $3,000

$3,000, less
than $3,500

$3,500, $4,000, $5,000
less
less
and
than than
$4,000 $5,000 over

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num­
ber

Per­
cent

Num
ber

Per­ Num­ Num­ Num­
ber
ber
ber
cent

2,827

100.0

183

100.0

524

too. 0

662

100.0

542

100.0

361

100.0

191

100.0

119

130

115

399
846

14.1
29.9

14
60

7.7
32.8

70
163

13.3
31.1

217

94

14. 2
32.8

88
153

16. 2
28. 2

60
103

16. 6
28. 5

30
65

15.7
34.0

16
30

17
28

10
27

One dependent:
Two dep*endents:
Two wholly or*partially dcpcnd-

182

6.5

6

3.3

37

7.1

40

6.0

35

6. 5

24

6. 7

11

5.8

8

g

12

713

25.2

55

30.0

144

27.5

180

27.2

135

24.9

91

25.2

34

17.8

31

25

18

32

1.1

2

1.1

2

.4

5

.8

7

1.3

8

2.2

3

1.6

1

2

2

316

11.2

23

12.6

61

11.6

51

7.7

60

11.1

35

9.7

26

13.6

15

21

24

14

.5

2

1.1

2

.3

4

.7

1

.3

1

.5

1

2

1

136

4.8

6

3.3

24

4.6

27

4.1

28

5.2

17

4.7

11

5.8

4

12

7

32

5.9

22

6.1

10

8.2

13

14

14

Three dependents:
Three wholly or partially dependFour dependents:
Four wholly or partially depend Five dependents:
Five wholly or partially depend-

3

.1

1

.5

1

.2

1

.1

186

6.6

14

7.6

22

4.2

45

6.8

1 Of the 3,618 women with dependents, 422 did not report the number of dependents, 306 did not state income, and 63 received income in lieu of cash salary or in
addition to it and are not included here.




ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Less than
$1,000

Dependents

Table X.—Discrimination,

1929-35, and its results, related to change in occupation, 1925 to 1935
Change in occupation in 10-year period
Total
No change

Results since 1929

Total reporting
change

Teach­
ing to
other

Varied
Never
Other to types of taught,
teaching teaching other
changes

Other

Not re­
porting
whether
change

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Number Number Number Number Number
BECAUSE OF SEX

Smaller beginning salary_______ ____ _________
Salary reduction, demotion
Restricted promotion ... ___ ________
.
Refusal'ofjob..
Other..................... .......................

...

„

2,476
781
641
563
85
282
124

100.0
31.5
25.9
22.7
3.4
11.4
5.0

1, 564
466
443
391
42
133
89

100.0
29.8
28.3
25.0
2.7
8.5
5.7

735
251
150
142
35
127
30

100.0
34.1
20.4
19.3
4. 8
17.3
4.1

85
84

77
75

186
176

86
81

91
88

117
115

128

92

255

132

128

177

91
57
43
13
41
10

41
29
32

43

64
48

23
1

25
9

22

38
29
25
9
23
4

38
14
19
15
6

23

APPENDIX

Total discriminations reported........... ................. .........

525
504

1,199
1,151

1,841
770

BECAUSE OP MARITAL STATUS

Total discriminations reported-------------- --------- —
Smaller beginning salary.. _
Reduction in salary------------------- ----------------Restricted promotion ----------------------------------Other.............................................................................




673
47
77
19
66
157
249
58

178
170

335
313

576
542
100.0
7.0
11.4
2. 8
9.8
23.3
37.0
8.6

391
24
57
14
43
96
124
33

100.0
6.1
14.6
3.6
11.0
24.6
31.7
8.4

212
19
16
5
18
45
92
17

100.0
9.0
7.5
2.4
8.5
21.2
43.4
8.0

45
45

17
16

51
48

27
26

38
35

63
59

57

17

60

32

46

70

2
1

3

4

5

4

1
5
6
2

7
15
22
6

3
5
14

5
8
21

5

5
7
1
2
12
29
1

Os
“■J

Table

XI.—Discrimination, 1929-35, and its results, related to employment, Dec. 31, 1934
Employed Dec. 31,1934

Unemployed Dec. 31, 1934

Total
Results since 1929

Total

Full time

o
oo

Not re­
porting
time

Part
time

Total

1, less
than 3
years

3 years
and
more

Not re­
porting
time

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Number Number Number Number Number Number
BECAUSE OF ADVANCED AGE
232
213

193
179

27
26

6
6

39
34

11
10

6
6

18
16

4
2

100.0

30

6

36

10

6

18

2

5.4
14.9
23.2
3.0
45.8
7.7

2
5

1

1

1
4
27
3

2
5
2

1
4
1

1
1
16

2

4
4

8
7

160
147

240

100.0

204

100.0

12
31
40
10
126
21

5.0
12.9
16.7
4. 2
52.5
8.7

11
31
39
6
99
18

5.4
15.2
19.1
2.9
48.5
8.8

168
9
25
39
5
77
13

1
19
3

1
3
2

BECAUSE OF YOUTH
376
357

412
392

1 2 women were unemployed 7 years.




349
331

24
23

3
3

36
35

20
20

4
4

3

4

491

100.0

450

100.0

421

100.0

26

41

24

159
37
81
14
191
9

32.4
7.5
16.5
2.9
38.9
1.8

149
37
80
13
164
7

33.1
8.2
17.8
2.9
36.4
1.6

143
37
76
12
146
7

34.0
8.8
18.0
2.8
34.7
1.7

6

10

4

4
1
15

1
1
27
2

1
1
16
2

3

4

5

8

2

4

3

4

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Less
than 1
year

Table

XII.—Discrimination, 1929-35, and its results, related to change in occupation, 1925 to 1935
Change in occupation in 10-year period

Results since 1929

Total
No change

Total reporting
change

Teach­
ing to
other

Other
to
teach­
ing

Varied
Never
types of taught,
teach­
other
ing
changes

Other

Not
report­
ing
whether
change

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Number Number Number Number Number
BECAUSE OF ADVANCED AGE
232
213

Total discriminations reported__

240

100.0

130

100.0

85

100.0

Smaller beginning salary____
Salary reduction, demotion...
Restricted promotion_______
Loss of job_________________
Refusal of job_______________
Other.. _______ _____________

12
31
40
10
126
21

5.0
12.9
16.7
4.2
52.5
8.7

8
18
26
6
60
12

6.2
13.8
20.0
4.6
46.2
9.2

3
8
9
3
55
7

3.5
9.4
10. 6
3. 5
64.7
8.2

126
116

82
76

20
18

12
11

15
13

15
15

20
19

24
21

21

13

15

16

20

25

3

1
2
4

1
1
2

1
15
2

5
1

1
2
3
2
7

14
2

14
2

1
5
5
1
11
2

APPENDIX

Women reporting discrimination..
Women reporting results________

BECAUSE OF YOUTH
Women reporting discrimination—
Women reporting results_________

412
392

Total discriminations reported___

491

100.0

280

100.0

189

100.0

159
37
81
14
191
9

32.4
7.5
16.5
2.9
38.9
1.8

102
23
47
7
96
5

36.4
8.2
16.8
2. 5
34.3
1.8

49
12
31
7
86
4

25.9
6. 4
16.4
3. 7
45.5
2.1

Smaller beginning salary_____
Salary reduction, demotion___
Restricted promotion________
Loss of job__________________
Refusual of job______________
Other______________ ____ ____




244
230

146
144

30
29

33
33

39
39

25
25

22
18

21

37

41

55

35

22

4
1
1
2
13

12

13
5
7

13
5
12
2
22
1

7
1
5
2
20

8
2
3

19
18

6
1
16
2

15
1

9

03
CO

Table

XIII.—Discrimination, 1929-85, because of youth, and its results, related to age, Dec. 31, 1984
Age, Dec. 31,1934
Total

Results since 1929

Total reporting
Percent

Number

Percent

Percent

Number

Percent

185
180

150
140

393
375

412
392

Number

25, under 30

30, under
35

35 and
over

Number Number

Not re­
porting

Number

42
40

16
15

19
17

Total discriminations reported_________ ____ ___

491

100.0

468

100.0

165

100.0

233

100.0

51

19

23

Smaller beginning salary__________ __________

159
37
81
14
191
9

32.4
7.5
16.5
2 9
38.9
1.8

154
33
77
14
181
9

32.9
7.0
16.5
3.0
38.7
1.9

60
5
15
6
75
4

36.4
3.0
9.1
3.6
45.5
2.4

76
22
42
6
84
3

32.6
9.4
18.0
2.6
36.1
1.3

12
6
13
2
18

6

5
4
4

Restricted promotion _

_____

Refusal of job___________________________




o

7
4
2

10

ECONOMIC STATUS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Number

20, under 25