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. ,~.·,,-, ·'·1' M/:ii, ..., 0 1336 r ........ :,• No. 4 -- 1123 THE WORKS PROGRAM -- Works Progress Administration For release in afternoon newspapers Tuesday, March 24, 1936 WPA Workers Average $50.03 Monthly Throughout Country. The monthly wage rate at which the 2,600,000 Works Progress Administration workers employed during the month of December had been assigned to work projects averaged $50.03 for the United States, according to preliminary summaries of a wage rate tabulation released today by Administrator Harry L. Hopkins. The average monthly wage rate varied from $26.7 8 in the southern region where the lowest earnings schedule is in effect, to $58.10 in the 32 states comprising Region I, where the highest rates obtain and in which over 70 per cent of the assigned workers were employed. In Regions II and III, the monthly wage r~tes averaged $40.40 and $29.07, respectively (see attached, Table I). Only 15 per cent of all persons assigned at the established monthly wage schedule were to receive less than $30 per month in wages. Nearly a third were to receive b~tween $30 and $50, while more than half the workers were assigned at wages in excess of $50 per mo:1th. more than $70 per month. Of the latter, only 8 per cent were scheduled ~o rece:i.vE Table II, attached, presents these data in detail. The monthly wage rates shown in this tabulation exceed the average amount actually earned per person during the month because some employees were assigned to Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY No. 4 -- 1123 - 2 - the program during the month and, consequently, we re not paid for the full month. The wage rate figur e s also overstate actual earnings to the extent that workers were voluntarily absent from the job or absent because of sickness. The figures sho wing average actual earnings will be available in the near future. The ave rage monthly wage rate for workers employed on the WPA program in each State in December is presented in Tabl e III, attached. Digitized by NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ·4 -- 1123 Table I WORKS PROGRESS .Al)MINISTRATION Assigned Monthly Wage Rates of wPA Workers, by Wage Rate R€gions (Excluding persons not assiened at the established monthly wage scheduJ.e) Dijcembcr, 1935 Total Workers Wage Rate Regions Assigned Monthly Wage Rates Number Percent of Total 2,588,842 100.0 $50.03 1,814,485 70,1 58.10 Region II 195,192 7.5 40.42 Region III 310,528 12.0 . C:9,07 Region IV 268,t;37 10.4 :ilE. 78 TOTAL u. s. Region I Division of Research, Statistics and Records Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4 -- 1123 Table II WORKS PROGRESS .AilMINI STRATION Assi gned Monthly Wage Rates of Wo r ke rs Employed on WPA Proj ects (Excluding persons not assigned at the establish~d monthly wage schedule) December, 1935 Number of Persons Percent of Total 2, 588 , 842 100.0 $100 or over 17,500 0.7 90 . 00 - 99,99 57,689 2 .2 80 . 00 - 89.99 91, 847 3.5 70.00 - 79.99 55,139 2 .1 60 . 00 - 69.99 496,249 19.2 50. 00 - 59.99 675 , 943 26 .l 40 . 00 - 49.99 548 , 083 21.2 30 . 00 - 39.99 269,001 10.4 20.00 - 29.99 264 , 266 11.0 93,125 3.6 Monthly Wage Rate TOT.AL Less than $20 !J u, s. Af All wor~rnrs employed at rr:ont:11y wage r a tes of l e s s than $20 were assigned at $18 . 90 and $19.00 pe r month. Division of Research, Statistics and Records Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4 -- 1123 Table III WO-:.lliS PROGRESS .ADMINISTRATION Assigned Monthly Wage R~tes of WPA Workers by State and Wage Region (Excluding persons not assigned at the established monthly wage schedule) December, 1935 Average Monthly Wage Rate State U. S. Total Region I Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky (2 counties)!/ Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri (St. Louis City) Montana Nevada New Hampshire New J e rsey New Mexico New York City New York (Exel. N.Y.C.) North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvruiia Rhode I slnnd South Dakota Uta.h Vermont Washington Wisconsin Wyoming !._/ V Q_j State Average Monthly Wage Rate $ 50.03 49!65 59.83 51. 75 64.33 44.25 54.20 51.95 49.42 W 56.95 48.76 59.38 54.87 55.95 51.10 46.92 46.85 49.83 56.05 44.98 72.23 60 .90 44.35 55.45 54.50 59.97 56.93 43.80 51.45 44.20 54.82 56.33 46.05 Region II Delaware District of Columbia Kansas Maryland Missouri (Excl.St.Louis)W Nebraska West Virginia Texas (36 counties) Q/ 48.47 47.33 38.18 45.75 38.10 42.00 41.15 32,65 Region III Arkansas A/ Kentucky (Excl.2 counti;s) Louisiana Oklahoma Texas (Excl.36 counties)Q/ Virginia 26.40 24.42 37.92 26.75 30.32 29. 80 Region IV A.labruna Florida Georgia Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee 28.95 27.63 26.63 24.33 23.93 26.22 28.38 Campbell and Kenton counties are classified in Region I. The remainder of the State is classified in Region III, The average wage rate for the entire State in December was $25.60. St. Louis City is cle.ssified in Region I. The remainder of the State is in Region II. The average wage rate for the entire State in December was $44.1 Thirty-six small counties in Texas are classified in Region II. The remainder of the State is in Region III. The average wage rate for the entire State in December was $30.40. Digitized by NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
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