1. Low wages: The average annual wage for all non-farm workers in the United States in 1930 was approximately $1,350, which is equivalent to about $21,500 in 2020 dollars when adjusting for inflation.
2. Regional disparities: Wages varied across different regions of the country. For example, wages were generally higher in the Northeast and West Coast compared to the South and Midwest.
3. Gender wage gap: Women's wages were significantly lower than men's wages during the 1930s. On average, women earned only about 60% of what men earned for comparable work.
4. Impact of the Great Depression: The Great Depression, which began in 1929 and lasted throughout most of the 1930s, caused widespread unemployment and wage cuts. Many workers were forced to accept lower wages or lost their jobs altogether.
5. Minimum wage legislation: The first federal minimum wage law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, was enacted in 1938. It established a minimum wage of 25 cents per hour, which was considered a significant improvement at the time but still below a living wage.
Wages in the 1930s were influenced by various factors, including the overall economic situation, regional variations, gender disparities, and the impact of the Great Depression. The lower wages during this period reflected the economic hardships and challenges faced by workers and the economy as a whole.