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V DEC 1 1936
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WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
Harry Hopkins
Administrator
An Analysis of Employment of Women on
Worfo Progress Administration Projeots
December 1935 through May 1936
Corrington Gill
Assistant Administrator
Emerson Ross, Director
Division of Research,
Statistics, and Reoords
Prepared by
Wilhelmina Luten
under the Direction of
Thomas B. Rhodes
EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON WPA PROJECTS
To carry out its objeotive of providing suitable employ¬
ment for eligible persons from the relief rolls, the Works Progress
Administration has given speoial attention to the development of a
program for -women, giving employment to more than 450,000 at its
peak. Projects of other Federal agencies operating under the Works
Program provide some jobs for women, but they are limited chiefly
to clerical work and statistical surveys. The most important of
such projects are the U. S. Public Health Service morbidity survey,
employing more than 1,000 women on the first of April, the Bureau
of the Census Alphabetical Index, with just under 1,000 women at
work, and projects of the Office of Education, Bureau of Internal
Revenue, and the U. S. Employment Service, each of which employed
about 500 women as of that date.
In most areas WPA projects employing women were devel¬
oped considerably later than other types of projects. As shown
in the following tabulation, women represented only 11 peroent of
total employment during the first half of Deoember, but the propor¬
tion increased to 15 percent of the total during the second half of
February, when the peak of women's employment was reached. Though
a decrease in total employment of almost 500,000 persons occurred
between March 15 and May 15, the proportion of women employed in¬
creased to 16 percent of the total for the first half of May.
•» 2 •»
NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON ALL WPA PROJECTS
Semimonthly Periods, December 15, 1935, through May 15, 1936
Women as
Semimonthly
Total
Men
Women
Percent
Period Ending
of Total
1935
December
15
2,514,097
2,238,109
275,988
11.0
Deoember
31
2,695,371
2,365,392
329,979
12.2
1936
January
15
2,812,391
2,458,112
354,279
12.6
January
31
2,920,284
2,527,420
392,864
13.5
February
15
2,950,481
2,532,206
418,275
14.2
February
29
3,023,391
2,568,882
454,509
15.0
March
15
3,080,146
2,629,334
450,812
14.6
March
31
3,063,659
2,608,032
455,627
14.9
April
15
2,874,720
2,445,073
429,647
14.9
April
30
2,670,642
2,257,043
413,599
15.5
May
15
2,563,185
2,152,690
410,495
16.0
The national inventory of heads of families eligible for
employment under the Works Program, taken on January 15, 1936,
showed that women comprised 15.5 percent of the total. In four
States—Ceorgia, Mississippi, and the Carolines—over a fourth of
the certified heads of families were women. In each of these States
women were represented on WPA payrolls in December in greater pro¬
portion than among the total eligible heads of families. Although
total employment in these four States amounted to only one-sixteenth
of the United. States total, they provided work for approximately
one-sixth of all women employed under the WPA program during that
month. In oontrast, women constituted less than one percent of the
WPA workers employed in Pennsylvania and less than 5 percent in
West Virginia and Washington, although they represented between 10
and. 15 percent of the eligible heads of families in those States# Women
constituted less than 10 percent of the total persons employed in 21 States.
By the middle of May these proportions had changed considerably
beoause of the more extensive development of projeots suitable for women#
The relative number of women employed rose from less than 1 to more than
8 percent in Pennsylvania and from less than 5 to 13 and 14 percent,
respectively, in West Virginia and Washington# During the two weeks end¬
ing May 15 women workers made up less than 10 percent of the total in
only three States and New York City# More than 75 percent of all certi¬
fied female heads of families were employed in 18 States and the District
of Columbia and in only 8 States did the proportion fall below 50 percent
of the total# The inventory taken in January understates the number of
women eligible for employment in May in certain States in which eligibility
regulations were modified to permit certification of persons first receiv¬
ing relief after November 1st. The inventory overstates the number of
workers actually available for employment in May to the extent that certi¬
fied workers have obtained private employment or have become unassignable
for other reasons. (See tables and maps at end of report)
Types of Projeots Employing Women
A summary of the number of women employed on projeots of each
main type conducted under the WPA program during the first half of May
is shown in the following table. Women constituted significant propor¬
tions of the total employed in the educational, professional and
clerical, and goods project groups. Seventy-three percent of the
workers on oanning projeots and 97 percent of the total persons employed
on sewing projeots were women.
- 4 -
NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA
PROJECTS, BY TYPE OF PROJECT
Semimonthly Period Ending May 15, 1936
Type of Project
Total
Men
Women
Women as
Percent
of Total
TOTAL 2
,563,185
2,152,690
410,495
16.0
Highways, roads and streets
884,047
882,122
1,925
0.2
Publio buildings
233,666
229,589
4,077
1.7
Parks and other reorea-
tional facilities
279,482
276,845
2,637
0.9
Flood control and other
conservation
130,997
130,639
358
0.3
Sewer systems and other
utilities
239,193
238,669
524
0.2
Airports and other trans¬
portation
54,304
54,042
262
0.5
White collar - Total
265,715
148,119
117,596
44.3
Eduoational
59,561
22,110
37,451
62.9
Professional and clerical
206,154
126,009
80,145
38.9
Goods - Total
310,885
43,229
267,656
86,1
Sewing
266,012
8,620
257,392
96.8
Canning
1,727
471
1,256
72.7
Other
43,146
34,138
9,008
20.9
Sanitation and health
81,934
79,505
2,429
3.0
Distribution of surplus
commodities
14,313
11,467
2,846
19.9
WPA work camps
25,374
25,292
82
0.3
Miscellaneous
43,275
33,172
10,103
23.3
Women represented nearly two-thirds of the employment on
eduoational projects and more than one-third of the total on pro¬
fessional and clerical projects. Greater detail regarding the
distribution of women employed in April on the latter group of
projects is shown in the following table. In the various profes¬
sional and clerical activities, the proportion of women employed
varied from more than 80 percent of the total on library projeots
to less than 12 peroent on planning projects. Women accounted for
almost a third of the total employment on research and statistical
survey projects and for more than a fourth in art, literary, and
recreational activities.
NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON PROFESSIONAL AND
SERVICE PROJECTS
April 1936
Type of Project
Total
Men
Women
Women as
Percent
of Total
TOTAL
212,002
130,139
81,863
38.6
Clerical
25,498
11,830
13,668
53.6
Professional and technical
48,422
21,887
26,535
54.8
Medical, dental, and nursing
13,754
4,270
9,484
69.0
Library
16,953
3,142
13,811
81.5
Museum
1,913
921
992
51.9
Planning
7,180
6,331
849
11.8
Other
8,622
7,223
1,399
16.2
Research and statistical surveys
46,373
31,908
14,465
31.2
Statistical surveys
32,688
22,171
10,517
32.2
Non-statistical surveys
13,685
9,737
3,948
28.8
Art, literary, and recreational
80,260
57,262
22,998
28.7
Recreation
34,130
23,440
10,690
31.3
Theatre
12,669
9,183
3,486
27.5
Art
6,129
4,460
1,669
27.2
Music
15,602
12,900
2,702
17.3
Writing
8,451
4,992
3,459
40.9
Other
3,279
2,287
992
30.3
Other professional, technical,
and clerical projects
11,449
7,252
4,197
36.7
Employment on projects for production of goods alone
was given to nearly three-fourths of the 330,000 women who were
working on WPA projects in December. As the program advanced
- 6 -
employment on other types of projeots increased so that figures for
the first half of May indicate that the proportion of women employed
on goods projects represented only two-thirds of the total. The
total number of women on payrolls ending in the first half of May
was 44,000 less than the peak of 454,000 in the second half of
February. During the same period the number of women employed on
educational projects increased from 35,000 to 37,000 and on profes¬
sional and clerical projeots from 67,000 to 80,000. Changes in
the proportion of women employed on the various types of projeots
between December and April are shown in the following summary.
PERCENT OF WOMEN EMPLOYED ON ALL WPA
PROJECTS AND ON SELECTED GROUPS OF PROJECTS
Deoember 1935 through April 1936
Type of Project
December
January
February
March
April
TOTAL
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Educational
5.7
7.7
7.9
8.2
8.4
Professional and clerical
14.1
14.8
15.0
16.4
18.6
Goods
74.3
71.2
70.8
67.4
66.3
All other
5.9
6.3
6.3
8.0
6.7
Wage Class
Data as to the wage classes in which women were employed
in December and in March were obtained from an analysis of payrolls.
The total number of employees shown from this source is slightly
less than that given in the employment summary for March, since the
latter total was obtained from reports which contain some duplica¬
tion because of transfers of workers from one project to another
- 7 -
during a payroll period. Also, in the analysis of March payrolls
persons employed as owner-operators of equipment and persons em¬
ployed in WPA work camps were excluded.
The distribution of women in the five wage classes was
strikingly different from that of men in both months. The following
summary shows a greater concentration of women than men in the inter¬
mediate (semiskilled) and the professional and technical wage classes
and a distinctly lower proportion in the unskilled group. The large
NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON
WPA PROJECTS BY WAGE CLASS
December 1S35 and March 1936
Men Women
Wage Class
December
March
December
March
Number
TOTAL
2,380,662
2,492,202 ^
317,406
459,938
Non-security
74,913
115,476
7,264
17,376
Professional
and
technical
37,542
62,989
14,002
31,812
Skilled
187,447
233,248
19,594
34,994
Intermediate
147,967
169,691
56,443
81,371
Unskilled
1,931,946
1,910,787
220,070
294,384
Unknown
847
11
33
1
Percent
TOTAL
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Non-security
3.1
4.6
2.3
3.8
Professional
and
technical
1.6
2.5
4.4
6.9
Skilled
7.9
9.4
6.2
7.6
Intermediate
6.2
6.8
17.8
17.7
Unskilled
81.1
76.7
69.3
64.0
Unknown
0.1
2/
2/
2/
&/ Excludes a small number of persons employed as owner-operators of
equipment who were included in December.
B/ Less than 0.05 percent.
proportion of women in the professional and technical group results
from the inclusion of nurses and library workers in this wage class
in most States. In the intermediate group the high representation
of women is due in part to the large proportion of women assigned
to sewing and canning projects in the intermediate class in certain
States.
women employed in the unskilled class declined between December and
March. The greatest relative increases occurred in the proportion
of men employed at non-security rates and the proportion of women
classed as professional and technical. Some relative increase was
shown for men in each of the other wage classes, but the inter¬
mediate as well as the unskilled class showed a decline in the
proportion of women employed. Declines in both wage classes are
chiefly due to the decreased proportion of women employed on sewing
projects during the latter month.
It v,rill be observed that the proportion of both men and
PROPORTION OF WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS
IN EACH WAGE CLASS
December 1935 and March 1936
Wage Class
Women as Percent
of all Workers
December March
TOTAL
11.8
15.6
Non-security
Professional and technical
Skilled
Intermediate
Unskilled
8.8 13.1
27.2 33.6
9.5 13.0
27.6 32.4
10.2 13.3
- 9 -
The increase in the relative number of women employed be¬
tween December and March is reflected in each wage class with the
non-security group showing the greatest relative increase. Women
represented more than a fourth of the persons employed in the pro¬
fessional and technical and the intermediate classes in December
1935 and approximately a third of the total in both classes in March.
Wage Rates and Actual Earnings
A special tabulation made for December and March shows
that the average monthly wage rate for women employed at security
wage rates was $45.87 in December and $49.09 in March. The December
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGE RATES AND ACTUAL EARNINGS OF
MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS AT SECURITY
WAGES, BY WAGE REGIONS
Average Monthly Average Earnings as Percent
Wage Wage Rate Actual Earnings of Wage Rate
Region Men Women Men Women" Men Women
December
1935
United
States
$50.50
$45.87
$42.27
$36.55
83.7
79.7
Region
I
57.90
60.25
48.78
48.18
84.2
80.0
Region
II
40.35
40.87
33.55
33.05
83.1
80.9
Region
III
28.77
30.52
22.85
22.45
79.4
73.6
Region
IV
26.55
27.38
20.67
22.62
77.9
82.6
March 1936
United
States
$52.57
$49.09
$46.28
$43.94
88.0
89.5
Region
I
60.06
62.43
53.29
55.84
88.7
89.4
Region
II
40.71
42.30
35.52
38.91
87.3
92.0
Region
III
29.79
32.25
24.76
28.05
83.1
87.6
Region
IV
28.26
29.54
23.50
26.78
83.2
90.7
- 10 -
rate was almost 10 percent less and the Maroh rate about 7 percent
less than the rate for men. The preceding table shows the range
of both assigned wage rates and actual earnings of security wage
workers in the four wage regions for the two months.
The increases in average monthly wage rates for both men
and women between December and Maroh are explained chiefly by the
authorization of higher rates in certain States or localities, the
employment of a larger proportion of workers in the higher wage
classes, and, to a lesser extent, the decline of employment in
rural areas with the seasonal increase in agricultural employment.
In each region the average wage rate for women was higher
than for men, which is attributed to the fact that a larger propor¬
tion of the women than of the men were assigned at the higher rates
(particularly the professional and technical and intermediate) and
that a somewhat smaller proportion of the women were found in the
unskilled wage group. The faot that at the same time the average
assigned wage rate for women for the country as a whole was lower
than the average for men is a result of the marked concentration
of women workers in the States where low monthly earnings schedules
apply.
Monthly earnings for women employed on VTPA projects under
the established wage schedule, as shown in the preceding tabulations,
averaged $36.55 and $43.94 during the months of Deoember and Maroh,
while the averages for men were $42.27 and $46.28 for the two months.
The monthly wage rates at which women were assigned averaged more
- 11 -
than those for men in each wage region but the average actual earn¬
ings of women workers in December exceeded those of men only in
Region IV. In certain States in Region IV projeots for women were
sufficiently developed in December to afford nearly equal employ¬
ment opportunities for men and women. In Maroh average earnings
of women were higher than those of men in all but four States in
the country.
In December earnings of women were 20 percent less than
their average monthly wage rates, although earnings of men were
only 16 peroent less. By Maroh, chiefly as the result of greater
opportunity for a full month's employment, women's earnings came
within 11 peroent of the monthly wage rate and earnings for men
were only 12 percent under the average rate.
A comparison of the actual earnings of men and women
for December and Maroh shows the changed distribution effected
by greater stability of employment and by increased employment
of women at higher rates. The proportion of men whose monthly
PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON
WPA PROJECTS AT SECURITY WAGES, BY AMOUNT OF EARNINGS
December 1935 and
March
1936
Actual Earnings
Men
Women
December
March
December
March
TOTAL
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
$100 and Over
1.5
1.2
2.0
1.4
90 - 99.99
1.3
1.8
0.7
2.3
80 - 89.99
2.6
2.7
1.9
2.7
70 - 79.99
2.3
4.7
1.5
5.0
60 - 69.99
9.7
13.9
5.3
10.6
50 - 59.99
18.8
18.8
12.7
15.5
40 - 49.99
19.1
20.1
15.0
16.4
30 - 39.99
13.9
13.3
16.3
14.4
20 - 29.99
13.7
11.7
20.4
18.4
Under $20
17.1
11.8
24.2
13.3
- 12 -
earnings were $70 or more increased from 7.7 percent of the total
in December to 10.4 percent in March, while the proportion of
women in the same earnings groups showed a much greater inorease,
from 6.1 peroent of the total in Deoember to 11.4 peroent in
March. The group which earned between $50 and $70 accounted for
slightly higher proportions of both men and women in March than
in December and those earning between $30 and $50 represented
about the same proportion in both months. The relative number of
men and women earning less than $30 decreased about a fourth be¬
tween December and March, so that the workers in this class
accounted for 23 percent of the men and 32 percent of the women
employed in the latter month.
The following tables and charts show data on employment,
monthly wage rates, and earnings in detail by States. These data
have been summarized in the preceding text tables.
^ i 5 : :
AS OF JANUARY 15, 1936
NEBR.
14.6
KANS.
14.9
OKLA.
>2.6
I texas;
• 21.4 I
FEMALE HEADS OF FAMILIES AS PERCENT OF ALL
HEADS OF FAMILIES ELIGIBLE FOR WORKS PROGRAM EMPLOYMENT
PERCENT OF TOTAL
HEADS OF FAMILIES
| UNDER 10.0
10.0 AND UNDER 20.0
20.0 AND UNDER 30.0
30.0 AND OVER
WPA DIVISION OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
'5 *! rX* > 0 5 # 5 w $!
'SsmMM!1
mmmMM
NEBR.
ia.i
OKLA.
9.7
TEXAS
26.5
WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS AS PERCENT
OF TOTAL PERSONS EMPLOYED IN THE STATE
HALF MONTH ENDING MAY
18.0
PERCENT OF
TOTAL EMPLOYEES
| UNDER 10.0
| 10.0 AND UNDER 20.0
| 20.0 " '♦ 30.0
I 30.0 AND OVER
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION 1976
. .
TABLE X
HUMHER OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS, BY STATES
Half Month Ending May 16, 1936
Womenaa
Number of Per8one Peroent
State
Total
lien
Women
of Total
United Statei
2,563,186
2,152,690
410,495
16.0
Alabama
36,311
24.390
10,921
30.9
Arizona
9,522
7,546
1,977
20.8
Arkansa*
29,713
24,215
6,498
18.6
California
139,299
105,637
33,662
24.2
Colorado
33,256
26,734
6,522
19.6
Conneotiout
27,366
25,182
2,183
8.0
Delaware
3,130
2,169
961
30.7
Diitrict of Columbia
8,849
6,008
2,841
32.1
Florida
25,050
19,409
5,641
22.5
Georgia
36,707
26,227
10,480
28.6
Idaho
11,550
9,444
2,106
18.2
Illinois
180,929
162,267
18,662
10.3
Indiana
76,645
68,681
7,964
10.4
Iowa
23,616
19,810
3,806
16.1
Kansas
39,481
32,041
7,440
18.8
Kentucky
48,597
40,514
8,083
16.6
Louisiana
43,543
38,724
4,819
11.1
Maine
9,447
8,464
983
10.4
Maryland
17,674
15,089
2,585
14.6
Massachusetts
123,802
92,686
31,116
25.1
Miohigan
85,636
76,606
9,030
10.5
Minnesota
56,722
49,103
7,619
13.4
Mississippi
27,920
17,930
9,990
35.8
Missouri
77,405
60,342
17,063
22.0
Montana
8,434
6,676
1,758
20.8
Nebraska
18,767
15,366
3,401
18.1
Nevada
2,390
1,874
516
21.6
New Hampshire
7,765
5,984
1,781
22.9
New Jersey
93,369
83,052
10,317
11.0
New Mexioo
8,348
7,132
1,216
14.6
New York City
217,688
196,207
21,481
9.9
New York State (Exol. NYC)
110,534
98,366
12,168
11.0
North Carolina
32,384
19,198
13,186
40.7
North Dakota
10,704
8,452
2,252
21.0
Ohio
178,691
158,030
20,661
11.6
Oklahoma
45,456
41,052
4,404
9.7
Oregon
19,562
16,157
3,405
17.4
Pennsylvania
267,237
244,157
23,080
8.6
Rhode Island
14,471
12,132
2,339
16.2
South Carolina
26,734
15,914
10,820
40.5
South Dakota
11,159
7,704
3,455
31.0
Tennessee
38,046
30,148
7,898
20.3
Texas
86,765
63,762
23,003
26.5
Utah
12,513
10,637
1,876
15.0
Vermont
5,391
4,193
1,198
22.2
Virginia
30,449
20,183
10,266
33.7
Washington
34,285
29,379
4,906
14.3
West Virginia
49,650
43,375
6,275
12.6
Wisoonsin
57,144
51,388
5,756
10.1
Wyoming
4,080
2,955
1,125
27.6
i» vx^xv.
mwm
mmmi
WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS AS PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE
FEMALE HEADS OF FAMILIES IN EACH STATE
HALF MONTH ENDING MAY
nebr.
6 5.8
kans.
82.9
OKLA.
29.3
iww
' TEXAS
$ 73.8
PERCENT OF
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
20.0 AND UNDER 40.0
High ratios appearing in some states may
represent emloyment of a substantial propor¬
tion of the total number of women certified
as eligible rather than the restriction of em¬
ployment to female heads of families. also,
in certain instances ratios may be somewhat
overstated because of additional certifica¬
tions made since the inventory taken january is
AND OVER
Works progress administration
'977 I
TABLE 2
NUMBER 0? HOMES ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT JANUARY 15, 1936,
AND NUMBER EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS
Half Month Ending May 15, 1936
Women Employed aa
Percent of
Number of Women Eligible
Number of
State
Women
Employed
May 15
Heads of
Families
Total
Eligible All Women
Heads of ^.Eligible
Families
United States
410,495
676,974
1,757,784
60.6
23.4
Alabama
10,921
14,257
55,209
76.6
19.8
Arizona
1,977
3,428
5,715
57.7
34.6
Arkansas
5,498
10,978
28,067
50.1
19.6
California
33,662
42,840
75,133
78.6
44.8
Colorado
6,522
8,635
20,567
75.5
31.7
Connecticut
2,183
6,375
24,673
34.2
8.8
Delaware
961
1,168
2,815
82.3
34.1
District of Columbia
2,841
3,199
6,428
88.8
44.2
Florida
5,641
18,466
42,690
30.5
13.2
Georgia
10,480
22,711
62,692
46.1
16.7
Idaho
2,106
2,431
4,391
86.6
48.0
Illinois
18,662
32,457
54,334
57.5
34.3
Indiana
7,964
11,452
42,805
69.5
18.6
Iowa
3,806
4,984
8,725
76.4
43.6
Kansas
7,440
8,971
29,613
82.9
25.1
Kentucky
8,083
11,909
33,108
67.9
24.4
Louisiana
4,819
8,481
37,611
56.8
12.8
Maine
983
2,058
6,743
47.8
14.6
Maryland
2,585
6,360
13,143
40.6
19.7
Massachusetts
31,116
37,882
98,864
82.1
31.5
Michigan
9,030
15,611
44,930
57.8
20.1
Minnesota
7,619
9,205
24,215 •
82.8
31.5
Mississippi
9,990
18,403
38,725
54.3
25.8
Missouri
17,063
21,584
46,483
79.1
36.7
Montana
1,758
2,697
6,333
65.2
27.8
Nebraska
3,401
5,187
13,503
65.6
25.2
Nevada
516
536
804
96.3
64.2
New Hampshire
1,781
2,405
4,824
74.1
36.9
New Jersey
10,317
24,921
67,410
41.4
15.3
New Mexioo
1,216
3,147
10,269
38.6
11.8
New York City
21,481
51,912 £/
154,300 2/
41.4
13.9
New York (Excl. NYC)
12,168
20,079
56,578
60.6
21.5
North Carolina
13,186
20,736
48,267
63.6
27.3
North Dakota
2,252
2,088
5,123
107.9
44.0
Ohio
20,661
40,003
91,979
51.6
22.5
Oklahoma
4,404
15,014
43,668
29.3
10.1
Oregon
3,405
4,179
10,782
81.5
31.6
Pennsylvania
23,080
44,750
131,982
51.6
17.5
Rhode Island
2,339
2,282
9,841
102.5
23.8
South Carolina
10,820
18,372
57,554
58.9
18.8
South Dakota
3,455
4,164
8,267
83.0
41.3
Tennessee
7,898
14,399
31,732
54.9
24.9
Texas
23,003
31,190
66,231
73.8
34.7
Utah
1,876
2,405
6,011
78.0
31.2
Vermont
1,198
1,394
6,638
85.9
18.0
Virginia
10,266
13,889
35,495
73.9
28.9
Washington
4,906
7,145
18,131
68.7
27.1
West Virginia
6,275
10,755
33,661
58.3
18.6
Wisconsin
5,756
8,303
26,864
69.3
21.4
Wyoming
1,125
1,179
3,858
95.4
29.2
A/ Preliminary figures.
Ty High ratios appearing in some States may represent employment of a substantial
proportion of the total number of women oertified as eligible rather than the
restriction of employment to female heads of families. Also, in certain instances
ratios may be somevdiat overstated because of additional certifications made since
the inventory talcen Jttouury 15.
2/ Estimated.
TABLE 3
NUMBER OF WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS
IN EACH STATE, BY TYPE OF PROJECT
Half Month Ending May 15, 1936
Educational,
Goods Professional All other
State Total Projects and Clerical Proieots
Projects
Hunber Peroen¥ Number Percent" Nirober Percent Nunber Percent
UNITED STATES
410,495
100.0
267,656
66.2
117,696
28.6
25,243
6.2
Alabama
10,921
100.0
8,836
80.9
1,888
17.3
198
1.8
Ariaona
1,977
100.0
1,281
64.8
307
16.6
389
19.7
Arkansas
5,498
100.0
3,801
69.1
1,366
24.9
331
6.0
California
33,662
100.0
21,883
65.0
10,966
32.6
813
2.4
Colorado
6,522
100.0
4,625
70.9
1,155
17.7
742
11.4
Connecticut
2,183
100.0
1,193
54.7
839
38.4
151
6.9
Delaware
961
100.0
838
87.2
90
9.4
33
3.4
District of Columbia
2,841
100.0
1,958
68.9
726
25.6
167
5.5
Florida
5,641
100.0
2,749
48.7
2,723
48.3
169
3.0
Georgia
10,480
100.0
6,573
62.7
3,467
33.1
440
4.2
Idaho
2,106
ioo.o
1,346
63.9
366
16.9
405
19.2
Illinois
18,662
100.0
9,644
61.7
7,870
42.2
1,148
6.1
Indiana
7,964
100.0
6,079
76.3
1,182
14.9
703
8.8
Iowa
3,806
100.0
2,482
66.2
1,139
29.9
185
4.9
Kansas
7,440
100.0
6,232
83.7
1,166
15.7
42
,6
Kentucky
8,083
ioo.o
6,448
79.8
1,506
18.6
130
1.6
Louisiana
4,819
100.0
2,629
64.6
1,761
36.3
439
9.1
Maine
983
100.0
711
72.3
241
24.6
31
3.2
Maryland
2,585
100.0
1,861
72.0
591
22.9
133
5.1
Massachusetts
31.116
100.0
24,434
78.5
5,896
19.0
787
2.6
Michigan
9,030
100.0
5,123
56.7
3,621
40.1
286
3.2
Minnesota
7,619
100.0
4,367
57.3
2,937
38.6
315
4.1
Mississippi
9,990
100.0
5,180
51.8
2,846
28.6
1,965
19.7
Missouri
17,063
100.0
15,141
88.7
1,436
8.4
486
2.9
Montana
1,768
100.0
1,256
70.2
474
27.0
49
2.8
Nebraska
3,401
100.0
2,354
69.2
984
28.9
63
1.9
Nevada
516
100.0
346
66.9
124
24.0
47
9.1
New Hampshire
1,781
100.0
1,447
81.2
299
16.8
36
2.0
New Jersey
10,317
100.0
6,696
63.9
3,326
32.2
395
3.9
New Mexloo
1,216
100.0
882
72.6
304
25.0
30
2.5
Hew York City
21,481
100.0
673
3.1
17,507
81.5
3,301
15.4
New York (Rxol.NYC)
12,168
100.0
8,367
68.7
3,612
29.7
199
1.6
North Carolina
13,186
100.0
9,783
74.2
2,949
22.4
454
3.4
North Dakota
2,262
100.0
1,341
59.6
811
36.0
100
4.4
Ohio
20,661
100.0
14,115
68.3
5,327
26.8
1,219
5.9
Oklahoma
4,404
100.0
3,630
80.2
664
14.8
220
5.0
Oregon
3,405
100.0
2,443
71.8
930
27.3
32
.9
Pennsylvania
23,080
100.0
17,583
76.2
4,780
20.7
717
3.1
Rhode Island
2,339
100.0
1,764
76.4
531
22.7
44
1.9
South Carolina
10,820
100.0
5,219
48.2
3,160
29.2
2,441
22.6
South Dakota
3,465
100.0
2,794
80.9
608
17.6
63
1.6
Tennessee
7,898
100.0
6,946
76.3
1,323
16.8
629
7.9
Texas
23,003
100.0
17,529
76.2
5,001
21.7
473
2.1
Utah
1,876
100.0
1,123
69.9
398
21.2
365
18.9
Vermont
1,198
100.0
630
44.2
436
36.4
232
19.4
Virginia
10,266
100.0
5,767
56.2
3,015
29.4
1,484
14.4
Washington
4,906
100.0
3,068
62.5
1,609
30.8
329
6.7
West Virginia
6,276
100.0
3,747
59.8
1,176
18.7
1,352
21.5
Wisconsin
6,766
100.0
3,316
57.6
2,021
36.1
419
7.3
Wyoming
1,125
100.0
756
67.2
276
24.6
93
8.5
TABUS 4
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGE RATES AND AVERAGE EARNINGS
OF MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS AT
SECURITY WAGES, BY STATES
Deoember 1935
—— MEH W 0 K S K
State Wage Average Eg minus as Average Earnings as
anA Rate , / Monthly Average Percent of Monthly Average Percent of
Region Regloir Wage Rate Earnings Wage Rate Wage Rate Earnings Wage Rate
United States
$50.50
$42.27
83.7
$45.87
$36.56
79.7
Alabama
rv
28.95
23.53
81.3
28.98
24.50
84.5
Aritona
I
48.25
33.47
69.4
46.2C
34.27
74.2
Arkansas
III
26.27
19.60
74.6
27.00
19.72
73.0
California
I
59.70
44.60
74.7
61.73
42.62
69.0
Colorado
I
51.40
45.*8
88.9
53.50
39.97
74.7
Connecticut
I
63.98
55.32
86.5
70.15
51.17
72.9
Delaware
II
48.93
31.72
64.8
47.40
38.20
80.6
Dist. of Columbia
II
47.35
38.37
81.0
47.26
19.50
41.3
Florida
IV
27.68
19.32
69.8
27.45
22.35
81.4
Georgia
IV
26.60
21.15
79.5
26.6,8
21.96
82.4
Idaho
I
44.33
33.65
75.9
43.78
34.37
78.5
Illinois
I
53.80
42.78
79.5
59.70
44.08
73.8
Indiana
I
51.77
49,62
95.8
54.15
43.17
79.7
Io*a
I
49.22
37.10
75.4
51.00
39.70
77.8
Kansas
II
38.20
34.28
89.7
39.40
35.83
90.9
Kentuoky I
and III
25.57
19.72
77.1
25.92
20.02
77.2
Region I
58.08
43.08
74.2
56.68
29.37
51.8
Region III
24.40
18.82
77.1
24.80
19.70
79.4
Louisiana
III
37.17
30.77
82.8
45.23
29.55
65.3
Maine
I
48.70
43.07
88.4
49.45
37.40
75.6
Maryland
II
45.52
33.77
74.2
47.40
30.05
63.4
Massachusetts
I
59.83
46.50
76.0
57.80
47.30
81.8
Miohigan
I
54.45
44.33
81.4
58.73
44.33
75.6
Minnesota
I
55.42
45.70
82.5
60.30
45,23
75.0
Mississippi
IV
23.32
18.27
78.3
25.90
21.10
81.6
Missouri I
end II
43.88
38.32
87.3
45.88
35.30
76.9
Region I
57.13
49.32
86.3
57.03
39.00
68.4
Region II
38.02
33.53
88.2
38.47
33.28
86.5
Montana
I
46.30
49.15
106.2
51.58
54.03
104.7
Nebraska
II
41.80
33.05
79.1
43.33
36.08
83.3
Nevada
I
47. CO
32.87
69.9
46.32
37.00
79.9
New Hampshire
I
49.53
40.82
82.4
51.68
42.72
82.7
New Jersey
I
55.95
47.40
84.7
58.83
44.52
75.7
New Mexico
I
44.93
44.30
98.6
45.33
25.15
55.6
New Y0rk City
I
71.25
69.38
97.4
84.28
87.50
103.8
New York(Exol. NYC)
I
60.65
47.47
78.3
63.52
46.12
72.6
North Carolina
rv
23.83
17.75
74.5
24.10
19.70
81.7
North Dakota
i
44.00
36.85
83.8
47.43
39.55
83.4
Ohio
i
55.32
46.22
83.6
57.30
41.65
72.7
Oklahoma
HI
26.55
23.43
88.2
27.67
23.18
83.8
Oregon
i
54.16
44.70
82.5
57.15
43.85
76.7
Pennsylvania
i
59.62
48.82
81.9
68.23
46.75
68.5
Rhode Island
i
56.85
48.07
84.6
57.40
48.92
85.2
South Carolina
rv
24.47
19.70
80.5
29.78
25.10
84.3
South Dakota
i
43.63
35.45
81.3
44.40
36.25
81.6
Tennessee
IV
27.80
22.20
79.9
31.00
25.40
81.9
Texas I end III
29.85
21.40
71.7
32.68
20.17
61.7
Region II
32.55
17.58
54.0
33.17
15.10
46.6
Region III
29. eo
21.57
74.4
32.62
20.35
62.4
Utah
i
51.12
48.23
94.3
54.20
44.46
82.1
Vermont
i
43.96
38.05
86,6
46.48
37.15
79.9
Virginia
hi
29.27
22.73
77.7
31.35
25.25
80.5
Washington
i
54.50
39.70
72.8
61.40
39.17
63.8
West Virginia
II
41.10
33.45
81.4
43.43
30.10
69.3
Wisoonsin
i
55.85
49.60
88.8
61.65
53.18
86.3
Wyoming
i
46.15
45.00
97.5
45.48
40.27
88.6
Region I
57.90
48.78
84.2
60.25
48.18
80.0
Region II
40.35
33.55
83.1
40.87
33.05
80.9
Region III
28.77
22.85
79.4
30.52
22.45
73.6
Region IV
26.55
20.67
77.9
27.38
22.62
82.6
A/ In Kentucky, Missouri,and Texas certain areas have been designated as parts of wage rate
regions different from those established for the States. Kentucky is included in Region
III except for Campbell and Kenton Counties, near Cincinnati, which have been transferred
to Region I. Missouri is included in Region II except for St. Louis City and County (WPA
District 10) which have been transferred to Region I. Texas is included in Region III
except for 36 counties which have been transferred to Region II.
TABLE 5
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGE HATES AlfD AVERAGE EARNINGS
OF MEN AMD WOMEN EMPLOYED ON WPA PROJECTS AT
SECURITY WAGES, 3Y STATES
Maroh 1936
MEN WOMEN
State Wage Average Earnings as Average Earnings as
and Rate / Monthly Average Percent of Monthly Average Percent of
Region Region & Wage Rate Earnings Wage Rate Wage Rate Earnings Wage Rate
United States
$52.57
$46.28
88.0
$49.09
$43.94
89.5
Alabama
IV
30.33
26.23
86.5
29.96
26.69
89.1
Arizona
I
49.15
43.82
89.2
47.99
43.24
90.1
Arkansas
III
27.08
22.18
81.9
27.93
26.04
93.1
California
I
61.99
51.35
83.6
62.02
53.61
86.4
Colorado
I
52.81
47.91
91.1
54.57
50.66
92.8
Conneotiout
I
66.05
62.25
94.2
71.59
67.79
94.7
Delaware
II
49.78
44.86
90.1
47.15
43.07
91.3
District of Columbia
II
49.24
42.50
86.3
49.46
45.57
92.1
Florida
IV
31.41
25.59
81.5
30.60
27.03
88.3
Georgia
IV
28.59
23.47
82.1
29.36
26.20
89.2
Idaho
I
45.39
36.77
81.0
45.91
41.82
91.1
Illinois
I
55.11
49.40
89.6
59.38
54.12
90.4
Indiana
I
52.90
48.32
91.3
55.32
52.38
93.3
Iowa
I
49.10
41.29
84.1
51.97
47.41
91.2
Kansas
II
38.76
34.03
87.3
40.05
37.66
94.0
Kentuoky I
and III
26.47
21.23
80.2
29.57
27.34
92.5
Region I
60.16
46.52
77.3
58.83
54.32
92.3
Region III
25.02
20.15
80.5
28.38
26.24
92.5
Louisiana
III
37.35
33.04
88.5
47.19
38.79
82.2
Maine
I
49.09
43.70
89.0
53.70
46.55
86.7
Maryland
II
49.36
44.27
89.7
48.55
45.42
93.6
Massachusetts
I
64.20
58.48
91.1
63.38
61.17
96.5
Miohigan
I
56.36
50.31
90.1
69.30
54.39
91.0
Minnesota
I
57.2S
49.41
86.3
62.36
54.45
87.3
Mississippi
IV
23.95
18.77
78.4
27.16
24.76
91.2
Missouri I
and II
44.57
33.33
74.8
46.58
41.58
89.3
Region I
59.47
53.99
90.8
59.56
50.33
84.5
Region II
38.2S
32.94
86.1
40.37
37.40
92.6
Montana
I
46.70
44.76
95.8
51.13
48.97
95.8
Nebraska
I
52.76
41.18
78.1
64.95
47.72
86.8
Nevada
I
49.48
43.29
e7.5
49.95
45.72
91.5
New Hampshire
I
52.00
46.13
88.7
54.11
50.99
94.2
New Jersey
I
62.61
57.30
92.3
66.08
60.94
92.2
New Mexioo
I
45.39
37.05
80.7
47.44
25.26
53.2
New York City
I
72.94
66.85
91.7
83.95
80.19
95.5
New York (Exel.N.Y.C.) I
62.54
55.63
89.0
65.58
60.03
91.5
North Carolina
27.45
22.60
82.3
28.89
26.27
90.9
North Dakota
I
47.32
41.39
87.5
52.01
46.85
90.1
Ohio
I
61.45
52.30
85.1
64.75
56.00
86.5
Oklahoma
III
27.37
22.35
82.0
28.73
24.04
83.7
Oregon
I
55.37
48.34
87.4
57.74
52.58
91.1
Pennsylvania
I
61.27
54.04
88.2
66.37
46.60
69.7
Rhode Island
I
59.28
53.35
90.0
59.94
53.91
89.9
South Carolina
IV
25.70
21.75
84.6
29.52
27.51
93.2
South Dakota
44.14
37.92
85.9
45.28
43.57
96.2
Tennessee
IV
28.93
24.49
84.7
32.44
29.83
92.0
Texas II
and III
30.25
24.36
82.2
31.93
27.71
86.8
Region II
32.11
25.95
80.8
32.50
27.73
85.3
Region III
30.16
24.80
82.2
31.91
27.71
86.3
Utah
I
53.72
37.97
70.7
55.49
41.56
74.9
Vermont
I
43.86
38.06
86.8
47.33
41.46
87.6
Virginia
III
31.20
24.92
79.9
34.78
30.27
87.0
Washington
I
57.08
51.08
89.5
61.80
56.02
90.6
West Virginia
II
41.01
35.39
87.5
43.79
38.66
88.3
Wisoonsin
I
57.35
53.25
92.0
63.18
59.13
93.6
Wyoming
I
49.05
41.74
85.1
49.66
44.12
88.3
Region I
60.06
53.29
88.7
62.43
55.84
89.4
Region II
40.71
35.52
87.3
42.30
38.91
92.0
Region III
29.79
24.76
83.1
32.25
28.05
87.0
Region IV
28.26
23.50
83.2
29.54
26.78
90.6
A/ In Kentuoky, Missouri and Texas oertain areas have been designated as parts of wage rate
regions different from those established for the States. Kentuoky is inoluded in Region
exo"Campbell and Kenton Counties, near Cincinnati, which have been transferred
to Region I. Missouri is inoluded in Region II exoept for St. Louis City and County (WPA
Distriot 10) whioh have been transferred to Region I. Texas is included in Region III
exoept for 36 oounties in northern Texas whioh have been transferred to Region II.