Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

ftmthrow t1_j9kz2qt wrote

In case anyone’s curious - $20k in (January) 1989 is $49,408 today.

106

No_Historian718 t1_j9kwdt4 wrote

That assistant library director salary is the same now 😭

78

CoolAbdul OP t1_j9kvsmn wrote

More 1989 salaries

https://ibb.co/vVMVN8b

63

Efficient_Dog59 t1_j9lefs8 wrote

Surprising how many careers made more than a computer programmer than. Like a grocery manager and teacher.

27

LukeWarmCheesecake t1_j9m7bit wrote

They all could afford a triple decker mortgage and paying the rent of their 3 kids in college too.

45

michael_scarn_21 t1_j9lkbh7 wrote

Candlestick maker?! I know Worcester is a bit backwards but still!

26

smittyxi t1_j9o98jq wrote

And, being pedantic, those are just candles she's holding, not candle sticks, which are the things that hold candles... I doubt she made those.

4

fegan104 t1_j9ml67v wrote

In 1989 MA minimum wage was $3.75/hr, so 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year adds up to $7,800. Adjusted for inflation that would be $19,269.

In 2023 minimum wage in MA $15.00/hr, so 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year adds up to $31,200.

Not a particularly meaningful insight but interesting to get a rough sense of how it stacks up.

19

chance_008 t1_j9mn532 wrote

Don’t kill me if this research is incorrect but I was curious so I looked up average rent prices from 1989 and today. I found around $350 for 1989 and $2700 for today. Using your figures above the minimum wage employee would spend about 21.8% of their yearly Income on rent compared to 103.8% of their annual income in 2023.

40

downwardspiralstairs t1_j9loc01 wrote

$10 an hour went farther back then, minimum wage was $3.75/5.63 in 1989.

9

WZRD_burial t1_j9luptf wrote

My first job in 2004 was $5.15 an hour. I can't believe I wasted all of that time in my youth working for nothing.

11

ApeksBlue t1_j9lbpg3 wrote

Even just the fact that this magazine only cost 1.75 💀

8

anurodhp t1_j9lpi9i wrote

yeah thats crazy expensive for 1989

20

CommonNotCommons t1_j9muh2e wrote

Adjusted for inflation, minimum wage was $9.05 in MA in 1989. Currently it’s $15. I know many things were cheaper, but I’d estimate on net that now’s probably a better time to be making minimum wage. I think the main idea here is that it was easier to make a livable wage in unskilled or blue collar work. Almost nobody makes the minimum wage in America. (Less than 1% of the adult workforce).

1

PilotAdvanced t1_j9ml95j wrote

I remember when you used to be able to get a Hershey for a nickel.

7

RailRoad_Candy t1_j9mz52o wrote

Engineering and hard sciences people, engineering and hard sciences...

...dear god I'm never going to own a home.

3

dwrona70 t1_j9mua4u wrote

Redemption rock slaps

2

brdoma1991 t1_j9oehdp wrote

I’m no expert but the guy on the left Is clearly a carpenter.

1