Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/542

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THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

the entire year and those engaged for only short periods, also piece workers. The average annual earnings is also affected by the difference in the pro- portion of these different classes of employe's, as well as by the condition prevailing in the different industries and in the different localities, some industries requiring a larger proportion of skilled and high-paid employes than others. With these cautions in accepting the figures, the following statement is presented which shows for the United States the average annual earnings for all employes for each class, and for the males, females, and children in each class."

AVERAGE ANNUAL EARNINGS BY CLASSES.

AGGREGATE

MALES ABOVE 16

Classes

Number

Wages

Average Annual Wages

Average Number

Wages

Average Annual Wages

Total

4,712,612

$2,283,216,529

$484

3,745,123

$2,031,403,924

$542

Officers, firm

members, and

clerks

461,009

391,988,208

850

418,081

372,169,441

90

Operatives,

skilled and

unskilled

3,492,029

1,590,516,997

455

2,831,795

1,436,482,387

498

Piece workers

759,584

300,711,324

396

445,247

222,752,096

500

Classes

FEMALES ABOVE 15 YEARS

CHILDREN

Average

Number

Wages

Average Annual Earn'gs

Average Number

Wages

Average Annual Earn'gs

Total Officers, firm members, and clerks Operatives, skilled and unskilled Piece workers

846,614 42,928

595,712 297,974

$235,186,742 19,818,767

139,329,719 76,038,257

$278 4 62

2 7 6

255

120,885

$16,625,802

$138

104,522 16,363

14,704,891 1,920,971

141 117

From the remark that the average obtained was for employes working for short periods as well as for the whole year, it might be inferred that the average annual earnings shown are less than would be the earnings for one employe the whole year, which would be the fact if the aggregate earnings were, as Colonel