Salary Trends

F IR E M E N A N D P O L IC E M E N

1 9 2 4 - 6 4

Bulletin No. 1445

r g ~ r

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

W. Willard Wirtz, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Ewan Clague, Commissioner

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Salary Trends

FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN,

1 9 2 4 - 6 4

Bulletin No. 1445

April 1965

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR b u r e a u o f l a b o r s t a t i s t i c s

W. Willard Wirtz, Secretary Ewan Clague, Commissioner

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Preface

This report traces salary trends for firemen and

policemen for the period 1924—64.

It includes materials previously published as Wage

Movements: Salaries of Firemen and Policemen, A Quarter Century Review, Series 3, Number 2, and six supplementary reports from the Monthly Labor Review of

June 1950, January 1952, July 1953, July 1955, October 1958, March 1962, and February 1965, which brought

the original study up to date through 1964. This revised

report is intended merely to incorporate the information

for the entire period into one document rather than to present any information not previously published.

The appendix explains the coverage, methodology,

and source of data used for the studies. A brief description of the calculation of the indexes is also included.

The salary trends program is directed by Lily

Mary David, Chief of the Division of Wage Economics

under the general direction of L. R. Linsenmayer, Assistant

Commissioner for Wages and Industrial Relations. This

report was prepared under the supervision of Albert A.

Belman. The analysis for the period 1961 to 1964 was

prepared by Arthur Sackley.

iii

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Contents

Page

Salary trends: Firem en and policemen, 1924—50 ------------------------------------------------ 1

Salary changes:

1 9 5 0 - 51 ____________________________________________________________________________ 5

1 95 1- 52 ____________________________________________________________________________ 7

1 9 5 2 - 54 ____________________________________________________________________________ 11

1954-58 ______________________________________________________________________________ 15

1958-61 ______________________________________________________________________________ 19

1961-64 ______________________________________________________________________________ 25

Appendix: Scope and method of survey 31

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Salary Trends:

Firemen and Policemen, 1924—50

Salary scales of the firemen and policemen 

employed in United Statescitieshave increased 

more than 80 percent over the past quarter century. The sharpest advances occurred in the 

past decade when salary scales rose by about 

50 percent. There was some increase in salaries during the latter 1920’s, followed by a noticeable decline in the early 1930’s (table 1). 

The net effect of this reduction in salary scales 

and the succeeding recovery in the late 1930’ s 1 

was an 8-percent rise from 1929 to 1939*

T a b le 1. In d exes o f a v e ra g e sa la ry ra tes1 for firem en and p o lic e m e n ' 

in c itie s o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n or m o re, 1 9 2 4 -5 0

Y e a r 2

Index (1 9 3 9 = 1 0 0 )

F irem en

and

p o lic e m e n

F irem en P o lice m e n

1924 ----------------------------------- 84 87 82

1929 ----------------------------------- 93 96 92

1932 ----------------------------------- 96 99 94

1934 ----------------------------------- 94 93 94

1938 ----------------------------------- 100 100 100

1939 --------------------- --------- 100 100 100

1940 - ------------------------------ 100 100 100

1 9 4 1 ----------- ----------- 100 100 100

1942 ----------------------- 101 103 101

1943 ----------------------------------- 104 106 103

1944 — ------ ------ 110 111 109

1945 --------------------- --------- 117 117 116

1946 ----------------------------------- 119 118 121

1947 ----------------------------------- 128 130 126

1948 — -------- ---------------- 137 139 136

1949 -------------- -------------------- 148 149 147

1950 ----------------------------------- 152 153 151

1 F rom 1924 to 1938 b ased on a c tu a l an nu al sala rie s p aid ; subseq uently 

b a se d on m a x im u m of salary s c a le in e ach c ity .

2 D a ta for 1939 to 1950 refer in g e n e ra l to ra tes e ffe c tiv e on Jan u ary 1; 

d a ta for e a rlie r v e ars refer to vary in g periods throughout the y ear.

Practically the entire increase during the 

past decade has occurred since 1942. For the 

entire war period (1941 to 1945) the increase 

was 17 percent, as compared with 26 percent 

for the period 1945 to 1949- During the past 

year, an additional increase of 3 percent has 

been recorded.

Salary rates for these workers responded to 

the same general forces that lifted the whole 

wage and salary structure of the country during

these years. However, the increase in salary 

scales of firemen and policemen from 1939 to 

1950 did not equal the increase in the cost of 

consumers* goods and services, as measured by 

the Bureau’s Consumers’ Price Index. This 

index rose by 69 percent between January 1939 

and January 1950 compared with the 52-percent 

rise in salary scales of firemen and policemen. 

The rise in salaries of these workers was also 

considerably smaller than the increase in wage 

rates or annual earnings of manufacturing wage 

earners many of whom, however, have experienced less stable employment than have municipal workers. (See chart.)

Both the level and trend of earnings were 

practically the same for firemen as for policemen.2 The slight variations that appear in the 

indexes (table l)may be due to lags in granting 

pay changes to one group or the other or to a 

delay in reporting retroactive increases.

Intercity Variations

There was no marked variation in wage movements among different-sized cities, although 

those with 250,000 but less than 500,000 population showed somewhat greater average increases in salary scales than either smaller or 

larger communities. Among individual cities, 

however, there was considerable variation in 

the proportionate increases in salary scales, 

particularly from 1945 to 1950 (table 2). Increases varied from about 10 to 50 percent or 

more, although cities employing over a fourth 

of the policemen and firemen raised salary 

scales between 20 and 25 percent. Increases 

of at least 40 percent were reported in cities 

employing a fifth of these protective workers.

* This sala ry recovery occurred somewhat later than in 

manufacturing.

2

In I960 maximum annual pay s c a l e s in the c itie s c o v ­

ered in this report averaged about $8,550 for firemen and 

about $8,600 for policemen.

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2

Average Salary Rates of Firemen and Policemen

in 91 Large Cities

Average for 1939 » IOO

INDEX INDEX

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T a b le 2. P e rc e n ta ge d istrib u tio n o f fir em en an d p o lic e m e n 1 in 

la r g e c it i e s 2 a c co rd in g to in c re a se in s a la ry s c a le s, 1 9 4 5 -5 0

P ercent o f—

In cre ase F ire m e n

and F ire m e n P o lice m e n

p o lic e m e n

T o t a l ----------------------------------------- 100 100 100

E xpressed in p e rc e n ta g e term s:

10 and under 15 -------------------- 1 1 -

15 an d under 20 -------------------- 10 12 8

20 and under 25 -------------------- 28 29 28

25 and under 30 -------------------- 8 5 12

30 and under 35 -------------------- 15 16 14

35 and under 40 -------------------- 14 14 13

40 and under 45 -------------------- 9 9 8

45 and under 50 -------------------- 6 6 6

50 and under 55 -------------------- 3 3 3

55 an d o v e r --------------------------- 2 2 3

N ot rep o rted ------------------------- 4 3 5

E xp ressed in d o lla rs per y e ar:

$ 2 0 0 and under $ 3 0 0 ------------- - - -

$ 3 0 0 and under $ 4 0 0 ------------- 1 1 ( 3)

$ 4 0 0 and under $50 0 ------------- 9 10 7

$ 5 0 0 and under $ 600 ------------- 4 3 5

$ 6 0 0 an d under $ 7 0 0 ------------- 6 5 7

$ 7 0 0 and un der $ 800 ------------- 34 34 35

$80 0 and under $ 9 0 0 ------------- 12 14 10

$ 9 0 0 and under $ 1 ,0 0 0 --------- 4 2 7

$ 1 ,0 0 0 and under $1, 1 0 0 ------ 17 20 14

$ 1 , 100 and under $ 1, 200 ------ 5 5 5

$ 1 , 200 and o ver ------------------- 4 3 5

N ot rep o rted ------------------------- 4 3 5

* B ased on to ta l e m p lo y m en t in fir e and p o lic e d ep artm en ts in c itie s 

w ith sp e c ifie d in c re a se s.

2 A ll c itie s o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u latio n or m ore e x c e p t R e a d in g , Pa.

3 Less th an 0 . 5 p e rc e n t.

On the whole, there is little relationship between the size of pay increases since 1945 and 

salary levels in the city at the beginning of the 

period; the largest increases were not found 

consistently in cities with either the lowest or 

the highest pay scales. Between 1939 and 1950 

pay scales in cities with over a fourth of these 

protective workers rose by 35 to 40 percent 

while nearly half were increased by 40 to 65 

percent (table 3)«

New York City, which employed more than a 

fifth of all police department and almost a fifth 

of all fire department employees in cities of

100,000 or more, granted a smaller percentage 

increase in salaries from 1924 to 1950 than did 

all other cities considered as a group. Exclusion of the lower wage changes for New York 

City would have the effect of raising by 7 percent the salary changes for cities of 100,000 

population and over from 1939 to 1949- In both 

1924 and 1950, the pay scale in New York City 

for firemen and policemen was higher than thac 

for other large cities.

T a b le 3. P e rc e n ta ge d istrib u tio n o f fir em en and p o lic e m e n 1 in larg e 

c i t i e s 2 ac co rd in g to p e rce n t o f in c re a se in sa la ry s c a le s, 1 9 3 9 -5 0

P ercent o f in c re a se

P ercen t o f—

F ire m e n

and

p o lic e m e n

F ire m e n P o lice m e n

T o t a l -------------------------------------- 100 100 100

U nder 3 0 -------------------------------- 1 1

30 an d under 3 5 ---------------------- 1 1 1

35 and under 4 0 ---------------------- 28 26 32

40 an d under 4 5 ---------------------- 4 3 4

45 and under 5 0 ---------------------- 5 6 4

50 an d under 5 5 ---------------------- 12 11 12

55 and under 6 0 ---------------------- 21 21 21

60 and under 6 5 ---------------------- 4 4 4

65 an d under 7 0 ---------------------- 2 2 2

70 and under 7 5 ---------------------- 9 10 9

75 an d under 8 0 ---------------------- 2 2 2

80 and under 8 5 ---------------------- 1 1 1

85 and under 9 0 ---------------------- 3 4 2

90 an d o v er --------------------------- 3 4 2

N ot rep o rted -------------------- ----- 4 5 3

1 B ased on to ta l e m p lo y m e n t in fir e and p o lic e d ep artm en ts in c itie s 

w ith sp e c ifie d in c re a se s.

2 A ll c itie s o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m o re p o p u latio n e x ce p t R e a d in g , Pa.

T a b le 4 . P e rc e n ta ge d istrib u tio n o f p u b lic w orkers 1 9 4 0 -4 9

P ercen t o f e m p lo y m en t in—

T y p e o f w orker

Ja n u a ry

1940

Ja n u a ry

1941

Ja n u a ry

1945

Ja n u a ry

1949

T o t a l ---------------------------------- 100 100 100 100

F e d e ra l c i v i l i a n ------------------ 23 25 48 33

S ta te and l o c a l -------------------- 77 75 52 67

S c h o o l --------------------------- 32 33 /23 28

N on sch ool ------------------- — 45 42 29 39

S ta te ------------------------- 13 12 8 11

C i t y --------------------------- 20 19 13 17

C ou n ty ---------------------- 8 7 5 7

O t h e r------------------------- 4 4 3 4

Hours

The rise in salary scales was accompanied 

by a gradual reduction in the length of the workweek tor both groups of workers. Between 1934

(the first year for which data on hours were 

available) and 1950, cities employing threefifths of all policemen reduced their scheduled 

hours. Averaged over all cities studied, the 

decrease amounted to about 6 percent. For firefighters, hours on duty were reduced by cities 

employing almost nine-tenths of all firemen 

studied. The average decrease in hours for 

firemen amounted to about 25 percent.

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1950—51

M a x i m u m s a l a r y r a t e s for firemen and policemen combined, in cities of 100,000 and over,

increased an average of 5.5 percent between

January 1950 and January 1951. Percentagewise

and in terms of dollars, firemen received greater

increases— 5.7 percent or $201— than policemen,

who gained an average 5.3 percent or $190 over

the year.1 (The indexes reflecting these percentage changes are shown in table 1.) Nevertheless

policemen maintained a slightly higher salary

level— an annual average of $3,794 compared

with $3,702 for firemen.

About three-quarters of all firemen included in

this study were located in cities that made salary

adjustments during 1950. The remainder were

employed in one-third of the cities. Of the firemen whose salaries were raised, nearly two-fifths

received annual salary increases of between 5 and

7.5 percent; a fifth received increases between 10

and 12.5 percent. Annual pay scales of 17 percent were raised 7.5 to 10 percent. The remainder

T a b l e 1 .— Indexes of average salary rates 1 for firemen and

policemen in cities of 100,000 population or more, 1924-51

Index

Y e a r 2

1939=100 1947-49=100

Firem en

and

policem en

Firem en P olicem en

Firem en

and

policem en

Firem en Policem en

1924......... .. 84 87 82 61 63 60

1929_______ 93 96 92 67 69 68

1932........... 96 99 94 70 71 69

1934............. 94 93 94 68 67 69

1938________ 100 100 100 72 72 74

1939________ 100 100 100 72 72 74

1940_______ 100 100 100 72 72 74

1941________ 100 100 100 72 72 74

1942________ 101 103 101 73 74 74

1943________ 104 106 103 75 76 76

1944________ 110 111 109 80 80 80

1945........ .. 117 117 116 85 84 85

1946............. 119 118 121 86 85 89

1947............ . 128 130 126 93 94 93

1948________ 137 139 136 99 100 100

1949________ 148 149 147 107 107 108

1950________ 152 153 151 110 110 111

1951........ .. 160 162 159 116 117 117

1 F rom 1924 to 1938 data were based on actual annual salaries paid; subsequently on m axim um of salary scale in each city.

2 D ata for 1939 to 1951 refer in general to rates effective on January 1; data 

for earlier years refer to varying periods throughout the year.

were distributed in increases below 5 percent and

above 12.5 percent. (See table 2.)

Salary scales in communities employing 7 out

of 10 policemen were increased during the year.

Nearly half of these, whose rates were adjusted,

received from 5 to 7.5 percent— also the most

common increase for firemen. Salaries of a fifth

of the policemen were increased from 7.5 to 10

percent and an equal proportion received more

than 10 percent. Rates for the remainder rose

less than 5 percent.

T a b l e 2 .— Percentage distribution of firemen and policemen 1 

in cities of 100,000 population or more, according to increase in salary scales, 1950-51

Increase

Firem en and 

policem en Firem en Policem en

Percent of— Percent of— Percent of—

T otal

N u m ­

ber

receiving increases

T otal

N u m ­

ber

receiving increases

T otal

N u m ­

ber

receiving increases

Expressed in percentage

terms

T ota l____________________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

N o ch a n g e __ 28.4 26.5 29.8

U nder 2.5_____________ 1.1 1.5 1.2 1.6 1.0 1.4

2.5 and under 5.0_____ 8.9 12.5 9.9 13.5 8.3 11.8

5.0 and under 7.5- 30.3 42.3 27.4 37.3 32.2 45.8

7.5 and under 10.0____ 13.7 19.1 12.9 17.5 14.2 20.3

10.0 and under 12.5___ 13.0 18.2 16.8 22.9 10.4 14.8

12.5 and under 15 0___ 2.9 4.0 3.5 4.7 2.5 3.6

15.0 and under 17.5___ .9 1.3 1.2 1.6 .7 1.0

17.5 and under 20.0___ .5 .7 .6 .9 .4 .6

20.0 and over. .3 .4 .5 .7

Expressed in dollars

T otal_____________ ______ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

N o change 28.4 26.5 29.8

U nder $100. _________ 1.5 2.1 2.1 2.9 1.0 1.4

$100 and under $ 150.„ 4.3 6.0 5.9 7.9 3.2 4.6

$150 and under $200.— 7.5 10.5 5.7 7.8 8.8 12.5

$200 and under $250— 7.8 10.8 8.2 11.1 7.5 10.6

$250 and under $300— 27.7 38.7 25.7 34.9 29.1 41.5

$300 and under $350... 8.6 12.1 11.1 15.1 6.9 9.9

$350 and under $400... 1.5 2.1 1.6 2.1 1.5 2.1

$400 and under $450— 10.4 14.6 9.8 13.4 10.8 15.4

$450 and under $500— 1.5 2.0 2.8 3.9 .5 .7

$500 and over................. .8 1.1 .6 .9 .9 1.3

1 Based on total em ploym ent in fire and police departments in cities w ith 

specified increases.

1 Current indications are that the 1950 m ovem ent continued and spread 

during the first half of 1951. These changes, together w ith any occurring 

during the latter half of the year, will be reflected in the report based on 

January 1952 m axim um pay scales.

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In the present supplement to the basic study 

of trends in maximum salary scales ot policemen 

and firemen, the indexes for all years have been 

recomputed on a 1947 to 1949 base. A few 

changes in survey techniques were adopted in computing the 1951 index: (a) the weighting procedure 

was slightly revised and (b) a new group of 15 

cities was added to the index as a result of shifting 

from the 1940 to the 1950 Census of Population.

The addition of cities, however, did not affect the 

index.

Two series of indexes for firemen and policemen 

are presented in table 1. One is computed on a 

1939 base for comparison with the indexes previously published. The other is based on an 

average 1947-49 base in accordance with the current policy of changing Government indexes 

wherever possible to this new base.

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1951—52

Salary scales in cities employing three-quarters 

of the firemen and policemen in all communities 

of 100,000 or more were raised during the year 

ending January 1952. On the average, annual 

salary scales of all protective employees covered 

by this survey were about $250 or 6.8 percent 

higher in January 1952 than in January 1951 

(table 1). Over the 2-year period from January 

1950 to January 1952 virtually all the cities 

raised maximum rates for firemen and policemen; 

less than 1 percent were employed where salary 

scales remained unchanged (chart 1 and table 2). 

Taking the entire postwar period (1945-52) the 

average salary scales for protective workers increased by almost half—about 46 percent. 

(Trends since 1945 are presented in terms of 

indexes based on 1947-49 in table 3.) During 

the same period, the BLS Consumer Price Index 

rose by 49 percent.

During 1951, the smallest average increase in 

salary scales was reported for communities with a 

million population or more, where the rise averaged 4.2 percent. \ Among smaller communities, 

average changes in salary scales ranged from 10

percent in cities of 500,000 but less than a million 

down to 8.6 percent for cities of 100,000 but less 

than 250,000 population.

Occupational Comparisons

Both in the year ending in January 1952 and 

during the entire period from January 1945 to 

January 1952, firemen showed slightly larger percentage increases in pay scales than did policemen. 

For the year ending in January 1952, increases 

averaged about 7.0 percent ($257) for firefighters 

and 6.8 percent ($256) for police. Considering 

the whole postwar period, the average increase

1 Substantial numbers of firemen and policemen within this city-size group 

have received increases since January 1952; the effects of these adjustments 

will be reflected in the January 1953 salary scales.

T a b l e 1.— Changes in m axim um salary rates o f firem en and policem en in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore,1 by city size

group, 1 9 5 1 -5 2

City size group

Firemen and policemen Firemen Policemen

Number

Maximum salary rates

Number

Maximum salary rates

Number

Maximum salary rates

Average, 

Jan. 1952

Percent 

increase, 

Jan. 1951 to 

Jan. 1952

Average, 

Jan. 1952

Percent 

increase, 

Jan. 1951 to 

Jan. 1952

Average, 

Jan. 1952

Percent 

increase, 

Jan. 1951 to 

Jan. 1952

All size groups..................................................... 153,243 $3,997 6.8 62, 407 $3, 940 7.0 90,836 $4,036 6.8

1,000,000 and over......................... .................... 63, 557 4,327 4.2 21, 434 4,327 4.2 42,123 4,326 4.1

500,000 and under 1,000,000............................... 35, 330 3, 971 10.0 14, 447 3,958 9.4 20,883 3,980 10.4

250,000 and under 500,000................................. 23,720 3,786 8.7 11, 213 3, 765 7.9 12, 507 3, 804 9.3

100,000 and under 250,000....... - ......................... 30,636 3, 508 8.6 15, 3.13 3,511 8.6 15,323 3,505 8.5

* Based on data in all cities of over 100,000 (with the exception of three for policemen and two for firemen in the 100,000 and under 250,000 population group).

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Chart 1.— Distribution of Firefighters and Patrolmen in Cities of 100,000 or More Population

for firemen was 48 percent compared with 47 percent for policemen.

Cities employing about a third of the firemen 

and a fourth of the policemen raised their maximum scales by 7.5 but less than 10 percent between 

January 1951 and January 1952 (table 3). Communities with almost as many policemen and a 

sixth of the firemen adjusted scales of patrolmen 

and firefighters by at least 10 but less than 12.5 

percent. About a fifth of the policemen and 1 

out of 7 firemen were in cities where the increases 

amounted to less than 7.5 percent, while salary

scales in the communities employing about 1 out 

of 12 policemen and 1 out of 8 firemen increased 

by 12.5 percent or more. In the remaining communities, employing a fourth of the firemen and 

policemen, no changes in scales were made.

The most common dollar increase for firemen 

(affecting about three-tenths of the total) was 

$300 but less than $350 a year; for policemen, it 

was $350 but less than $400. About a fifth of 

the policemen affected by salary increases were in 

cities where this was the size of the adjustment 

(table 4).

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Chart 2.—Distribution of Firefighters and Patrolmen in Cities of 100,000 or More Population 

BY PERCENT INCREASE IN MAXIMUM ANNUAL SAURY SCALES

JANUARY 1950- JANUARY 1952

F i r e f i g h t e r s an d 

P a tro lm e n

F i r e f i g h t e r s P a tro lm en

Percent

of

Total

40

30

20

10

No Under 5 10 15 20 25 30 No Under 5 10 15 20 25 30 No Under 5 10 15 20 25 30

Change 5 and under and Change 5 and under and Change 5 and under and

10 15 20 25 30 Over 10 15 20 25 30 Over 10 15 20 25 30 Over

PERCENT INCREASE IN MAXIMUM ANNUAL SALARY SCALES

The differences in average salary changes between policemen and firemen, however, were not

primarily the result of differential treatment of the

two groups within the same community. In some

communities, firemen received higher rates than

policemen, while in other cities the reverse relationship existed. In both 1951 and 1952, about

three-fifths of the cities studied had identical

salary scales for the two groups of workers.

Salary adjustments which equalized scales for the

two groups were made in 18 additional cities during the year. In less than a tenth of the cities,

employing about 2 percent of all firemen and

policemen studied, differences in salary levels exceeded $100 in early 1952.

Average pay scale increases between firemen

and policemen differed largely because proportionately more police were employed in cities of

1,000,000 or more, where the increase in salary

scales was below average. About one-half the

total number of policemen in all cities of 100,000

or more were employed in these large communities

compared with about a third of the firemen.

Cities with less than 500,000 population employed

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T a b l e 2.— Percentage distribution o f firem en and p olicem en1 

in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore, according to dollar

increase in m axim u m annual salary scales, 1 9 5 0 -5 2

Dollar increase in maximum annual salary

scales

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

Percent of— Percent of— Percent of—

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Noehanpft__ ___ 0.6

.3

2.2

22.5

14.0

24.0

13.0

7.5

14.0

1.9

0.7

.4

1.9

19.7

16.4

20.9

16.9

6.0

13.5

3.6

0.6

.2

2.4

24.3

12.3

26.2

10.4

8.5

14.4

.7

Under $100..................... 0.3

2.2

22.6

14.1

24.2

13.1

7.5

14.1

1.9

0.4

2.0

19.8

16.5

21.0

17.0

6.1

13.6

3.6

0.2

2.4

24.5

12.4

26.3

10.5

8.6

14.4

.7

$100 and under $200.......

$200 and under $300.......

$300 and under $400.......

$400 and under $500.......

$500 and under $600.......

$600 and under $700.......

$700 and under $800.......

$800 and over—..............

To ta l___________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 Based on 1952 total employment in fire and police departments in cities

w ith specified increases.

more than two-fifths of the firemen but only

three-tenths of the policemen^

In the largest and smallest cities studied there

was little difference in the rise in firemen's and

policemen's salary scales between 1951 and 1952:

increases in cities of a million or more amounted

to 4.2 percent for firemen and 4.1 percent for

policemen; in the smallest cities, the increase for

firemen amounted to 8.6 percent and 8.5 percent

for policemen. Policemen received larger average

increases in the two groups of cities where population ranged from 250,000 to 1,000,000.3

Intercity Variation of Salary Levels

In January 1952, maximum salary rates for

patrolmen and firefighters varied among the cities 1

T a b l e 3.— In d exes o f m axim u m salary ra tes1 fo r firem en

and policem en in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore,

1 9 4 5 -5 2

Index (1947-49=100)

Year Firemen

and

policemen

Firemen Policemen

1045 _____ _ 85 84 85

104fi 86 85 89

1047 _________________ 93 >93 > 92

1048 _____ >100 100 100

1040_____________________ _ * 108 107 108

1950........................................................ 110 110 111

1051 ____ _ 116 > 116 117

1052____________________ _______ 124 124 125

1 Data in this and subsequent tables and charts refer to maximum rates

for patrolmen and firefighters effective on January 1 of each year.

> Revised.

studied from less than $3,000 to $4,600 a year.

Those communities employing about 1 in 30

policemen and firemen paid maximum annual

salaries of less than $3,000 a year for this type of

police and fire work (chart 2). A third of the

T a b l e 4 .— Percentage distribution o f firem en and policem en 1 in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore, b y increase

in m axim um annual salary scales, 1 9 5 1 -5 2

Increase

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

Percent

of total

Percent

of number receiving

increases

Percent

of total

Percent

of number receiving

increases

Percent

of total

Percent

of number receiving

increases

Expressed in percentage

terms

No change...................... 24.4

1.1

4.3

11.5

27.1

19.5

3.7

5.9

.7

1.8

23.6

2.3

3.4

9.1

31.3

16.9

4.2

6.2

1.0

2.0

25.0

.2

4.8

13.2

24.2

21.3

3.4

5.8

.5

1.6

Under 2.5.......................

2.5 and under 5.0...........

5.0 and under 7.5...........

7.5 and under 10.0..........

10.0 and under 12.5........

12.5 and under 15.0........

15.0 and under 17.5........

17.5 and under 20.0........

20.0 and over..................

Tota l....................

Expressed in dollars

No change......................

1.4

5.6

15.2

35.9

25.8

5.0

7.9

.9

2.3

3.0

4.4

11.9

41.0

22.1

5.5

8.1

1.4

2.6

6.3

6.4

17.5

32.3

28.4

4.6

7.7

.6

2.2

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

24.4

1.9

2.0

3.3

6.0

8.8

15.9

14.7

12.3

2.5

5.6

.1

2.5

23.6

2.3

1.7

5.1

3.2

8.3

21.4

11.9

11.0

2.9

5.6

.2

2.8

25.0

1.7

2.2

2.1

8.0

9.2

12.2

16.5

13.1

2.2

5.5

0

2.3

Under $100.....................

$100 and under $150.......

$150 and under $200.......

$200 and under $250.......

$250 and under $300.......

$300 and under $350.......

$350 and under $400.......

$400 and under $450.......

$450 and under $500.......

$500 and under $550.......

$550 and under $600.......

$600 and over.................

To ta l....................

2.5

2.6

4.4

8.0

11.7

21.1

19.4

16.2

3.3

7.4

.1

3.3

3.0

2.2

6.6

4.2

10.9

28.1

15.6

14.4

3.8

7.3

.2

3.7

2.3

3.0

2.8

10.7

12.2

16.2

22.0

17.5

2.9

7.3

0

3.1

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 Based on 1952 total employment in fire and police departments in cities

w ith specified increases.

protective workers were employed in cities where

these maximum salaries were at least $4,400 but

less than $4,600. More patrolmen than firefighters (34.9 percent compared with 25.3 percent)

were in cities with a maximum pay ranging from

$4,400 to less than $4,600. *

* The difference in average salary levels of policemen and firemen is also

explained in part by the fact that dollar salaries are higher in large communities where relatively more policemen aie employed and that in consequence

average salaries for the entire group of cities are higher for policemen. Therefore, a given dollar increase amounts to a somewhat lower percentage in ­

crease for policemen than for firemen.

t Policemen received the larger increase in each of these two size groups

because in one city w ithin each group they received a pay increase to compensate for an earlier lag. In St. Louis and Newark, policemen's maximum

salaries were increased to the equivalent of firemen's scales by January 1952.

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1952—54

N e a r l y all cities of 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or more population

advanced salary scales of policemen and firemen

between January 1952 and January 1954; only

4 percent of the patrolmen and firefighters were

employed where scales remained unchanged. During this period the increase in maximum annual

scales for these city employees averaged $422, or

10.5 percent (table 1).

During 1952 the increases were larger on the

average and more widespread than they were during 1953, with the salary scales for all firemen and

policemen rising an average of 6.7 percent in 1952

and 3.6 percent in 1953.1 The increase in the latter year was proportionately smaller than in any

previous postwar year except 1950 (table 2).

The total increase in average scales of firemen

and policemen from 1939 to the beginning of 1954

T a b l e 1.— Average increases in m axim um salary rates o f

firem en and policem en in cities o f 1 0 0 ,6 0 0 population or

m ore,1 by city size group, 1 9 5 2 -5 4

Period and city size group

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

Dollars

Percent

Dollars

Percent

Dollars

Percent

1952-51

A ll size groups..... ................... $422 10.5 $421 10.7 $423 10.5

1,000,000 and over________ 451 10.3 445 10.3 455 10.4

500,000 and under 1,000,000. 394 9.9 425 10.8 373 9.4

250,000 and under 500,000 - 459 12.1 448 11.9 470 12.5

100,000 and under 250,000. 371 10.6 365 10.4 378 10.8

1952-53

A ll size groups......................... 268 6.7 260 6.6 273 6.8

1,000,000 and over............. 388 8.9 393 9.1 387 8.9

500,000 and under 1,000,000. 158 4.0 183 4.6 142 3.6

250,000 and under 500,000. 220 5.8 209 5.6 231 6.1

100,000 and under 250,000. 189 5.4 190 5.4 189 5.4

1953-54.

A ll size groups......................... 154 3.6 161 3.8 150 3.5

1,000,000 and over_______ 63 1.3 52 1.1 68 1.4

500,000 and under 1,000,000. 236 5.7 242 5.9 231 5.6

250,000 and under 500,000.. 239 6.0 239 6.0 239 6.0

100,000 and under 250,000.. 182 4.9 175 4.7 189 5.1

* Based on data in all cities of over 100,000 (with the exception of 2 communities of 100,000 but under 250,000 population). Data refer to changes in

maximum rates for fire fighters and patrolmen effective on January 1 of each

In these tables, average increases were computed by multiplying the rise in

maximum scales for fire fighters in each city by total employment in the entire

fire department in that city, adding these, and then dividing the aggregate

rise by the total number of fire department employees in all cities studied.

Fo r patrolmen, data were computed in the same manner, using scales for

patrolmen and^total^employment in the police department of each city. In

was also used.

T a b l e 2 .— In dexes o f m axim um salary rates 1 fo r firem en

and policem en in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore, 

193 9 —5A

Index (1947-49=100)

Year

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

1939........................ .................. 73 72 73

1940............................................ . 73 72 73

1941. ........................... ............... 73 72 73

1942............................................. 2 74 74 74

1943. .......................................... . 76 76 76

1944.............................................. 80 80 80

1945.............................................. 85 84 85

1946............................................ . 86 85 89

1947............................................ 93 93 92

1948.............................................. 100 100 100

1949.............................................. 108 107 108

1950.............................................. 110 110 111

1951.............................................. 116 116 117

1952............................................. 124 124 125

1953.............................................. 132 132 133

1954............................................. 137 137 138

1 Data refer to changes in maximum rates for firefighters and patrolmen

effective on January 1 of each year. !* Revised.

amounted to about 90 percent (table 2). This

may be compared with an advance of less than

80 percent in average salary rates of Federal Government (Classification Act) employees and a rise

in average salaries of urban public school teachers

of 96 percent between the 1938-39 and the 1952-

53 school years.2 Average weekly earnings of

factory production workers tripled from 1939 to

early 1954.

Variation in Increases, 1952-54

The most common salary increases for patrolmen

and firefighters from January 1952 to January

1954 amounted to 7.5 but less than 12.5 percent,

with three-fifths being employed in cities where

changes of this size were put into effect (table 3).

Measured in dollar terms, increases ranging from

$300 to less than $500 went into effect in cities

employing 3 out of every 5 firemen and policemen;

in communities employing about 1 of every 8, the

gain was $500 but less than $600 a year.

1 Changes in scales between January 1952 and January 

1953 are referred to as 1952 increases and those between 

January 1953 and January 1964 as 1953 increases, even 

though some of the new scales may have gone into effeot 

on January 1 of the following year.

2

See also Salary T ren d s; F ed era l C la ss ifie d E m ­

p l o y e e s , 1 9 3 9 —60 (BLS Report 200, 1961), and Salary

T ren d s: C ity p u b lic S ch ool T ea ch ers, 1 9 2 6 —59 (BLS Report 194, 1961).

li

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12

T a b l e 3 .— Percentage distribution o f firem en and policem en 1 

in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore, by percentage and

dollar increases in m axim um annual salary scales, 1 9 5 2 -5 4

Increase

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

Percent of— Percent of— Percent of—

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Expressed in percentage

terms

No change................ . 3.9 3.1 4.5

CJnder 2.5...... _.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0

2.5 and under 5.0........... 4.0 4.1 4.4 4.5 3.7 3.8

5.0 and under 7.5........... 7.2 7.5 8.2 8.5 6.4 6.8

7.5 and under 10.0......... 35.4 36.8 36.2 37.4 34.8 36.4

10.0 and under 12.5........ 24.5 25.5 21.8 22.5 26.4 27.7

12.5 and under 15.0........ 12.1 12.6 11.0 11.3 12.9 13.5

15.0 and under 17.5........ 5.2 5.5 6.4 6.6 4.4 4.6

17.5 and under 20.0........ 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.1 1.1 1.1

20.0 and under 22.5........ 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.1 2.2

22.5 and over.................. 4.0 4.2 4.5 4.6 3.7 3.9

Tota l.................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Expressed in dollars

N o change 3.9 3.1 4.5

Under $100..................... 0 0 0 0 0 0

$100 and under $200....... 5.1 5.3 6.3 6.5 4.3 4.5

$200 and under $300....... 7.6 7.9 8.1 8.4 7.2 7.5

$300 and under $400....... 33.4 34.8 34.2 35.3 32.9 34.5

$400 and under $500....... 23.3 24.2 21.9 22.6 24.2 25.3

$500 and under $600....... 12.6 13.1 12.2 12.6 12.8 13.5

$600 and under $700....... 8.4 8.8 7.9 8.1 8.8 9.2

$700 and under $800....... .8 .8 .9 .9 .7 .7

$800 and over................. 4.9 5.1 5.4 5.6 4.6 4.8

Tota l.................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

i Based on 1954 total employment in fire and police departments.

Comparison of 1952 and 1953

The average salary increase was smaller in 1953

than in 1952, not only because the proportion of

firemen and policemen in cities making salary

adjustments declined from four-fifths to a little

more than one-half, but also because the increases

were smaller in amount (table 4). In 1953, 46

percent of the workers were employed by cities

which did not change their salary scales, as

compared with 19 percent in 1952. In communities where scales were advanced during the year,

the average increase was 7.0 in 1953 compared

with 8.2 in the earlier year.

Most of these differences between the 2 years

occurred in the 5 cities of more than a million

population. In the year ending January 1953 all

5 had granted salary increases, which averaged

8.9 percent. During the following year only 2

out of the 5 gave pay increases. Salary advances

in the smallest communities averaged 5.4 percent

in 1952 compared with 4.9 percent during the

following year. In communities with 250,000

but less than 1,000,000 population, however, the

gain in salaries in 1953 exceeded that in 1952.

Almost 2 out of 5 policemen and firemen were

employed in areas where salary scales were

raised in both years; in some cases one of these

adjustments was described as a cost-of-living

increase and was for a relatively small amount.

The average increase over the 2-year period in

cities that adjusted scales twice was 13.4 percent—

distinctly higher than in communities that gave a

single increase during this period.

Intercity Variation in Salary Levels

Maximum salary scales for patrolmen and firemen in 1954 ranged from less than $3,000 to more

than $5,000 a year, with about 4 out of 10 of the

patrolmen and 3 out of 10 firemen being employed

in communities with maximums of $4,600 but

under $4,800. (See chart.) In the 5 cities of

more than 1 million population—Chicago, Detroit,

Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia—

no maximum rate of less than $4,400 was reported.

Two-thirds of both the policemen and firemen

T a b l e 4 .— Percentage distribution o f firem en and policem en 1 

in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or more, by percentage

increase in m axim um annual salary scales, 1 9 5 2 -5 3 and

1 9 5 3 -5 4

Year and percentage

increase

Firemen and

policemen Firemen Policemen

Percent of— Percent of— Percent of—

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

Total

Number

receiving

increases

1952-58

No change____________ 19.0 18.8 19.2

Under 2.5....................... 1.1 1.4 1.4 1.7 .9 1.1

2.5 and under 5.0______ 12.3 15.2 14.5 17.9 10.7 13.3

5.0 and under 7.5______ 18.7 23.1 19.2 23.7 18.4 22.7

7.5 and under 10.0......... 28.4 35.0 25.5 31.3 30.4 37.6

10.0 and under 12.5........ 9.6 11.9 9.3 11.5 9.8 12.2

12.5 and under 15.0....... 7.3 8.9 7.3 9.0 7.2 8.9

15.0 and under 17.5........ 2.9 3.6 3.0 3.7 2.9 3.5

17.5 and under 20.0........ .4 .5 .7 .8 .2 .3

20.0 and over................. .3 .4 .3 .4 .3 .4

Total.................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1958-51

No change r _ _ 46.4 44.6 47.6

Under 2.5....................... .2 0.3 .4 0.8 0 0

2.5 and under 5.0______ 14.7 27.4 14.8 26.7 14.6 27.8

6.0 and under 7.5........... 17.3 32.3 14.9 26.8 19.0 36.3

7.5 and under 10.0......... 10.5 19.6 13.4 24.3 8.5 16.2

10.0 and under 12.5........ 9.2 17.3 9.6 17.4 9.0 17.2

12.5 and under 15.0........ .9 1.6 1.1 1.9 .7 1.4

15.0 and under 17.5........ .6 1.1 .9 1.7 .4 .7

17.5 and under 20.0........ 0 0 0 0 0 0

20.0 and over.................. .2 .4 .3 .4 .2 .4

To ta l.................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

i The 1952-53 distribution is based on 1953 total employment in fire and

police departments and the 1953-54 distribution on 1954 employment.

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13

D istribution o f Firefighters a n d Patrolm en in C ities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or M o re P o p u latio n , b y 

M axim u m A n n u a l S a la ry S c a le s an d o f C ity S iz e , Ja n u a r y 1 9 5 4

FIREFIGHTERS IN CITIES OF PATROLMEN IN CITIES OF . . .

Percent of Total

500,000 and

under 1,000,000

Annual

Salary

UNDER $3,000

3.000 and under 3,200

3.200 and under 3,400

3.400 and under 3,600

3.600 and under 3,800

3.800 and under 4,000

4.000 and under 4,200

4.200 and under 4,400

4.400 and under 4,600

4.600 and under 4,800

4.800 and under 5,000

$5,000 and Over

UNDER $3,000

3.000 and under 3,200

3.200 and under 3,400

3.400 and under 3,600

3.600 and under 3,800

3.800 and under 4,000

4.000 and under 4,200

4.200 and under 4,400

4.400 and under 4,600

4.600 and under 4,800

4.800 and under 5,000

$5,000 and Over

UNDER $3,000

3.000 and under 3,200

3.200 and under 3,400

3.400 and under 3,600

3.600 and under 3,800

3.800 and under 4,000

4.000 and under 4,200

4.200 and under 4,400

4.400 and under 4,600

4.600 and under 4,800

4.800 and under 5,000

$5,000 and Over

UNDER $3,000

3.000 and under 3,200

3.200 and under 3,400

3.400 and under 3,600

3.600 and under 3,800

3.800 and under 4,000

4.000 and under 4,200

4.200 and under 4,400

4.400 and under 4,600

4.600 and under 4,800

4.800 and under 5,000

$5,000 and Over

Percent of Total

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1 ------------ 1--------------1--------------1--------------1--------------1--------------1--------------1

1,000,000 and OVER

500,000 and

under 1,000,000

l--------------1------------- 1--------------1--------------1--------------1--------------b

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14

were employed where the top salary in their rank 

ranged between $4,600 and $4,800; this group 

included employees of New York and Chicago. 

In the 5 largest cities, scales for firemen and 

policemen were identical. Of all cities studied, 

only 6 reported salary differences of $100 or more 

in 1954.

Salaries became progressively lower in each 

smaller city size group. In communities of

500,000 but under 1 million population, almost 

two-fifths of the firefighters and a third of the 

patrolmen were employed where maximum scales 

ranged from $4,000 to less than $4,200. Among 

the smallest cities studied, scales ranged from less 

than $3,000 a year to more than $5,000.

Occupational Comparisons

Variations among the proportion of policemen 

and firemen employed by the communities of 

different size, rather than differences in pay within 

the same community, explain the difference in 

average salary levels and salary trends between the 

two occupational groups. Employment for both 

groups, by city size group, was as follows in 

January 1954:

City size group Firemen Policemen

All size groups 1____________________ 65,347 95,097

1,000,000 and over__________________ 21,727 43,877

500.000 and under 1,000,000_________ 15,256 21,765

250.000 and under 500,000__________ 11,651 13,107

100.000 and under 250,000__________ 16,713 16,348

1 Based on all cities of over 100,000 (with the exception of 2 communities of

100,000 but under 250,000 population).

Greater proportions of patrolmen are employed 

in the larger communities. Since salary scales in 

the larger cities tend to be higher than in the

smaller communities, the average salary level in 

all cities combined for policemen is somewhat 

higher than for firemen. Hence, an almost identical dollar rise in pay amounted to slightly less 

in percentage terms for policemen than for firefighters: from January 1952 to January 1954, annual salaries of firemen rose $421, or 10.7 percent, 

while policemen’s scales increased $423, or 10.5 

percent.

The smallest relative increase over the 2 years 

in firemen’s salaries—10.3 percent—was recorded 

for the largest cities. For policemen, however, 

maximum scales in communities of between

500,000 and 1 million population rose less than in 

any other group.3 The smallest dollar increase 

in firemen’s salaries occurred in the smallest cities 

studied, but the percentage increase in communities of this size was practically the same as that in 

the largest size communities. Salaries in population centers of 250,000 but under 500,000 showed 

the highest gains for both firemen and policemen—11.9 and 12.5 percent, respectively—and the 

dollar increases were also greatest for these cities.

The advance in salaries for firemen was slightly 

smaller than that for policemen in 1952 but was 

slightly greater in 1953. This minor reversal in 

relationship again is traceable to employment of 

policemen in proportionately greater numbers in 

the largest communities which gave most of their 

salary increases in 1952.

3 No increase in maximum scales of patrolmen was recorded for one city

(St. Louis) in this group, although the city raised scales for firefighters. Pay

of St. Louis police is determined by the State legislature, whereas firefighters’ rates are set by the city.

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1954—58

In the 4-year period between January 1954 and 

January 1958, maximum annual salary scales of 

firefighters and patrolmen in cities of 100,000 or 

more population increased by an average of 18.6 

percent, or about $820 (table 1). In only one of 

these cities did salary scales remain stationary.

The rate of increase in maximum salary scales 

of firemen and policemen was slightly lower during 

this 4-year period than during earlier postwar 

years; between 1945 and 1954, salaries rose at an 

annual rate of about 5.5 percent, compared with 

slightly less than 4.5 percent between 1954 and 

1958 (table 2).x

The most rapid advance in maximum pay scales 

during these 4 years occurred in 1956 in cities of 

all sizes except the smallest ones studied—those 

with fewer than 250,000 inhabitants.2 Except in 

cities of a million or more, the smallest average 

increase took place in 1954. The increase in all 

cities studied averaged 5.7 percent ($269) in 1956 

and 3.3 percent ($144) in 1954.

The larger increase in 1956 was traceable to two 

factors: (1) Proportionately more workers were

in cities where scales were raised than in any of the 

other 3 years, and (2) the raises that went into 

effect were also greater. In that year, salary 

scale increases went into effect in communities 

that employed 82 percent of all firefighters and 

patrolmen studied (table 3), and the increase in 

maximum scales in these cities averaged 6.9 percent. 

On the other hand, in 1954 approximately twofifths of all workers were employed in cities where 

scales were not altered.

Intercity Variations in Increases

The increases in maximum scales put into effect 

during the period 1954-58 varied among areas

1 Because in most cities pay scales for firefighters and patrolmen are identical, the text of this article does not discuss the two groups separately.

Variations in the proportion of policemen and firemen among different

communities rather than differences in pay within the same community

largely explain the differences in average salary levels and salary trends between the two occupational groups.

3 Changes in scales between January 1, 1954, and January 1, 1955, are referred to as 1954 changes, between 1955 and 1956 as 1955 changes, etc., although

some of the new scales may have*gone into effect on January 1 of the following

year.

T a b l e 1. Average increases in m axim um salary scales o f firem en and policem en in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore,1

b y city size group, 1 9 5 4 -5 8

Occupation and city size group

1954-58 1954-55 1955-56 1956-57 1957-58

Dollars Percent3 Dollars Percent Dollars Percent Dollars Percent Dollars Percent

Firemen and Policemen

All size groups------ ----------------------------- $822 18.6 $144 3.3 $180 3.9 $269 5.7 $229 4.6

1,000,000 and over............................................. 909 19.0 195 4.1 181 3.6 300 5.8 233 4.3

500,000 and under 1,000,000__________________ 852 19.7 142 3.3 181 4.1 270 5.8 259 5.3

250,000 and under 500,000................................... 742 17.9 80 1.9 161 3.8 302 6.9 199 4.2

100,000 and under 250,000................................... 675 17.3 92 2.3 195 4.9 176 4.2 212 4.9

Firemen *

All size groups................................-....................... 811 18.6 144 3.3 172 3.8 268 5.8 227 4.6

1,000,000 and over______________ _______ ___ 917 19.2 194 4.1 179 3.6 308 6.0 236 4.3

500,000 and under 1,000,000....... ........ ........ ...... 872 20.2 176 4.1 152 3.4 293 6.3 251 5.1

250,000 and under 500,000.................................. 731 17.6 82 2.0 153 3.6 298 6.8 198 4.2

100,000 and under 250,000----- ------ --------- 671 17.3 92 2.4 194 4.9 171 4.1 214 4.9

Policemen *

All size groups............................. ............................ 832 18.6 144 3.2 188 4.1 269 5.6 231 4.6

1,000,000 and over................................. ............ 906 19.1 195 4.1 182 3.7 296 5.7 233 4.3

500,000 and under 1,000,000.................... ............ 841 19.4 118 2.7 203 4.6 255 5.5 265 5.4

250,000 and under 500,000................................. 749 17.9 76 1.8 167 3.9 307 6.9 199 4.2

100,000 and under 250,000—----- -------------- 679 17.3 92 2.3 195 4.9 182 4.3 210 4.8

i Based on data In all cities of over 100,000 (with the exception of 1 city of

100,000 but under 250,000 population). Data refer to changes in the maximum rates (excluding longevity rates) for firemen and patrolmen in effect

on January 1 of each year.

* The percent change for policemen and firemen combined Is in some cases

slightly above or below the changes for both groups considered separately

because of weighting methods.

3 For an explanation of the difference in average salary levels and salary

trends between the two occupational groups, see footnote 2 of the text.

15

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16

from 1.9 to 44.4 percent, but about 3 out of 10 of 

the policemen and firemen were employed in cities 

where the gain was 22.5 but less than 25 percent 

and almost 1 in 5 were employed where increases 

averaged 12.5 but less than 15.0 percent (in 1 city 

scales did not change) (table 4). Maximum scales 

in cities employing more than four-fifths of all 

firemen and policemen rose by at least 12.5 percent; more than one-half were in cities where 

increases amounted to 20 percent or more.

Measured in dollars, the increases between 

January 1954 and January 1958 ranged from $75 

to $1,623. More than 3 out of 10 firemen and 

policemen were employed where the increase was 

$1,100 but below $1,200, while cities employing 

almost 1 in 5 raised maximum salary scales by

Distribution of Firefighters and Patrolmen by Maximum Salary Scales and City Size, January 1958

PERCENT

Cities of 250,000 and Under 500,000

and Under an<*

34 36 38 4 0 4 2 4 4 46 48 50 52 5 4 56 58 6 0 6 2 Over

AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARIES (H undreds of Dollars)

T a b l e 2. Indexes o f m axim um salary scales 1 fo r firem en

and 'policemen in cities o f 1 0 0 .0 0 0 population or m ore. 

1 9 3 9 -5 8

Year

Index (1947-49=100)

Firemen and

policemen

Firemen Policemen

1939....... .......................... 73 72 73

1940................................. 73 72 73 1941_____________ _____ 73 72 73 1942....................... .......... 74 74 74

1943.................................. 76 76 76

1944.................................. 80 80 80

1945................................. 85 84 85

1946.................. ............... 86 85 89

1947.................................. 93 93 92

1948................................. 100 100 100

1949.................................. 108 107 108 1950.................................. no 110 111

1951.................................. 116 116 117

1952___________ ______ 124 124 125

1953................................. 132 132 133

1954..................... ........... 137 137 138

1955.................................. 142 142 142

1956................................ 147 147 148

1957.................................. 156 156 156

1958................................. 163 163 164

1 Data are based ^n maximum rates (excluding longevity rates) for firemen 

and patrolmen in effect on January 1 of each year.

$600 but less than $700. More than three-fourths 

of these municipal employees were in cities where 

scales were increased by at least $600.

At least 2 annual increases went into effect in 

cities employing 7 out of 8 firemen and policemen, 

and of the total studied, a substantial proportion, 

almost 2 out of 5 of these employees, were in cities 

where salaries were raised each year. Although 

relatively few cities (1 in 6) gave the 4 annual 

increases, those that did so included New York, 

Chicago, and Detroit, where large numbers of 

firemen and policemen were employed.

The average increase in maximum salary scales 

between 1954 and 1958 was greater, in both 

percentage and absolute terms, in the 18 cities 

of 500,000 or more population than in the smaller 

city size groups. The 19.7-percent gain for cities 

of 500,000 to 1,000,000 was proportionately the 

highest recorded and the 17.3-percent gain in 

areas of fewer than 250,000 population was the 

lowest. The largest average dollar increase ($909) 

was in cities of 1 million or more and the smallest 

($675) was in those of less than 250,000.

Intercity Variation in Salary Levels

Not only the magnitude of pay increases from 

1954 to 1958 but also the level of salaries in 1958 

varied among cities. In 1958, maximum annual 

salary scales for firemen and policemen ranged 

from $3,312 tok$6,215. However, almost threeDigitized for FRASER 

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T able 3. Percent distribution o f firem en and policem en 1 in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore b y the increase in m axim um

annual salary scales, b y year, 1 9 5 4 -5 8

Percent increase

1954-55 1955-56 1956-57 1957-58

Firemen

and policemen

Firemen

Policemen

Firemen

and policemen

Firemen

Policemen

Firemen

and policemen

Firemen

Policemen

Firemen

and policemen

FiremenPolicemen

No change................. 40.4 41.9 39.3 29.8 32.2 28.1 18.0 19.3 17.0 23.0 24.2 22.0

Under 2.5................... .5 .3 .7 13.6 11.0 15.6 1.2 2.2 .4 1.0 1.7 .5

2.5 and under 5.0........ 38.3 34.2 41.3 12.9 15.2 11.2 15.3 14.4 15.9 20.5 18.5 21.9

5.0 and under 7.5........ 15.9 17.6 14.6 30.2 28.8 31.2 35.6 32.5 37.8 42.9 40.8 44.4

7.5 and under 10.0...... 1.0 1.4 .6 7.1 7.6 6.8 13.1 13.1 13.2 3.1 4.7 1.9

10.0 and under 12.5__ .7 .8 .6 3.4 3.0 3.6 10.9 11.7 10.3 6.3 7.2 5.7

12.5 and under 15.0.... 1.8 2 3 1.4 1.2 1.5 1.0 4.7 5.3 4.2

15.0 and under 17.5__ .2 .2 .2 1.5 .4 2.3 .7 .9 .5 3.0 2.4 3.4

17.5 and under 20.0__ 1.2 1.3 1.1 .3 .3 .2 .3 .4 .2

20.0 and over__ __ .6 .7 .5

Total................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 The 1954-55 distribution is based on 1955 total employment in fire departments and total number of uniformed patrolmen, the 1955-56 distribution on

1956 employment, and so forth.

fifths of these workers were in cities where maximum scales were at least $5,200. (See chart.)

Salary scales tended to increase with size of 

city. They ranged from $4,500 to $6,192 in 

cities of 500,000 or more population, with twothirds of all firemen and policemen in these cities 

employed where maximum scales of at least 

$5,400 were in effect. These included employees 

in New York City, where a maximum scale of 

almost $5,900 was in effect, and San Francisco 

and Los Angeles, with maximums of $6,192.

In the smallest communities studied, salary 

scales varied from $3,312 to $6,120. About 

three-fifths of the workers within this population 

group were employed where maximum salaries 

of $4,200 but less than $5,000 were in effect, and 

almost another fifth were in cities where these 

salaries ranged from $3,600 to less than $4,200.

Note: Because of rounding, sums of individual items do not necessarily

equal 100.

The highest salary scale in each city size group 

was paid by a California city. The cities of

100,000 but less than 500,000 that paid over 

$6,000 were in the metropolitan areas of Los 

Angeles-Long Beach and San Francisco-Oakland.

Comparisons with Other Trends

From 1939 to 1958, maximum salary scales 

of firemen and policemen have increased by almost 

125 percent—more than the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics Consumer Price Index or pay scales 

of Federal white-collar workers, but somewhat 

less than urban teachers’ pay and much less than 

factory workers’ earnings as measured by the 

BLS monthly series. Over approximately the 

same period, the CPI advanced by only 105 

percent, and basic pay scales of Federal employees

Table 4. Percent distribution o f firem en and p o lic em en 1 in cities o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 population or m ore b y the increase in m axim um

annual salary scales, 1 9 5 4 -5 8

Percent increase Firemen and

policemen

Firemen Policemen

No change 0.2 0.3 0.1

Under 2.5____ __ _ ___ _______ .2 .3 .2

2.5 and under 5.0.__ r

5.0 and under 7.5.. _ _ . ___ __ 1.5 1.8 1.3

7.5 and under 10.0 9.7 9.9 9.5

10.0 and under 12.5.. ____________ 6.6 7.8 5.8

12.5 and under 15.0. _____ 19.3 16.2 21.6

15.0 and under 17.5__ _ _ _ 3.0 3.1 2.9

17.5 and under 20.0____________ _ 7.3 8.2 6.6

20.0 and under 22.5___ ___ __ 10.3 12 2 9.0

22.5 and under 25.0._ _ _ ___ ___ 304 27.4 32.5

25.0 and under 27.5 r __ ,. 5.9 7.1 5.0

27.5 and under 30.0 2.7 3.5 2.2

20.0 and over. _ 2.9 2.3 3.3

Total___ __ ___ ___ 100.0 100.0 100.0

Dollar increase Firemen and

policemen

Firemen Policemen

No change 0.2 0.3 0.1 Under $100____ _ ___ ___ _ __ .2 .3 .2 $100 and under $200_ _ _ ______

$200 and under $300_ _ _ __ __ 1.5 1.8 1.3

$300 and under $400 5.4 6.6 4.6

$400 and under $500_______________ 9.3 9.4 9.2

$500 and under $600 . _ _____ ___ 6.6 7 0 6.3

$600 and under $700 T1_ 19.2 16.8 21.0 $700 and under $800_ _ _ _ ___ __ 2 8 3.7 2.1

$800 and under $900 _ __ _ ___ 7.5 8.0 7.2

$900 and under $1 000___ 9.3 10.6 8.4

$1,000 and under $1,100...................... $1,100 and under $1,200__ r

2.0

31.6

2 6

29 2

1.6

33.4

$1,200 and over _ __ .... . 4.3 4.0 4.5

Total __ ______ _ 100.0 100.0 100.0

Note: Because of rounding, sums of individual items do not necessarily

equal 100.

1 Based on 1958 total employment in fire departments and total number of

uniformed policemen.

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18

under the Classification Act rose 79.1 percent.3 

However, hourly earnings excluding overtime as 

well as average weekly earnings of factory production workers more than tripled, and average 

salaries of urban public teachers by 1956-57 

were 132 percent above those in effect during 

the 1938-39 school year.4

The 18.6-percent rise in patrolmen’s and firefighters’ salary scales between January 1954 and 

January 1958 may be compared with a 7.6-percent 

increase in basic pay scales for Federal Classification Act employees (excluding the retroactive

increase enacted in June 1958). Factory production workers’ average hourly earnings went up 15 

percent and consumer prices advanced 6.2 percent 

during the 4-year period.

3 T he p e r c e n ta g e is b a s e d on th e B L S in d ex for “ g e n ­

e r a l s c h e d u le * * e m p lo y e e s . In Ju n e 1 9 5 8 , th e C o n g r e s s

ap p roved an in c r e a s e a v e r a g in g 1 0 .1 p e r c e n t, r e tr o a c tiv e

to Jan u ary 1 9 5 8 , w h ich w ou ld bring th e in c r e a s e s in c e

1 9 3 9 to 9 7 p e r c e n t.

S ee a ls o Salary T ren d s; F ed era l C la s s ifie d E m p lo y e e s .

1 9 3 9 —60 (B L S R ep ort 2 0 0 , 1 9 6 1 ) .

4 S ee a ls o Salary T ren d s; C ity P u b lic S ch ool T ea ch ers ,

1 9 2 6 -5 9 (B L S R ep ort 194, 1961).

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1958—61

M a x i m u m a n n u a l s a l a r y s c a l e s of firefighters 

and patrolmen in cities with 100,000 or more 

inhabitants rose an average of $639, or 12.3 

percent, in the 3-year period from January 1958 

to January 1961 (table 1). Since most of the

175,000 firemen and policemen were already at the 

maximum of the salary range, an increase in 

maximum scales resulted in corresponding increases in salaries actually paid to most of these 

city employees. More than 95 percent of the 

firemen and police patrolmen were employed in 

cities where salary scales advanced during this 

period. Seventy percent of them received increases in at least 2 years, and 20 percent had their 

salaries increased each year.

The increase in salary scales during these 3 

years was smaller than the 14.8-percent rise in 

the preceding 3-year period and was well below 

the record 25-percent rise that occurred between 

January 1946 and January 1949 (table 2). The 

annual rate of increase in maximum salaries 

between 1958 and 1961 was 4 percent, compared 

with an average of 5 percent over the entire 

period from the end of World War II to January 

1958.

Because most of the largest cities in the country 

raised salary scales in 1960 and salary increases 

were widespread among smaller cities, the rise 

occurring in that year was greater than in either 

1958 or 1959. The average rise in salaries and

Table 1. Increases in Maximum Annual Salary Scales of F irefighters and Police Patrolmen,1 by City-Size

Group and Region, 1958-61

Percent8 Dollars

City-size group and region *

1958-61 Firefighters and police

patrolmen

1958-61 Firefighters and police

patrolmen

Firefighters

and police

patrolmen

Fire­ Police

Firefighters Fire Police

fighters patrolmen

1958-59 1959-60 1960-61 and police

patrolmen

fighters patrolmen

1958-59 1950-60 1960-61

All cities.............................. 12.3 12.0 12.5 3.0 4.1 4.7 639 621 653 157 220 262

City-Size Gboup

1,000,000 and over.......................... 12.4 12.6 12.5 1.4 5.2 5.4 714 714 714 82 301 331

500,000 and under 1,000,000—......... 12.4 12.2 12.2 5.1 2.2 4.6 633 634 633 263 117 253

250,000 and under 500,000________ 12.4 11.9 12.9 4.6 3.6 3.7 606 576 634 223 185 198

100,000 and under 250,000.............. 11.8 11.5 11.9 3.3 4.2 3.9 535 524 544 149 197 189

Region

Northeast...................................... 12.0 11.8 12.1 1.6 4.0 6.0 639 624 655 84 215 340

South...................... ..................... 11.9 11.0 12.6 5.2 2.3 4.0 530 482 572 232 108 190

North Central______ __________ 12.2 12.3 12.1 3.3 4.2 4.2 640 635 643 172 229 239

West.............................. .............. 14.1 14.2 14.0 4.5 6.3 2.7 818 824 813 259 384 175

1 Based on data for all cities having a population of 100,000 or more (with the

exception of 1 city of 100,000 but under 250,000 inhabitants). Data refer to

changes in maximum salaries (excluding longevity rates) for firefighters and

police patrolmen on January 1 of each year.

* The regions used in this study are Northeast— Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode

Island, Vermont; Scwffc—Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North

Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West

Virginia; North Central—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin;

and West—Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New

Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

8 Because of weighting methods, the percent change for firefighters and

police patrolmen combined may be slightly above or below the changes for

both groups considered separately.

Over the period 1958-61,4 cities provided salary increases for patrolmen but

not for firefighters; 3 other communities increased patrolmen’s salaries by a

larger amount than firefighters’ salaries.

19

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T a b l e 2. I n d e x e s o f A n n u a l S a l a r y S c a l e s o f F i r e ­

f ig h t e r s a n d P o l ic e P a t r o l m e n ,1 1 9 2 4 -6 1

[Index, 1957-59=100]

Year

Firefighters 

and police 

patrolmen

Firefighters

Police

patrolmen

1924__________________ 38 39 37

1929__________________ 42 43 42

1932__________________ 43 44 42

1934_______ __________ 42 41 42

1938__________________ 45 44 45

1939__________________ 45 44 45

1940__________________ 45 44 45

1941__________________ 45 44 45

1942__________________ 46 46 46

1943__________________ 47 47 46

1944___________________ 49 49 49

1945__________________ 52 52 52

1946__________________ 53 52 55

1947__________________ 57 58 57

1948__________________ 61 62 61

1949__________________ 66 66 66

1950__________________ 68 68 68

1951--._______________ 72 72 72

1952__________________ 77 77 77

1953__________________ 82 82 82

1954__________________ 85 85 85

1955__________________ 87 87 87

1956__________________ 91 91 91

1957__________________ 96 96 96

1958__________________ 101 101 101

1959___________ ____— 104 104 104

1960__________________ 108 108 108

1961__________________ 113 113 113

i Based on data for all cities having a population of 100,000 or more (with 

the exception of 1 city of 100,000 but under 250,000 inhabitants). Data for 

1939 to 1961 are based on maximum salaries (excluding longevity rates) for 

firefighters and police patrolmen in effect on January 1 of each year; data for 

earlier years are based on average salaries.

the proportion of firemen and patrolmen employed where scales were increased during each 

of the 3 years1 were as follows:

1958 1959 I960

A v e ra g e p e rc e n t in c rease, all c itie s__ 3. 0 4. 1 4. 7

P e rc e n t o f w o rk ers w h ere sc a le s w ere 

in c re a s e d ___________________________ 44. 0 68. 3 76. 1

Intercity Variations in Pay Changes, 1958-61

While the pay scale increases put into effect 

during the 3-year period varied among cities from

2.6 to 30 percent, there were a few cities in which 

salary scales were not changed at all; two-fifths of 

the firemen and policemen were employed where 

salary rates advanced 10-12% percent.1 2 One out 

of eight protective workers was employed where 

salaries advanced 15-17% percent, almost as many

1 Changes in scales are tabulated in the year in which they became effective, 

rather than the year in which the decision to change them was made. Changes 

in scales put into effect between January 1, 1958, and January 1, 1959, are 

referred to as 1958 changes; between 1959 and 1960, as 1959 changes; etc.

2 For ease of reading, in this and subsequent discussions of tabulations, the 

limits of the class intervals are designated, for example, as 10 to 12H percent 

and $700 to $800 instead of the more precise terminology “ 10 and under I2 \i

percent’’ and “ $700 and under $800."

where they rose 17%-20 percent, and slightly 

more where the raise was 5-7% percent. (See 

table 3.)

Maximum Annual Salary Scales of Firefighters and

Police Patrolmen, January 1961

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T a b l e 3 . P e r c e n t D i s t r i b u t i o n o f F i r e f i g h t e r s a n d P o l i c e P a t r o l m e n , 1 2b y t h e I n c r e a s e i n M a x i m u m A n n u a l

S a l a r y S c a l e s , 1 9 5 8 -6 1

Increase in maximum annual 

salary scale

Firefighters 

and police 

patrolmen

FirefightersPolice

patrolmen

Percent

No change ,........... _ ... . 3.8 4.7 3.2

Under 2.5_______________________

2.5 and under 5.0._____ _______ ___ 4.3 5.8 3.2

5 0 and under 7.5 13.0 13.1 12.9

7.5 and under 10.0________________ 2.4 2.9 2.1

10.0 and under 12.5_____ __________ 40.1 35.6 43.3

12.5 and under 15.0_______________ 7.0 8.0 6.3

15.0 and under 17.5_______________ 12.5 14.9 10.7

17.5 and under 20.0.............................. 11.0 9.2 12.3

20.0 and under 22.5 _ _ ___ 1.7 1.8 1.6

22.5 and under 25.0 _ _ ............. . 1 .2

25.0 and under 27.5 ...... . 1.2 1.3 1.1

27.5 and under 30.0 ... 2.2 1.5 2.7

30.0 and over .7 .9 .6

Total . _ _ . _ __ 100.0 100.0 100.0

Increase in maximum annual 

salary scale

Firefighters 

and police 

patrolmen

Firefighters

Police

patrolmen

D ollars

No change______________________ 3.8 4.7 3.2

Under $100_______ _____________

$100 and under $200____ __________ 1.6 1.9 1.5

$200 and under $300............................. 10.0 12.1 8.6

$300 and under $400______________ 7.5 7.2 7.6

$400 and under $500............................ 3.0 3.9 2.4

$500 and under $600_______________ 6.4 6.5 6.2

$600 and under $700______________ 11.7 11.4 11.9

$700 and under $800_______________ 34.0 30.9 36.2

$800 and under $900______________ 3.5 4.4 2.9

$900 and under $1,000______ ______ 13.7 12.4 14.6

$1,000 and under $1,100 — ______ -

$1,100 and under $1,200____________ .8 1.0 .6

$1,200 and over________ ________ 4.0 3.5 4.3

Total............................... ........ 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 Based on total employment in fire departments and total number of uniformed patrolmen in 1961. For city coverage and definition of salary scales, 

see footnote 1, table 1.

Measured in dollar terms, increases ranging 

from $700 to $1,000 went into effect for about half 

of these protective workers. In communities 

employing one-tenth of the firemen and patrolmen, the gain was $200 to $300.

Average salary increases in absolute and relative 

terms varied more among regions than among

N o t e : Because of rounding, sums of percentages may not equal 100.

city-size groups. Maximum scales rose 12.4 percent between 1958 and 1961 in each of the three 

largest city-size groups studied and 11.8 percent 

in the smallest size group. The dollar increase in 

salaries ranged from $714 in cities of 1 million or 

more to $535 in the smallest cities studied. The 

West recorded both the greatest percentage and

T a b l e 4 . P e r c e n t D i s t r i b u t i o n o f F i r e f i g h t e r s a n d P o l i c e P a t r o l m e n b y t h e I n c r e a s e i n M a x i m u m A n n u a l

S a l a r y S c a l e s , 1 C i t y - S i z e G r o u p , a n d R e g i o n , 2 1 9 5 1 -6 1

City-size group Region

Increase in maximum annual salary scale All

cities 1,000,000 

and over

500,000 

and under 

1,000,000

250.000 

and under

500.000

100,000 

and under 

250,000

Northeast South

North

Central West

Percent

2ft and under 30 ___________________ 0.2 1.1 1.2

30 and under 40 ___________________ 3.0 7.7 8.5 0.6 14.3

4ft and under 5ft .. 40.3 69.3 22.7 19.7 17.4 65.1 25.7 31.2 2.3

50 and under 60______________________ - 17.6 25.3 34.5 31.1 13.8 31.8 19.4 3.9

60 and under 70________________________ 28.4 30.7 31.2 26.1 22.8 19.2 12.2 40.0 58.8

70 and under 80 _ ____________________ 5.7 12.9 3.0 11.6 1.4 11.6 7.7 6.4

80 and under 90 _______________________ 4.2 8.0 9.0 5.1 3.2 1.7 24.6

9ft and under 10ft .5 2.4 4.0

100 and over___________________________

Total....... ............. ........... ...................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Average change___________________ 56.5 53.9 60.4 57.5 57.5 52.7 52.1 57.1 73.5

Dollars

$800 and under $1,000 __ _________ .7 3.1 3.4

$1,000 and under $1,200 __ ______________ 2.1 7.7 4.3 .6 9.6

$1,200 and under $1,400__ ___________ 2.3 3.6 8.1 1.3 7.6 1.0

$1,400 and under $1,600__________________ 6.6 6.1 12.7 15.2 3.7 21.7 2.0 2.3

$1,600 and under $1,800__ _______________ 8.1 7.9 18.6 16.2 4.4 11.1 15.5

$1,800 and under $2,000— . ____________ 19.7 19.5 27.3 11.0 18.7 13.2 32.7 29.4

$2,000 and under $2,200__________________ 29.0 49.7 17.7 13.1 16.4 64.4 1.3 6.6 12.0

$2,200 and under $2,400__________________ 7.9 20.1 14.6 6.1 11.8 2.0 7.4 5.9

$2,400 and under $2,600—. ______________ 10.2 20.0 6.7 4.1 .7 32.2 10.8

$2,600 and under $2,800__ — ________ 3.9 12.9 3.0 3.0 10.6 6.0 1.5

$2,800 and under $3,000—. ______________ 4.6 10.7 .9 36.3

$3,000 and under $3,200 — . . . __ .3 1.5 2.5

$3,2ftft and over 3.6 8.0 9.0 2.4 28.6

Total. __________________________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Average change___________________ $2,110 $2,246 $2,179 $2,004 $1,858 $2,066 $1,713 $2,143 $2,801

1 See footnote 1, table 1.

2 See footnote 2, table 1.

Note: Because of rounding, sums of percentages may not equal 100.

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22

dollar gains of any region—14.1 percent and $818. 

Maximum salaries rose less in the Southern region 

than elsewhere—11.9 percent and $530.

Trends Over the Past Decade

Over the decade from 1951 to 1961, increases in 

maximum scales varied among cities from 27 to 

93 percent, but two-fifths of all firemen and 

policemen worked where the gain was 40-50 percent, and over one-fourth where increases were 

60-70 percent (table 4).

As in the interval from 1958 to 1961, salary 

increases were more uniform on the average 

among different sized cities than among regions. 

Proportionately the greatest rise in salary scales— 

60 percent—occurred in communities of 500,000 

to 1 million inhabitants, and the smallest—54 

percent—in cities of 1 million or more. The 

increase in salaries was the same—58 percent—in 

the two smallest city-size groups studied.

The average increase in salaries was practically 

identical in the Northeast and South—52.7 and

52.1 percent, respectively, and not much higher in 

the North Central States—57.1 percent. In the 

Western cities, however, average salary scales 

advanced by about three-fourths—73.5 percent.

In terms of dollars, the rise in salary scales from 

1951 to 1961 varied from $1,850 in communities 

with a population of less than 250,000 to almost 

$2,250 in cities with 1 million inhabitants or more. 

The advance in salaries was over $1,700 on the 

average in the South and $2,800 in Western 

communities. More than one-fourth of the firemen and policemen in the Western cities studied 

were employed where salaries advanced at least 

$3,200. Scales of two-thirds of the firemen and 

policemen in the smallest cities rose less than 

$2,000, whereas four-fifths of those in the largest 

cities were employed where pay increased at least 

$2,000 but less than $3,000.

Comparison With Other Workers

From January 1939 to January 1961, maximum 

salaries of firemen and patrolmen rose about 150 

percent, somewhat more than the Consumer Price 

Index and basic salary scales and average salary 

rates of Federal office workers but less than salaries 

of urban teachers and gross average hourly and 

weekly earnings of factory production workers.

In the decade 1951-61, salaries of firemen and 

policemen rose much more than the Consumer 

Price Index, somewhat more than the pay of 

factory production workers, and more than basic 

or average salary rates of Federal office workers. 

They kept pace with the rise in urban teachers' 

pay, but the advance in overall average salaries 

of Federal office workers was somewhat greater. 

From 1958 to 1961, however, maximum pay 

scales of firemen and patrolmen increased more 

than earnings of factory production workers but 

less than the pay of Federal white-collar workers 

or of urban teachers, as shown below:

Percent increase 1 from—

1989

to

1961

1951

to

1961

1958

to

1961

F irem en an d p olicem en :

M a x im u m sala ry scales__________ 151 58 12

U rban teachers:

A v era ge an nu al sa la rie s2___ __ 174 59 17

F ederal C lassifica tion A c t em p loy ees:

B asic salary scales 3______________ 112 40 19

A v era g e sala ry rates 3___ __ __ 125 42 19

A v era g e salaries 3 _______________ 186 63 27

F a cto ry p ro d u c tio n w ork ers:

A v era g e h ou rly earn in gs_______ 266 50 10

A v era g e w eek ly ea rn in g s________ 288 42 11

C on su m er P rice I n d e x . __________ __ 114 17 4

1 Increases for urban teachers computed as of school years ending in June.

All others computed from January to January of each pair of years, except 

1939 data for Federal employees which relate to August.

2 Includes both changes in salary scales (including cost-of-living adjustments) and changes in pay for individual teachers because of length of service, 

merit, or improved educational qualifications. Figures for 1961 are preliminary. See also “ Salaries of City Public School Teachers, 1957-59,” 

Monthly Labor Review, March 1961, pp. 259-262, or B L S Report 194, Salary

Trends: City Public School Teachers, 1925-59.

« Basic salary scales reflect statutory changes in salaries; average salary 

rates show, in addition, the effect of merit or in-grade salary increases; and 

average salaries also include the effect of changes in the proportion of workers 

employed in the various pay grades. See also “ Federal Classified Em ­

ployees’ Salary Changes, 1958-60,” Monthly Labor Review, May 1961, pp. 

489-492, or B L S Report 200, Salary Trends: Federal Classified Employees,

1989-60.

T a b l e 5. M a x im u m A n n u a l S a l a r y S c a l e of F ir e ­

f ig h t e r s a n d P o lic e P a t r o l m e n in C it ie s of 500,000

I n h a b it a n t s o r M o r e , J a n u a r y 1961

City

Maximum

annual

salary

scale

City

Maximum

annual

salary

scale

San Francisco__________ $7,152 

6.900

Cleveland___ $6,000 

5,900 

5,540 

5, 500

Los Angeles..__________ Pittsburgh_____________

New York__________ __ 6,581 

6,450 

6,432

Philadelphia_______

Washington, D.C___....... Boston____________

Minneapolis ................... Buffalo________________ 5,300 

5,250 

i 5,200 

5,136 

4,680

Chicago________________ 6,360 

6,324 

6,057 

6,030

Baltimore______ ____

Milwaukee_____________ St. Louis

Detroit_____ ____ ______ Houston_____________

Cincinnati_____________ New Orleans.. _ __

i Maximum for patrolmen; maximum for firefighters was $5,571.

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Intercity Variations in Salary Levels, 1961

Maximum annual salary scales for patrolmen 

and firefighters in January 1961 ranged from 

$3,648 in Savannah, Ga., to $7,152 in San Francisco and Oakland, Calif. The mean salary was 

$5,847, and the median about $200 higher.

Salary scales tended to be higher in large than 

in small communities (chart) and were highest 

on the average in West Coast cities and lowest 

in the South. In cities of 500,000 or more, maximum scales for patrolmen and firefighters ranged 

from $4,680 to $7,152 (table 5), with more than 

three-fifths of the firemen and policemen in these 

large cities employed where scales were at least

$6,200. In the smallest communities studied,

(those with 100,000 to 250,000 inhabitants), about 

half the protective workers were employed where 

the maximum scale was $4,800-$5,600 a year. 

In five cities of this size, including four in the 

South, maximum salary scales were below $4,000.

Two-thirds of the policemen and firemen in 

Western cities were employed where salary scales 

for these jobs were at least $6,800. All eight of 

the California cities with 100,000 inhabitants or 

more had maximum scales of at least $6,600. In 

the South, half of the firemen and patrolmen 

worked where maximum salaries were below 

$5,000 a year.

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Salary Changes of Firemen and Policemen, 1961—64

T h e B u r e a u o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s yearly indexes1 

of firemen’s and policemen’s salaries span four 

decades—a significant portion of the history of 

those public servants’ paid employment. The indexes have increased 237 percent over the 40-year 

period (table 1).

Historical Background

The first fire department in the United States 

with paid personnel was established in Cincinnati, 

Ohio, in 1853. The chief and the operators of 

steam fire engines received compensation; unpaid 

volunteers provided the other necessary skills. 

During the latter part of the 19th century, other 

major cities recognized the necessity for trained 

firefighters and replaced volunteers with full-time 

paid employees. During this period, societies were 

organized among the firemen for social and benefit 

purposes. On the foundations prepared by these 

societies, local unions were later chartered by the 

American Federation of Labor.2

As associations of governmental employees 

whose work is essential to public safety, firemen’s 

unions do not have the collective bargaining and 

other rights normally enjoyed by labor unions in 

the private sector. Salaries and working conditions of these employees are set by State and local 

legislation. Even where strikes are not illegal or 

discouraged, as a matter of policy, firemen’s unions 

do not engage in this activity to further their 

objectives. They concentrate their efforts on improving their members’ economic position through 

negotiation with local authorities, the outcome of 

which is embodied in resolutions or ordinances.

Urbanization proceeded rapidly in the latter 

part of the 19th century and early years of the 

20th, bringing with it a movement for better organization and expansion of local law enforcement 

agencies. The village constable and town marshal gave way to municipal police departments. 

Despite a longer history of paid public service, 

policemen have experienced more difficulty than 

firemen in organizing themselves into unions.

The level of compensation as well as working 

conditions of policemen was largely the result of 

the ability of the police administrator to convince 

the local authorities to enact appropriate legislation. Since this avenue for improvement was not 

always satisfactory, members of some departments 

formed fraternal organizations, which soon became spokesmen for police personnel in matters 

of employment conditions. However, unionization of policemen did not develop to the extent it 

has among firemen. Legal restrictions and public 

antipathy to police unionization have been major 

deterrents. Consequently, although police employee organizations fulfill certain of the functions 

of a union, they generally are not affiliated with 

organized labor.3

1 Methods used in constructing the indexes of salary scales are 

described in the appendix to Salary Trends: Firemen and Policemen, 1921—61 (B L S Report 233, 1962).

This article extends the series to 1964, with particular emphasis on changes during the la st 3 years. The portion dealing 

with salary scales is preceded by a discussion of the evolution 

of institutional arrangem ents for determining salaries of these 

protective employees. The series is based on salary tabulations 

prepared by the International Association of Firefighters, A F L - 

CIO (Fire Department Salaries and Working Conditions in the United States and Canada), the International City M anagers 

Association (Municipal Yearbook), and the Fratern al Order of 

Police (Survey of Salaries and Working Conditions of the Police Departments in the United States). In addition, the Bureau 

obtains supplem entary data for some cities by direct inquiry.

For the m ost part, this article does not present separate 

analyses for firemen and policemen because, in m ost communities, 

pay scales for the two are identical.

2 At present, most firemen are represented by the International 

Association of Firefighters (A FU -CIO ), which w as founded in 

1918 by 60 locals comprising 4,,000 members and whose membership in the United States and Canada since has grown to 115,000.

3 The local police organizations that have national affiliations 

are associated with the Fratern al Order of Police (which comprises 55,000 members in 560 local lodges and 17 State asso ciations) and the N ational Conference of Police A ssociations (which 

acts as a coordinating agency in m atters of concern to the

275,000 policemen it represents). In the States of New York 

and New Jersey, there are statew ide Police Benevolent A ssociations with local chapters. In October 1964, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (A FL-C IO ) 

reported 48 police locals with 4,500 members, chiefly in Connecticut and Illinois. Collective bargaining contracts between 

m unicipalities and these locals are still r a r e ; ooly 7 are recorded

ip tjtie files of the parent union.

25

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T a b l e 1. I n d e x e s o f A n n u a l M a x im u m S a l a r y

S c a l e s o f F ir e f ig h t e r s a n d P o l ic e P a t r o l m e n , 1

1 9 2 4 -6 4

[1957-59=100]

Year

Firefighters

and

police

patrolmen

Firefighters

Police

patrolmen

Year

Firefighters

and

police

patrolmen

Firefighters

Police

patrolmen

1094 38 39 37 1950........ 68 68 68

1929___ 42 43 42 1951.......- 72 72 72

1932 „ 43 44 42 1952........ 77 77 77

1934___ 42 41 42 1953_____ 82 82 82

1938 — 45 44 45 1954...... . 85 85 85

1939 — 45 44 45 1955........ 87 87 87

1940___ 45 44 45 1956........ . 91 91 91

1941 45 44 45 1957........ . 96 96 96

1942........ 46 46 46 1958........ 101 101 101

1943 — 47 47 46 1959........ 104 104 104

1944........ . 49 49 49 1960........ . 108 108 108

1945 — 52 52 52 1961_____ 113 113 113

KUfi 53 52 55 1962_____ 118 117 118

1947........ 57 58 57 1963.......- 124 123 124

1948 — 61 62 61 1964........ 128 127 128

1949........ . 66 66 66

i Based on data for all U.S. cities having a population of 100,000 or more 

(1960 Census) with the exception of Santa Ana, Calif.; Utica, N.Y.; and 

Honolulu, Hawaii. Data for 1939 to 1964 are based on maximum salaries 

(excluding longevity rates) for firefighters and police patrolmen in effect on 

January 1 of each year; data for earlier years are based on average salaries.

Employment and Salary Trends, 1954-64

Over the past decade, employment of police 

patrolmen and firefighters in cities with a population of 100,000 or more has increased by nearly 

one-fifth—to 193,000—with the rate of increase 

accelerating in the most recent 3-year period. 

From 1954 to 1964, the ranks of these protective 

employees grew at a rate almost twice that of all 

the working population but only one-third as fast 

as the number of all State and local employees. 

This increase generally paralleled the growth of 

the population in urban areas except in the largest 

cities, where their number increased much more 

rapidly than the general population. However, 

these increases in employment of urban policemen 

and firemen have been relatively less than those of 

other groups of municipal employees. The more 

rapid growth of other State and local employees 

reflects, in part, the growth in school age population and the consequent increase in the number of 

teachers, the increased number of employees in 

State and local hospitals, and expanding public 

welfare programs.

4 T ext references to tabular classes, including city-size groups, 

are phrased as, for example, “ GO to 70 percent” or “ 100,000 to 

200,000” rather than “60 to less than 70 percent” or “ 100,000 

to under 200,000” as used in tables.

5 All pay references in this article pertain to maximum salary 

scales (excluding longevity rates) for policemen engaged in general police duties (patrolm en) and firefighters (excluding drivers 

and engineers).

6 For definition of regions used in this article, see footnote 

1, table 2.

Between 1954 and 1964, the communities where 

salaries of the protective workers increased 60 to 

70 percent4 during that period employed one-third 

of the employees; those where the advances were 

40 to 60 percent employed two-fifths of the workers.5 The pay scales of slightly more than 25 

percent of workers were raised during the decade 

by $1,400 to $1,800; about an equal number of 

workers received pay scales in 1964 that were between $3,000 and $3,200 higher than 10 years 

earlier (table 2).

At opposite ends of the pay scales, 0.1 percent 

received raises of less than $800, and 5 percent were 

paid under salary scales that rose $3,200 or more 

in the past 10 years.

Variations by Size of City

Both percentage and dollar increases were 

greater in large than small cities. About 38 percent of the salary scales in effect in 1964 in cities 

of 1,000,000 inhabitants or more accrued over the 

past decade. The fact that, during the period, 

over three-fifths of the workers in cities of this size 

received increases of 60 to 70 percent or $3,000 to 

$3,200 reflects employment of half of the policemen 

and firemen in these categories in New York City.

As might be expected, there was less concentration of increases in population groupings containing a larger number of cities—that is, in small 

communities. In the second largest population 

group—500,000 to 1 million—the pay scales of 

approximately 63 percent of the workers advanced 

during the 10-year period between 30 and 50 percent ; a similar percent of those in the 250,000 to

500,000 group obtained salary raises of 40 to 60 

percent. Percentage and dollar increases were 

more varied in cities of 100,000 to 250,000, but onethird of the policemen and firemen in these communities were employed where maximum scales 

were raised 30 to 40 percent during the period.

Variations by Region

Over this decade, as in recent years, average increases varied more among regions6 than 

city size groups. Salaries in the West recorded 

the largest percentage increase, followed by the 

Northeast, South, and North Central regions. The 

average rise in salary scales in dollar terms was 

greatest in the West ($2,878) and smallest in North 

Central cities ($1,886).

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T a b l e 2. P e r c e n t D is t r ib u t io n of F ir e f ig h t e r s a n d P o lic e P a t r o l m e n ,1 b y t h e I n c r e a s e in M a x im u m A n n u a l

Sa l a r y Sc a l e s , b y C it y -S iz e G r o u p a n d R e g io n , 1 9 5 4 -6 4

Increase in maximum annual salary scale

P e r c e n t

Under 20------------------------

20 and under 30__________

30 and under 40__________

40 and under 50------- --------

50 and under 60__________

60 and under 70----------------

70 and under 80__________

80 and over______________

Total________________

Average increase_____

D ollars

Under $800----------------------

$800 and under $1,000_____

$1,000 and under $1,200.......

$1,200 and under $1,400___

$1,400 and under $1,600.......

$1,600 and under $1,800......

$1,800 and under $2,000.......

$2,000 and under $2,200___

$2,200 and under $2,400......

$2,400 and under $2,600___

$2,600 and under $2,800___

$2,800 and under $3,000......

$3,000 and under $3,200___

$3,200 and over___________

Total________________

Average increase______

All cities

City-size group Region 2

100,000

and over 1,000,000 500,000 250,000 100,000 North

and over and under and under and under Northeast South Central West

1,000,000 500,000 250,000

0.4 2.0 1.1 0.6 1. 0

6.0 8.2 13.9 7.0 7.9 29.0 4.4 19.0

17.5 11.1 39.5 18.0 34.5 10.6 16.3 9.4 0.9

26.2 19.1 23.1 32.6 18.9 3.8 29.6 60.3 4.4

13.5 14.1 30.7 14.5 55.0 32.7 6.9 22.0

32.9 61.6 9.4 11.9 15.7 6.7 3.4 65.4

3.0 3. 7 10.0 5.3

.6 2.8 . 7 2. 0

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

50.4 53.4 50.6 47.3 46.5 52.1 49.8 42.0 61.4

. 1 . 7 .6

1.1 1. 2 4.8 1.1 2.2 1.0

1.9 2.8 7.1 4.7 3.3

5.8 8.3 5. 5 14. 7 6.4 10.4 3.8

13.4 19.3 4.4 9.3 15.9 13.3 12.8 21.3

12.4 20.2 23.8 18.3 18.9 14.8 5.4 2.7

6.7 4.9 20.3 10.3 2.0 17.1 5.7 4.6

19.2 19.1 34.4 12.0 7.1 2.4 21.6 51.1 6.4

2.6 7. 7 6.7 1. 7 1.4 3.8 5.2

1.8 4.1 2.6 2. 2 1.1 1.8 7.1

3.0 4.0 8.0 3.3 1.7 4.2 2.8 5.0

.5 2.9 3.6

26.4 61.6 2.6 3.9 3.6 51. 5 45.3

5.0 16.9 5.2 10.0 20. 2

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

$2,216 $2, 559 $2,179 $1,950 $1, 793 $2,363 $1,915 $1,886 $2,878

1 Based on data for all cities having a population of 100,000 or more in the 

1960 census (with the exception of 3 cities of 100.000 but under 250,000 

inhabitants). Data refer to maxium salaries (excluding longevity rate) on 

January 1 of each year.

2 The regions used in this study are Northeast—Connecticut, Maine, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, 

Rhode Island, Vermont; South—Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of

Over half of the protective workers in the 

Northeast and nearly nine-tenths of policemen and 

firemen in western cities were employed during 

the decade where salaries for such workers increased 50 to 70 percent in that time; fewer than 1 

percent of the latter protective employees were employed where pay rose less than 30 percent. On

Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, 

North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, 

West Virginia; North Central—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, 

Wisconsin; and West—Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

N o t e : Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals ,

the other hand, only 1 in 10 firemen and patrolmen 

in the North Central region were in cities where 

there was more than a 50-percent increase over the 

decade.

In western cities, about two-thirds of the workers received pay raises of $3,000 or more, and over 

half the firemen and patrolmen in the Northeast

T a b l e 3. P e r c e n t D is t r ib u t io n o f C it ie s , F ir e f ig h t e r s , a n d P a t r o l m e n ,1 b y t h e I n c r e a s e in M a x im u m A n n u a l

S a l a r y S c a l e s, 19 6 1 -6 4

Increase in maximum 

annual salary scale

Firefighters 

and police 

patrolmen

Firefighters Police patrolmen

Increase in maximum 

annual salary scale

Firefighters 

and police 

patrolmen

Firefighters Police patrolmen

Workers Cities Workers Cities Workers Cities Workers Cities

Percent Dollars

No change_______________ 2.8 2.3 2.4 3. 2 3.1 No change ____________ 2.8 2.3 2.4 3.2 3.1

Under 2.5________________ .2 .3 .8 .2 .8 Under $100.......... ................

2.5 and under 5.0.......... ...... 2.6 3.0 6.3 2.4 7. 9 $100 and under $200 _ _ 1.3 2. 0 4. 7 . 7 3.1

5.0 and under 7.5_____ ___ 14.1 15.3 16. 5 13. 2 13.4 $200 and under $300_______ 4.5 5.3 8.7 4.0 8.7

7.5 and under 10.0________ 20.8 20. 6 17.3 20. 9 15. 7 $300 and under $400 5.9 8. 3 10. 2 4.2 10.2

10.0 and under 12.5_______ 10.1 11.1 13. 4 9. 3 17.3 $400 and under $500 25. 2 22.2 15.0 27.4 15.7

12.5 and under 15.0_______ 6. 7 7. 7 18.1 5.9 15. 0 $500 and under $600 5.1 7. 0 11.8 3.7 11.0

15.0 and under 17.5_______ 7.2 8.0 8. 7 6. 7 8. 7 $600 and under $700 5.8 6. 0 10.2 5.6 7.9

17.5 and under 20.0_______ 28.6 25.4 9.4 31.0 10. 2 $700 and under $800 5. 5 6.4 10.2 4.9 11.0

20.0 and under 22.5_______ 2.9 3.8 4.7 2.2 3. 9 $800 and under $900 3.9 4.3 6. 3 3. 7 7.1

22.5 and under 25.0_______ 3.7 2.3 1.6 4. 7 2. 4 $900 and under $1,000 6. 3 6. 5 7.9 6.2 9.4

25.0 and over_____________ .2 .2 . 8 .2 1. 6 $1,000 and under $1,100.. _ 2.0 • 3.0 5. 5 1.3 3.9

$1,100 and under $1,200____ 2.4 2.9 2.4 2.1 2.4

$1,200 and over___________ 29.2 23.9 4.7 33.1 6.3

Total......... ................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total____ __________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 See footnote 1, table 2. N ote: Because of rounding, sum of individual items may not equal totals.

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and North Central regions had their pay scales 

advanced from $3,000 to $3,200 and $2,000 to 

$2,200, respectively. On the other hand, 86 percent of the protective workers in the South were 

employed where increases were less than $2,400. 

Salary increases in the South, where there are more 

small communities than in other regions, were less 

uniform than in other parts of the country.

Salary Trends, 1961-64

Maximum annual salary scales of firefighters 

and police patrolmen employed in cities with

100,000 inhabitants or more continued to move up 

from January 1961 to January 1964 at about the 

same rate as in the previous 3-year period.7 For 

firemen and policemen combined, the total dollar 

increase from 1961 to 1964 was $757, compared 

with $639 for the 1958-61 period—a difference that 

reflects a slightly larger average percentage increase in the later period applied to higher salary 

scales.

Primarily because of an increase of almost 10 

percent in salaries for New York City firemen and 

policemen, average salaries rose significantly 

more—5 percent—in 1962 than either in 1961 or 

1963, when the increases averaged 4.0 and 3.5 percent, respectively. In 1963, more workers—3 out 

of 4—were affected by scale changes than in 1961

7 See “Salaries of Firemen and Policemen, 1 9 5 8 - 6 1 ,” Monthly

Labor Review, March 1962, pp. 2 8 2 - 2 8 6 .

8 Computations not shown in this article.

or 1962, when about 2 out of 3 were employed where 

salary scales were raised.8

Maximum salary scales of firefighters in three 

cities wTith 2.3 percent of all firefighters, and of 

patrolmen in four cities accounting for 3.2 percent 

of all policemen remained unchanged from 1961 to 

1964. At the other end of the pay spectrum, two 

cities raised maximum salary scales of policemen 

25 percent or more and one raised salaries of firemen over 25 percent (table 3). The majority of 

cities, 3 out of 5 for policemen and 2 out of 3 for 

firemen, raised salaries of patrolmen and firefighters 5 to 15 percent, with a median increase of 

just over 11 percent for both groups. Three-fifths 

of the cities increased salaries at least twice during 

the 3-year period.

About 3 out of 10 workers were employed where 

salary scales were raised 17.5 to 20 percent and 2 

out of 10 worked where the advances were 7.5 to 

10 percent. In dollar terms, the most common increases were $1,200 or more and $400 to $500; these 

affected about 30 and 25 percent, respectively, of 

the policemen and firemen grouped together. New 

York City workers were among those whose scales 

rose over $1,200.

Salary scale increases for patrolmen slightly exceeded those for firefighters in 1958-61 and 1961- 

64. In the latter period, police salaries increased

13.0, while those of firemen rose 12.7 percent. The 

comparable dollar increments were $780 and $726, 

respectively.

T a b l e 4 . I n c r e a s e s i n M a x i m u m A n n u a l S a l a r y S c a l e s o f F i r e f i g h t e r s a n d P o l i c e P a t r o l m e n ,1 b y C i t y -

S i z e G r o u p a n d R e g i o n , 1 9 6 1 - 6 4

Percent3 Dollars

1961-64 Firefighters and 1961-64 Firefighters and

police patrolmen police patrolmen

City-size group or region 2

Fire Firefighters Police fighters Police

and Fire­ patrol­ 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 and Fire­ patrol­ 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64

police fighters men police fighters men

patrol­ patrolmen men

All cities........................... 13.0 12.7 13.0 4.0 5.0 3.5 757 726 780 233 301 223

City-Size Group

1,000,000 and over.......................__ 14.3 14.6 14.2 5.0 5.8 2.9 915 939 903 319 388 208

600,000 and under 1,000,000........... 12.2 11.1 13.2 2.8 4.7 4.3 704 652 838 159 277 268

250,000 and under 600,000..... ......... 12.2 12.2 12.2 3.9 4.2 3.6 661 654 666 214 236 211

100,000 and under 250,000........... 11.5 11.9 11.2 3.3 3.9 3.9 584 597 571 167 205 212

Region

Northeast................ ................... 14.5 14.0 14.7 4.4 5.9 3.5 864 827 887 261 371 232

South................... ..................... 14.7 13.2 16.0 3.4 7.0 3.7 735 639 815 170 361 204

North Central.............. ............... 8.6 9.3 8.4 2.0 2.1 4.3 511 546 499 118 128. 265

West............................................ 14.6 14.5 14.8 7.2 4.7 2.1 963 961 975 471 334 158

1 See footnote 1, table 2.

2 For definition of regions, see footnote 1, table 2.

3 Because of weighting methods, the percent change for firefighters and

police patrolmen combined may be slightly above or below the change for

either group considered separately.

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Changes b y C ity -S ize. In the 3-year period, salary 

scales for firefighters and patrolmen rose most 

rapidly in cities with a population of 1,000,000 or 

more (table 4)—a reversal of the trend for the 

decade ending in 1961 but consistent with the 

prior 3-year period—1958-61. The average increase from 1961 to 1964 ranged from 11.5 percent 

in the smallest city-size group to 14.3 percent in 

the 1,000,000 or more group—$584 and $915, respectively. Differences between increases for 

policemen and firemen were significant only in the

500.000 to 1,000,000 group and were attributable 

to substantial raises in police pay scales that were 

not accorded firemen in a few southern cities.

R egional D ifferences. Increases in salary scales 

varied more among regions than among city size 

groups, as in the previous 3-year period. In both 

periods, the western cities led in terms of dollar 

increases in pay scales. These large increases are 

related to the relatively high salary levels in major 

California metropolitan areas and in smaller communities surrounding them. The percentage increase in salaries was practically identical in the 

West, South, and Northeast regions, and was 

markedly smaller in the North Central region.

The rapid pay scale increase in southern cities 

during the past 3 years was concentrated in 1962- 

63, when the scales in these cities advanced 7 percent, exceeding those in other areas. Firemen in 

some of these cities failed to share in the gains; 

southern police salaries rose 16 percent, those of 

firemen in the region increased 13.2 percent.

During 1961-64, the North Central region replaced the South as the area with the slowest rate 

of increase in maximum salary scales for patrolmen and firefighters. Salary scales in the North 

Central region rose only 8.6 percent or $511, although the rate of increase in the last of the 3 years 

was about double that of the first or second year.

196h Salaries. In cities with a population of

100.000 or more, maximum annual salary scales 

for firefighters and patrolmen in January 1964 

ranged from $8,316 for policemen in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif., to $4,080 for firefighters 

in Wichita Falls, Tex.; the average salary scale 

for both groups combined was $6,587.

Salary scales were higher in heavily populated 

centers than in smaller communities. They were 

highest in the West and lowest in the South, where

7 out of the 10 cities with the lowest maximum firemen salary scales and 8 of the 10 lowest pay scales 

for policemen were located. Of the 10 cities with 

the highest pay scales for both firemen and policemen, 9 were in California.

Comparison Other Workers

Over the quarter Cv. _^ury from 1939 to 1964, the 

184 percent rise in maximum salary scales of 

patrolmen and firefighters outpaced the increase 

in the BLS Consumer Price Index and exceeded 

the rise in salary rates for Federal white-collar 

employees. However, it fell short of the rise in 

average annual salaries of urban public school 

teachers and the hours and weekly earning of factory production workers. The comparisons are 

made in the following tabulations:

Percent increase 1 from—

Firemen and policemen:

19S9 to

1964.

1964to

1964

1961 to

1964

Maximum salary scales_______ 184 51 13

Urban public school teachers:

Average annual salaries 2_____ 3 192 *49 <*>

Federal Classification Act employees:

Basic salary scales 6__________ 143 46 14

Average salary rates 6________ 158 48 15

Average salaries 6.... ........... ........ 253 76 22

Factory production workers:

Average hourly earnings______ 301 41 10

Average weekly earnings_____ 336 42 12

Consumer Price Index___________ 121 15 4

1 Increases for urban teachers were computed for school years ending in

June; those for all other workers are based on January of each year, except

percentage increases for Federal employees which are derived from the August

1939, July 1954, July 1961, and July 1964 preliminary data.

* Includes both changes in salary scales (including cost-of-living adjustments) and changes in pay for individual teachers because of length of service,

merit, or improved educational qualifications.

31939 to 1963.

* 1953 to 1963.

8 1964 data not available.

8 Basic salary scales reflect statutory changes in salaries; average salary

rates show, in addition, the effect of merit or in-grade increases; average salaries also include the effect of change in the proportion of workers employed

in the various pay grades.

Much of the improvement in the relative position 

of firemen and policemen has taken place in the 

past decade when their salaries rose proportionately more than earnings of factory production 

workers and salaries of urban teachers and more 

than three times as fast as the CPI. Over the 

3 years ending in January 1964, the 13-percent rise 

in policemen and firemen salary scales fell short 

of the 14-percent advance in Federal classified 

pay scales, but was higher than the rise in hourly 

or weekly earnings of factory production workers.

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Appendix: Scope and Method of Survey

T h ese in d ex es a re d esig n ed to m e a su re tren d s in the m ov em en t o f sa la rie s o f an 

im p orta n t grou p o f w o r k e r s at the lo c a l le v e l. In the a b se n ce o f r e lia b le data fo r a ll m u n ic ­

ip al w o r k e r s , it is b e lie v e d that an a n a ly sis o f the m ov em en t o f s a la r ie s fo r fir e m e n and 

p o lice m e n w ill be va lu a b le not on ly in it s e lf, but a ls o w ill th row som e light on the m ov em en t 

o f m u n icip a l s a la r ie s g e n e ra lly . 1

In form a tion re fle c tin g w age le v e ls o f m u n icip a l w o r k e r s has been c o lle c te d fr o m tim e 

to tim e by r e s e a r c h and oth er o rg a n iza tio n s fo r the u se o f city o ffic ia ls , la b o r o rg a n iz a tio n s, 

planning a g e n c ie s , and oth e rs in te re ste d in p u b lic a d m in istra tion . T h ere has b een , h o w e v e r, 

no re g u la r c o lle c tio n of data fo r a ll city e m p lo y e e s su itable fo r the p re p a ra tio n of sa la ry 

in d ex es. In form a tion fo r e a rly p e rio d s w as u su ally lim ite d to sa la ry le v e ls o r sa la ry ra n g es 

fo r m u n icip a l o ff ic e r s , m any of w hom a re e le cte d and who re p re s e n t on ly a sm a ll fra ctio n 

o f the c it y -e m p lo y e e grou p . A study m ade by the B u reau of L a b or S ta tistics in 1944 c o v ­

e rin g s a la r ie s in 15 m e d iu m -s iz e c it ie s has not been rep ea ted . 2

S cop e

M u n icip a l e m p lo y e e s p e r fo r m in g oth er than ed u cation al fu n ction s con stitu te a su b ­

stan tial p ro p o rtio n o f tota l lo c a l g ov ern m en t em p loym en t. P o lic e m e n and fire m e n a re h ea v ily 

re p re se n te d in the n o n s ch o o l e m p loy ee g rou p . In O cto b e r 1963, w o rk e rs engaged in p o lic e 

and fir e p r o te c tio n fu n ction s co m p r is e d about 22 p e rce n t o f a ll m u n icip a l em p loym en t in c itie s 

o f 100, 000 pop u lation o r m o r e — a p p ro x im a te ly the sa m e p ro p o rtio n as that o f 10 y ea rs e a r lie r .3 

T he stu dies in clu d ed in this r e p o rt c o v e r 9 out o f 10 o f th ese p r o te c tiv e e m p lo y e e s ; i. e. , 

p o lic e p a trolm en and fir e fig h te r s . In the d eca d e fr o m 1954 to 1964* em p loym en t o f p o lic e 

p a tro lm e n and fir e fig h te r s in citie s w ith a p op u lation o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r m o r e in c r e a s e d by n e a rly 

o n e -fifth — to 1 9 3 ,0 0 0 .

T he in d exes p re se n te d h ere a re ba sed on m a xim u m s a la r y s c a le s (e x clu d in g lon g ev ity 

ra tes) in c itie s o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p op u lation o r m o r e fo r p o lic e m e n engaged in g e n e ra l p o lic e duties 

in the p re v e n tio n o f c r im e o r in law e n fo rce m e n t, p a tro lm e n a ssign ed to s p e c ific a re a s , th ose 

engaged in tr a ffic co n tr o l, and th ose m akin g c r im e in v e stig a tio n s. C h a u ffeu rs, p o lice w o m e n , 

and d e te ctiv e s w e re not in clu d ed . In the fir e d ep artm en t, the s a la r y data w ere lim ited to 

fir e fig h te r s and ex clu d e d r iv e r s and e n g in e e rs. R ates o f p ro b a tio n a ry w o rk e rs w e re exclu d ed 

fr o m the a v e ra g e s u sed fo r e a r lie r p e rio d s w h e re v e r th ey cou ld be id en tified .

The p ay p e r io d c o v e r e d b y the data fo r 1924 through 1938 v a rie d fr o m y e a r to y e a r. 

S ubsequent data fo r p o lic e m e n r e fe r to the fir s t o f the y e a r, o r in so m e c a s e s to the la st o f 

the y e a r p re ce d in g that fo r w h ich in fo rm a tio n is show n; th ose fo r fire m e n r e fe r to January 1 o f 

each y e a r. A ll in form a tion r e fe r s to annual s a la r y ra te s, ra th er than to annual earn in gs 

w h ich m a y be in flu en ced by a b s e n ce s , p ro m o tio n s , and oth er fa c t o r s . No attem pt has been 

m ad e to adju st the in d exes to r e fle c t the e ffe ct on h ou rly earn in gs o f the red u ction in h ou rs 

that has o c c u r r e d sin ce 1924.

1 Indexes o f salary changes for urban school teachers and for Federal workers are presented in Wage Indexes: Long-Term Trend

Data for Selected Occupations and Metropolitan Areas (BLS Bulletin 1427, 1965). 

z Monthly Labor Review, August 1945, pp. 319-333.

3 U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau o f the Census, Annual report, City Employment in 1963; City Employment in 1953.

31

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32

Indexes for the years 1924 to 1938 are based on the average o f the salaries actually 

paid, sin ce data for those years gave the num ber of firem en and policem en actually r e ­

ceiving each rate within the salary range. The indexes for subsequent years refer to the 

m axim um salary scales established for the two groups of w ork ers. It is p ossible that in 

som e p eriod s, notably during W orld War II, changes in averages of rates m ay have differed 

significantly from changes in m axim um salary scales because of changes in both the rate o f 

turnover and the rate of advancement to the m axim um salary rate. Over com paratively long 

p eriod s of tim e, how ever, an index based on m axim um salary scales should provide a r e ­

liable indication of the trend of average salary rates.

A com parison of changes in m axim um rates of firem en and policem en with changes in 

average rates for those period s for which both types of inform ation w ere available indicates 

that m ovem ents of the two types of m easures generally w ere clo se ly p arallel. This close 

relationship is apparently due to the relatively short time required to qualify for the maxim um 

rate in m ost m etropolitan com m unities. At any one tim e, th erefore, m ost of the policem en 

and firem en in a city apparently receive the m axim um of the salary rate range. Any effect 

on the indexes of the shift from use of average salary rates to data on m axim um pay scales 

has been elim inated by linking the series for 1924—38 and the 1939—50 se rie s.

The series is based on actual annual salary dates for 1924, 1929, 1932, 1934, and

1938,4 and on sp ecial salary tabulations prepared by the International A ssociation o f F ire 

F ighters (F ire Departm ent Salaries and W orking Conditions), the International City M anagers 

A ssociation (M unicipal Y earbook), and the Fraternal O rder of P olice (Survey o f Salaries and 

W orking Conditions of P olice). In addition, the BLS obtained supplem entary data for som e 

cities for the 1958—64 p eriod by d irect inquiry.

Method

Index C onstruction. In constructing the original indexes, the effect o f lack of data 

for som e cities in certain years was reduced by the "ch ain " method of index construction. 

An average fo r all cities com bined was computed for each pair of su ccessiv e yea rs; then the 

percentage relationship between these overall averages was computed and applied to the index 

for the precedin g p eriod . (In making the com parison for each pair of yea rs, data w ere used 

only for those cities reported in both y e a rs .) P rio r to the computation of the index for 

1951, constant (1949) weights w ere used in com bining cities in ord er to elim inate the effect 

of changes in the relative im portance in term s of em ploym ent of policem en and firem en. 

Beginning with the indexes showing the changes from 1950 to 1951, the linking method was 

relied upon to m inim ize the effect of such shifts. In obtaining the ov era ll averages for each 

pair of su ccessiv e years, the num ber of p olicem en and firem en em ployed in the latest of the 

2 years was used to weight individual city averages.

No m aterial change in the indexes was caused by the change in method of com putation. The use of the chain-link system made it easier to continue the index despite changes 

in the list of cities for which data w ere available over the entire p eriod.

4 Monthly Labor Review, October 1924, pp. 70-82; December 1929, pp. 124-140; January 1930, pp. 118-138; May 1933, 

pp. 1117-1150; June 1933, pp. 1336-1364; October 1935, pp. 857-863; November 1935, pp. 1159-1165; and BLS Bulletins 684 and 685.

☆ U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1965 O - 771-005

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BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS REGIONAL OFFICES

SAN

FRANCISCO

____£

R e g i o n V — W e s t e r n

4 5 0 G o l d e n G a t e A v e n u e 

B o x 3 6 0 1 7

S a n F r a n c i s c o , C a l i f . 9 4 1 0 2 

T e L : S 5 6 - 4 6 7 8

R e g i o n I V — N o r t h C e n t r a l 

2 1 9 S o u t h D e a r b o r n S t r e e t 

C h i c a g o , 111. 6 0 6 0 4 

T e l . : 8 2 8 - 7 2 2 6

R e g i o n V I — E a s t C e n t r a l

1 3 6 5 O n t a r i o S t r e e t 

C l e v e l a n d , O h i o 4 4 1 1 4 

T e l . : 2 4 1 - 7 9 0 0

1

c>

R e g i o n I I I — S o u t h e r n 

1 3 7 1 P e a c h t r e e S t r e e t , N E . 

A t l a n t a , G a . 3 0 3 0 9 

T e l . : T R i n i t y 6 - 3 3 1 1

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