GOLD1350

Medieval wages: what forty people earned in 1350

From a beggar to a king, from a beggar woman to a queen. Every wage comes from a real record, with what it is a month in today's gold.

Men's wages

A knight at war earned ⁦17⁩ times a farm labourer's pay, an earl ⁦720⁩ times and the king ⁦47,891⁩ times. In other words, the forty do not stand on a ladder but on a cliff.

  1. BeggarAlms only, and giving to anyone fit to work was a crime
  2. SerfPaid mostly in grain, plus a few coins twice a yearAbout $300 a month in today's gold.
  3. Farm labourer2 pennies a day, when there is workAbout $510 a month in today's gold.
  4. Foot soldier2 pennies a day, every day of the campaignAbout $730 a month in today's gold.
  5. Town labourer3 pennies a dayAbout $760 a month in today's gold.
  6. Longbowman3 pennies a day on campaignAbout $1,100 a month in today's gold.
  7. Court jester4½ pennies a day at court, plus a yearly gift and free aleAbout $1,300 a month in today's gold.
  8. Master mason6 pennies a dayAbout $1,500 a month in today's gold.
  9. Parish priestAbout 10 pounds a year from church dues and landAbout $2,400 a month in today's gold.
  10. MercenaryAbout 7 gold florins a month for a horsemanAbout $3,100 a month in today's gold.
  11. Man-at-arms12 pennies a day, half a knight's wageAbout $4,400 a month in today's gold.
  12. Knight24 pennies a day at war, twelve times a farm hand'sAbout $8,700 a month in today's gold.
  13. Royal physician40 pounds a year, for treating the king and nobody elseAbout $9,700 a month in today's gold.
  14. MerchantAbout 100 pounds a year from tradeAbout $24,000 a month in today's gold.
  15. BaronAbout 500 pounds a year in rents from your landsAbout $120,000 a month in today's gold.
  16. EarlAbout 1,500 pounds a year from landAbout $360,000 a month in today's gold.
  17. Abbot3,311 pounds a year, the richest abbey in EnglandAbout $480,000 a month in today's gold.
  18. BishopAbout 2,600 pounds a yearAbout $630,000 a month in today's gold.
  19. DukeAbout 10,000 pounds a yearAbout $2.4 million a month in today's gold.
  20. KingAbout 100,000 pounds a year, mostly customs duties on woolAbout $24 million a month in today's gold.

Women's wages

In other words, of the ⁦19⁩ rungs with a pay, the woman was poorer than the man beside her on ⁦15⁩, about as rich on ⁦4⁩, and richer on none.

Medieval women's wages, beside the men's →

  1. Beggar womanAlms only, and giving to anyone fit to work was a crime
  2. DairymaidPaid in grain, no coins at allAbout $170 a month in today's gold.
  3. AlewifeAbout 10 pennies clear from each brew, every two weeksAbout $260 a month in today's gold.
  4. SpinsterAbout 1¼ pennies a day, paid by the pound of woolAbout $320 a month in today's gold.
  5. Household servant16 pennies a month, plus meals and a bedAbout $370 a month in today's gold.
  6. Embroideress2¾ pennies a day; the men beside you got 4¼About $700 a month in today's gold.
  7. Harvest reaper3 pennies a day plus meals at harvest; the men got 4About $1,000 a month in today's gold.
  8. Royal laundress5 pounds a yearAbout $1,100 a month in today's gold.
  9. NunThe house's 44 pounds a year, shared by eightAbout $1,200 a month in today's gold.
  10. Royal midwifeA pension of 10 pounds a year for delivering the queen's babiesAbout $1,600 a month in today's gold.
  11. Royal wet nurse20 pounds a year, later doubled to 40About $4,400 a month in today's gold.
  12. PrioressYou run a house on 39 pounds a yearAbout $5,600 a month in today's gold.
  13. Lady-in-waiting40 pounds a year in the queen's serviceAbout $6,500 a month in today's gold.
  14. Merchant widowAbout 100 pounds a year from tradeAbout $24,000 a month in today's gold.
  15. BaronessA third of the barony for life: about 167 pounds a yearAbout $40,000 a month in today's gold.
  16. Abbess1,166 pounds a year, the richest nunnery in EnglandAbout $170,000 a month in today's gold.
  17. CountessAbout 2,000 pounds a year from your share of the family landsAbout $490,000 a month in today's gold.
  18. Royal mistress2,000–3,000 pounds a year in land and gifts, by Parliament's countAbout $610,000 a month in today's gold.
  19. Duchess5,000 marks a year: about 3,333 poundsAbout $730,000 a month in today's gold.
  20. Queen10,000 marks a year for life: about 6,667 poundsAbout $1.5 million a month in today's gold.
KING OR BEGGAR? FIND OUT →

Weigh your salary in gold. Ten seconds.

What things cost in 1350

Every price, with what it is worth today →

What was a medieval penny worth? →

Medieval money explained: pounds, shillings and pence →

The Statute of Labourers 1351: what every trade was paid →