While toiling as an electrician in the mid '60s I earned $42 for a forty hour week, and paid something in the order of $9 an hour for an aircraft. The current median electrician pay is quoted as $1360. If relativity has been maintained, that would make the current rate about $291/hour. Not much has changed it would seem.
Megan,
The biggest single thing in your example is unstated, the % income and other tax you now pay, compared to the '60's. The gap between gross and net income is greater by the years, the wonders of bracket creep.
Tootle pip!!