Wall Street $ (1985-2012): Bonuses Up, Total Pay Down

$13,970.

That was the average Wall Street bonus in 1985.

$121,980.

That was the average bonus in 2012, according to the Office of the New York State Comptroller.

That’s off from a peak of $191,360, just before the credit crisis erupted.

And total pay – average salary plus average bonus – is also down from its peak in 2007.

But if you think your salary or bonus is inadequate for what you do, here’s how pay has held up over the sweep of the past quarter century.

Dollar amounts in this slide show are all in 2012 dollars, to bring all amounts forward to the present, for comparisons.

Click here to start the slide show.