Average salary increases for 11,865 faculty in the field of letters are reported for 1984-1985 and 1987-1988, as part of the College and University Personnel Association's annual faculty salary studies. Included are comparative data for 160,596 faculty at 216 public colleges and 266 private colleges, representing 45 academic disciplines. In 1984, 169 public colleges and 199 private colleges reported on letters faculty salaries, while 210 public and 249 private colleges reported in 1987. In 1987-88, the faculty salary factor in this field was approximately 7% and 9% below the overall average faculty salary factor of the other 44 disciplines/major fields in both the public and the private colleges, respectively. The average salary for the field in the private colleges was approximately the same as in the public colleges in 1984-85. In 1987-88, the average salary in the private colleges was less than .5% compared to the public colleges. Included is information on: the number of faculty by academic rank, including new assistant professors; salaries by academic rank; the ratio of average salaries to total salaries of all institutions in both years; comparisons with the Consumer Price Index of changes in cost-of-living for both years; and comparisons with 44 other disciplines. The disciplines and participating institutions are listed. (KM)