The purpose of this investigation was to examine historical changes in aptitude scores. Recent literature suggesting a decline in the quality of the U.S. workforce is reviewed, and an expectation that score distributions on aptitude tests have shifted in a negative direction is presented. Archival analyses of normative data for the Short Employment Tests (SET), a widely used measure of clerical aptitude, are then described. These analyses revealed that scores on the SET numerical aptitude subtest increased between 1956 and 1972, then decreased between 1972 and 1992. Contrary to expectations, however, scores on the verbal and clerical aptitude subtests increased over time. Possible explanations for the trends in SET subtest scores are discussed. Includes three tables and one figure. (Contains 4 references.) (Author/SLD)