Table 5

Change in average hourly wages of workers in all U.S. occupations and in top 15 H-2B occupations, 2004–2014

H-2B
rank FY2014*
SOC code Occupation Number of H-2B workers certified, FY14 2004 2014 2004–2014 real change in 2014 dollars 2004–2014 percentage change
All All $22.31 $22.71 $0.40 1.8%
1 37-3011 Landscaping and groundskeeping workers 34,159 $13.31 $12.85 -$0.46 -3.4%
2 45-4011 Forest and conservation workers 6,753 $14.21 $14.25 $0.04 0.3%
3 39-3091 Amusement and recreation attendants 5,447 $10.03 $9.90 -$0.13 -1.3%
4 37-2012 Maids and housekeeping cleaners 5,014 $10.80 $10.82 $0.02 0.2%
5 51-3022 Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 2,921 $12.03 $11.63 -$0.40 -3.3%
6 47-2061 Construction laborers 2,407 $17.37 $17.19 -$0.18 -1.0%
7 27-2022 Coaches and scouts** 1,693 $19.75 $18.82 -$0.93 -4.7%
8 35-3031 Waiters and waitresses 1,649 $9.60 $10.40 $0.80 8.3%
9 39-2021 Nonfarm animal caretakers 1,409 $11.58 $11.04 -$0.54 -4.7%
10 45-3011 Fishers and related fishing workers 1,227 $17.60 $18.42 $0.82 4.7%
11 51-9198 Helpers—production workers 1,221 $12.97 $12.31 -$0.66 -5.1%
12 35-2014 Cooks, restaurant 1,120 $12.19 $11.40 -$0.79 -6.5%
13 53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand 1,026 $11.24 $11.08 -$0.16 -1.4%
14 35-2021 Food preparation workers 992 $10.61 $10.26 -$0.35 -3.3%
15 35-9011 Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers 940 $9.32 $9.86 $0.54 5.8%

* Number of labor certifications, from Table 1

** Hourly wage rate was unavailable for this occupation, so an hourly wage rate was estimated by dividing the average annual salary by 2080 hours (52 weeks times 40 hours).

Note: All values are adjusted to 2014 dollars.

 

SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification system used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories. Data set excludes records from original labeled "certification expired" and "partial certification expired" because expired records were not likely to become approved USCIS H-2B petitions or visas issued by the State Department.

Source: EPI analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics and (for top 15 H-2B occupations) of H-2B disclosure data from the Office of Foreign Labor Certification's Performance Data

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