Dairy workers would earn $370 to $540 less per week if paid the H-2A wage in top five milk production states: Average annual employment and weekly wages of dairy cattle and milk employees, and wage differentials between 2025 weekly wages for U.S. dairy workers and H-2A dairy workers if paid the Adverse Effect Wage Rate
| State | Industry | Average annual employment, U.S. dairy workers | Average weekly wage, U.S. dairy workers | Average weekly wage for H-2A dairy workers | Difference between weekly wage for U.S. and H-2A dairy workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | Dairy cattle and milk | 16,325 | $1,122 | $676 | -$446 |
| WI | Dairy cattle and milk | 15,583 | $880 | $480 | -$400 |
| NY | Dairy cattle and milk | 9,286 | $1,008 | $640 | -$368 |
| ID | Dairy cattle and milk | 7,403 | $909 | $370 | -$539 |
| TX | Dairy cattle and milk | 7,734 | $936 | $399 | -$537 |
| Total | 56,331 | ||||
| Share of total dairy workers in U.S. | 53% |
Notes: Amounts are nominal and have not been adjusted for inflation. The average weekly H-2A wage is based on the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), and calculated by taking the 2026 hourly AEWR for Skill Level 1 and subtracting the hourly housing deduction, and multiplying the total by 40 hours per week. *For California and New York the hourly state minimum wage rates are higher than Skill Level 1 and thus set the AEWR. For both states, estimates assume that employers will not be permitted to subtract the housing deduction because it would set the AEWR below the state minimum wage.
Source: EPI analysis of Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor [2025 data]; industry code 11212, Dairy cattle and milk production. QCEW data for 2025 are preliminary. H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate for fiscal year 2026 from Employment and Training Administration, Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States, U.S. Department of Labor, Interim Final Rule, 90 Fed. Reg. 47914 at 47926 (October 2, 2025).
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