Table 3
Real value of the H-2A AEWR has changed little over the past 4 years: Adverse Effect Wage Rates for H-2A farmworkers, total change and percentage change from 2021 to 2025, adjusted to 2025 dollars, by state and ranked by number of workers
| State | # of workers | Share of total H-2A workers | AEWR 2021 | AEWR 2025 | Total real change | Real % change total (5 years) | Real % change annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 47,396 | 12.3% | $14.26 | $16.23 | $1.97 | 13.8% | 3.3% |
| Georgia | 43,436 | 11.3% | $13.94 | $16.08 | $2.14 | 15.3% | 3.6% |
| California | 37,511 | 9.8% | $18.95 | $19.97 | $1.02 | 5.4% | 1.3% |
| Washington | 35,884 | 9.3% | $19.29 | $19.82 | $0.53 | 2.7% | 0.7% |
| North Carolina | 27,532 | 7.2% | $15.53 | $16.16 | $0.63 | 4.1% | 1.0% |
| Michigan | 15,015 | 3.9% | $17.38 | $18.15 | $0.77 | 4.4% | 1.1% |
| Louisiana | 14,036 | 3.6% | $14.03 | $14.83 | $0.80 | 5.7% | 1.4% |
| Texas | 13,710 | 3.6% | $15.38 | $15.79 | $0.41 | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Arizona | 12,800 | 3.3% | $16.14 | $17.04 | $0.90 | 5.6% | 1.4% |
| New York | 10,294 | 2.7% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| Arkansas | 7,650 | 2.0% | $14.03 | $14.83 | $0.80 | 5.7% | 1.4% |
| Kentucky | 7,556 | 2.0% | $15.30 | $15.87 | $0.57 | 3.7% | 0.9% |
| Idaho | 7,498 | 1.9% | $17.18 | $16.83 | ($0.35) | -2.0% | -0.5% |
| Mississippi | 7,101 | 1.8% | $14.03 | $14.83 | $0.80 | 5.7% | 1.4% |
| South Carolina | 7,097 | 1.8% | $13.94 | $16.08 | $2.14 | 15.3% | 3.6% |
| Tennessee | 6,330 | 1.6% | $15.30 | $15.87 | $0.57 | 3.7% | 0.9% |
| Iowa | 5,585 | 1.5% | $18.15 | $18.65 | $0.50 | 2.8% | 0.7% |
| Illinois | 5,198 | 1.4% | $18.08 | $19.57 | $1.49 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Indiana | 5,058 | 1.3% | $18.08 | $19.57 | $1.49 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Virginia | 4,925 | 1.3% | $15.53 | $16.16 | $0.63 | 4.1% | 1.0% |
| Ohio | 4,601 | 1.2% | $18.08 | $19.57 | $1.49 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Colorado | 4,396 | 1.1% | $17.50 | $17.84 | $0.34 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Nebraska | 4,260 | 1.1% | $18.76 | $19.21 | $0.45 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| North Dakota | 4,191 | 1.1% | $18.76 | $19.21 | $0.45 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Oregon | 4,120 | 1.1% | $19.29 | $19.82 | $0.53 | 2.7% | 0.7% |
| Minnesota | 4,025 | 1.0% | $17.38 | $18.15 | $0.77 | 4.4% | 1.1% |
| Nevada | 3,519 | 0.9% | $17.50 | $17.84 | $0.34 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 3,123 | 0.8% | $16.59 | $17.96 | $1.37 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Wisconsin | 2,950 | 0.8% | $17.38 | $18.15 | $0.77 | 4.4% | 1.1% |
| New Jersey | 2,614 | 0.7% | $16.59 | $17.96 | $1.37 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Kansas | 2,377 | 0.6% | $18.76 | $19.21 | $0.45 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Missouri | 2,346 | 0.6% | $18.15 | $18.65 | $0.50 | 2.8% | 0.7% |
| New Mexico | 2,266 | 0.6% | $16.14 | $17.04 | $0.90 | 5.6% | 1.4% |
| South Dakota | 2,219 | 0.6% | $18.76 | $19.21 | $0.45 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Montana | 1,904 | 0.5% | $17.18 | $16.83 | ($0.35) | -2.0% | -0.5% |
| Utah | 1,779 | 0.5% | $17.50 | $17.84 | $0.34 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Connecticut | 1,566 | 0.4% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| Maine | 1,468 | 0.4% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| Maryland | 1,420 | 0.4% | $16.59 | $17.96 | $1.37 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Oklahoma | 1,416 | 0.4% | $15.38 | $15.79 | $0.41 | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Delaware | 941 | 0.2% | $16.59 | $17.96 | $1.37 | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Vermont | 662 | 0.2% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| Wyoming | 596 | 0.2% | $17.18 | $16.83 | ($0.35) | -2.0% | -0.5% |
| Hawaii | 561 | 0.1% | $18.37 | $20.08 | $1.71 | 9.3% | 2.2% |
| Massachusetts | 465 | 0.1% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| New Hampshire | 331 | 0.1% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| West Virginia | 325 | 0.1% | $15.30 | $15.87 | $0.57 | 3.7% | 0.9% |
| Alabama | 61 | 0.0% | $13.94 | $16.08 | $2.14 | 15.3% | 3.6% |
| Rhode Island | 10 | 0.0% | $17.70 | $18.83 | $1.13 | 6.4% | 1.6% |
| Total | 384,728 | Average | $0.88 | 5.4% | 1.3% | ||
| Weighted average | $1.07 | 6.9% | 1.7% |
Notes: All values have been adjusted to constant 2025 using the annual C-CPI-U through 2024 and then inflated to 2025 dollars using the CBO projection for CPI-U. Number of workers column represents the number of workers certified by the the Office of Foreign Labor Certification in the U.S. Department of Labor, which is used as a proxy for the number of workers employed in each state.
Source: EPI analysis of Adverse Effect Wage Rates for 2016 and 2025, from the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; Office of Foreign Labor Certification, OFLC Performance Data, fiscal year 2024 H-2A disclosure data file, U.S. Department of Labor
This chart appears in:
- Costa charts for Senate testimony 2023 in order DO NOT USE
- Testimony prepared for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary for a hearing on ‘From Farm to Table, Immigrant Workers Get the Job Done’
- EPI comments on DOL’s proposed rule on “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States”