Table 2
Top 5 H-2B occupations in top 10 H-2B recipient states 2018: National average certified H-2B wage, average OES wage, and employer hourly wage savings
| SOC code | State | Occupation | H-2B jobs certified | H-2B average hourly wage | OES state level average hourly wage | Employer average hourly wage savings | Percent saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37-3011 | Colorado | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 4,451 | $14.73 | $16.32 | $1.59 | 10.8% |
| 37-2012 | Colorado | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 842 | $13.28 | $12.81 | -$0.47 | -3.5% |
| 47-2061 | Colorado | Construction Laborers | 258 | $16.68 | $17.56 | $0.88 | 5.3% |
| 47-3011 | Colorado | Helpers–Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters | 147 | $16.82 | $19.20 | $2.38 | 14.2% |
| 39-3091 | Colorado | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 143 | $9.18 | $12.25 | $3.07 | 33.4% |
| 35-3031 | Florida | Waiters and Waitresses | 1,861 | $13.17 | $12.56 | -$0.61 | -4.6% |
| 37-2012 | Florida | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,818 | $10.44 | $11.20 | $0.76 | 7.3% |
| 37-3011 | Florida | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 1,633 | $12.20 | $13.28 | $1.08 | 8.8% |
| 39-3091 | Florida | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 1,259 | $9.29 | $10.87 | $1.58 | 17.0% |
| 35-2014 | Florida | Cooks, Restaurant | 941 | $13.60 | $13.34 | -$0.26 | -1.9% |
| 37-3011 | Louisiana | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 2,153 | $12.36 | $12.52 | $0.16 | 1.3% |
| 51-3022 | Louisiana | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 1,120 | $9.23 | $10.70 | $1.47 | 15.9% |
| 45-3011 | Louisiana | Fishers and Related Fishing Workers | 411 | $14.78 | NA | NA | NA |
| 53-7062 | Louisiana | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 261 | $9.45 | $13.31 | $3.86 | 40.8% |
| 51-3093 | Louisiana | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 215 | $10.99 | $15.48 | $4.49 | 40.8% |
| 37-3011 | Maryland | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 2,483 | $14.23 | $15.80 | $1.57 | 11.0% |
| 33-9092 | Maryland | Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | 451 | $11.29 | $10.89 | -$0.40 | -3.6% |
| 51-3093 | Maryland | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 409 | $9.54 | $13.85 | $4.31 | 45.2% |
| 39-3091 | Maryland | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 259 | $11.32 | $10.94 | -$0.38 | -3.4% |
| 37-2011 | Maryland | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 234 | $13.80 | $13.64 | -$0.16 | -1.2% |
| 37-3011 | North Carolina | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 3,027 | $12.83 | $13.52 | $0.69 | 5.4% |
| 51-3022 | North Carolina | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 541 | $9.11 | $12.40 | $3.29 | 36.2% |
| 45-4011 | North Carolina | Forest and Conservation Workers | 335 | $12.62 | NA | NA | NA |
| 47-2061 | North Carolina | Construction Laborers | 236 | $13.33 | $14.56 | $1.23 | 9.3% |
| 47-4051 | North Carolina | Highway Maintenance Workers | 227 | $16.58 | $17.63 | $1.05 | 6.3% |
| 37-3011 | New York | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 1,731 | $15.63 | $16.74 | $1.11 | 7.1% |
| 39-2021 | New York | Nonfarm Animal Caretakers | 767 | $13.21 | $14.32 | $1.11 | 8.4% |
| 35-3031 | New York | Waiters and Waitresses | 382 | $13.31 | $16.57 | $3.26 | 24.5% |
| 37-2012 | New York | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 356 | $12.42 | $17.18 | $4.76 | 38.3% |
| 45-2092 | New York | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 184 | $11.49 | $15.73 | $4.24 | 36.9% |
| 37-3011 | Ohio | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 3,167 | $12.96 | $13.98 | $1.02 | 7.9% |
| 39-3091 | Ohio | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 276 | $8.79 | $10.11 | $1.32 | 15.0% |
| 47-2061 | Ohio | Construction Laborers | 265 | $16.09 | $21.17 | $5.08 | 31.6% |
| 35-3022 | Ohio | Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop | 80 | $8.50 | $10.74 | $2.24 | 26.3% |
| 47-3016 | Ohio | Helpers–Roofers | 66 | $15.07 | $15.11 | $0.04 | 0.2% |
| 37-3011 | Pennsylvania | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 7,289 | $13.92 | $14.48 | $0.56 | 4.0% |
| 39-3091 | Pennsylvania | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 219 | $8.97 | $10.09 | $1.12 | 12.5% |
| 39-9032 | Pennsylvania | Recreation Workers | 140 | $14.68 | $12.87 | -$1.81 | -12.3% |
| 47-2061 | Pennsylvania | Construction Laborers | 138 | $19.97 | $19.84 | -$0.13 | -0.6% |
| 51-9198 | Pennsylvania | Helpers–Production Workers | 102 | $13.90 | $14.69 | $0.79 | 5.7% |
| 37-3011 | Texas | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 11,826 | $13.19 | $13.55 | $0.36 | 2.7% |
| 47-2061 | Texas | Construction Laborers | 1,013 | $14.46 | $15.69 | $1.23 | 8.5% |
| 45-3011 | Texas | Fishers and Related Fishing Workers | 928 | $9.76 | NA | NA | NA |
| 39-3091 | Texas | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 797 | $8.77 | $10.38 | $1.61 | 18.3% |
| 37-3013 | Texas | Tree Trimmers and Pruners | 752 | $16.69 | $15.69 | -$1.00 | -6.0% |
| 37-3011 | Virginia | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 2,742 | $13.49 | $14.42 | $0.93 | 6.9% |
| 51-3022 | Virginia | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 411 | $11.42 | $13.13 | $1.71 | 15.0% |
| 45-4011 | Virginia | Forest and Conservation Workers | 252 | $13.43 | NA | NA | NA |
| 53-7062 | Virginia | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 248 | $12.79 | $14.12 | $1.33 | 10.4% |
| 37-2011 | Virginia | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 121 | $18.96 | $12.66 | -$6.30 | -33.2% |
*Unreported wage data indicated by N/A
Note: A negative value in the employer hourly wage savings column represents an H-2B job that was, on average, certified at a higher wage rate than the corresponding OES national average hourly wage.
Source: EPI analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics 2018, and of H-2B fiscal 2018 disclosure data from the Office of Foreign Labor Certification's Performance Data.
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