Average certified wages for H-2B jobs are still too low: 2019 national average certified H-2B wage, average OES wage, and dollar amount and percent below OES wage for the top 15 H-2B occupations
| H-2B Rank | SOC Code | Occupation | H-2B jobs certified | H-2B average hourly wage | OES national average hourly wage | Amount below national average hourly wage | Percent below average hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37-3011 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 66,151 | $14.18 | $15.75 | $1.57 | 11.1% |
| 2 | 45-4011 | Forest and Conservation Workers | 11,283 | $12.34 | $15.96 | $3.61 | 29.3% |
| 3 | 37-2012 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,869 | $11.78 | $13.05 | $1.27 | 10.8% |
| 4 | 51-3022 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 8,486 | $10.98 | $14.02 | $3.04 | 27.7% |
| 5 | 39-3091 | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 8,014 | $9.62 | $11.85 | $2.23 | 23.2% |
| 6 | 35-3031 | Waiters and Waitresses | 4,104 | $13.11 | $13.04 | -$0.07 | -0.5% |
| 7 | 47-2061 | Construction Laborers | 3,369 | $16.18 | $20.31 | $4.13 | 25.5% |
| 8 | 35-2014 | Cooks, Restaurant | 3,299 | $13.62 | $13.97 | $0.35 | 2.6% |
| 9 | 53-7062 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,274 | $13.26 | $15.64 | $2.38 | 17.9% |
| 10 | 35-3023 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,255 | $10.46 | $11.32 | $0.86 | 8.2% |
| 11 | 39-2021 | Animal Caretakers | 2,226 | $12.58 | $13.17 | $0.60 | 4.7% |
| 12 | 51-9198 | Helpers–Production Workers | 1,728 | $12.78 | $14.86 | $2.08 | 16.3% |
| 13 | 47-2051 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | 1,610 | $15.48 | $23.53 | $8.05 | 52.0% |
| 14 | 35-9011 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 1,238 | $11.12 | $12.18 | $1.06 | 9.5% |
| 15 | 35-9021 | Dishwashers | 1,184 | $11.24 | $11.89 | $0.64 | 5.7% |
| Total jobs certified in top 15 H-2B occupations in 2019 | 127,090 | ||||||
Note: H-2B and OES wage data are adjusted to 2020 dollars. H-2B wage data are the weighted average hourly wage of all workers in a respective occupation. H-2B wage data on Fast Food and Counter Workers (SOC code 35-3023) are the combined wage data of Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food (SOC code 35-3021) and Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop workers (SOC code 35-3022). A negative value in the amount or percent below national average hourly wage columns represents an H-2B job that was, on average, certified at a higher wage rate than the corresponding OES national average hourly wage (there is only one instance of this, in the Waiters and Waitresses occupation).
Source: EPI analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics, and of H-2B 2019 fiscal year disclosure data from the Office of Foreign Labor Certification's Performance Data