Two-thirds of immigrant workers earn middle wages or higher: Earnings distribution of full-time year-round workers in 2017–2021, for U.S.-born and foreign-born

Lower wage Middle wage Higher wage
U.S.-born 26%  57% 17%
Immigrant 35% 48% 17%
Economic Policy Institute

Notes: The population is full-time, year-round workers, and “low wage” refers to earning under two-thirds of the median annual earnings, “middle wage” is between two-thirds and twice the median, and “high wage” is above twice the median.

Source: Immigration Research Initiative analysis of 2017–2021 American Community Survey data. Adapted from Figure 1 in Immigrants in the U.S. Economy: Overcoming Hurdles, Yet Still Facing Barriers.

View the underlying data on epi.org.