Earnings, Wages, and Poverty Outcomes of US Farm and Low-Skill Workers

The American Community Survey supports rich comparisons of welfare outcomes across low-skill workers, including the native-born and immigrants, in farm and nonfarm occupations. Evidence from 2016-17 suggests that farm and nonfarm labor markets are integrated, especially for immigrants. Although US-born workers typically earn higher wages than immigrants, in some occupations, immigrants have higher wages and/or earnings. Immigrant farmworkers receive somewhat lower wages than citizens do but work more hours and generate similar earnings. Household poverty rates are above the national average for an array of low-skill workers, especially among immigrants. The most substantial welfare difference is in health insurance access, where coverage is much higher for US-born workers. Labor market and social policy implications of these findings are explored.