H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates

Last Updated: August 28th, 2025

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Current Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs)
Background on the AEWRs
Historical AEWRs (Archive)

Introduction

On this page, employers seeking to hire temporary nonimmigrant workers under the H-2A visa classification can find the AEWRs covering the agricultural labor or services to be performed. This information will assist employers in understanding their potential wage obligations to workers and preparing job orders (Form ETA-790/790A) for review by the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and OFLC. The terms State and statewide include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read additional background information on the AEWRs and how they are adjusted each year.

For all non-range occupations, the OFLC Administrator determines the AEWR using the average annual hourly wage for field and livestock workers (combined) for the state or region, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Labor Survey (USDA FLS). See 20 CFR 655.120(b)(1)(i).

Current Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs)

I. Range Occupations

$1,986.76/month in all States (increasing to $2,058.31/month, effective January 1, 2025)

II. All Non-Range Occupations

State	AEWR	Effective Date
Alabama	$16.08	December 16th, 2024
Alaska	N/A **	N/A
Arizona	$17.04	December 16, 2024
Arkansas	$14.83	December 30, 2024 *
California	$19.97	December 16, 2024
Colorado	$17.84	December 16, 2024
Connecticut	$18.83	December 16, 2024
Delaware	$17.96	December 16, 2024
District of Columbia	N/A **	N/A
Florida	$16.23	December 30, 2024 *
Georgia	$16.08	December 30, 2024 *
Guam	N/A **	N/A
Hawaii	$20.08	December 16, 2024
Idaho	$16.83	December 30, 2024 *
Illinois	$19.57	December 16, 2024
Indiana	$19.57	December 30, 2024 *
Iowa	$18.65	December 30, 2024 *
Kansas	$19.21	December 30, 2024 *
Kentucky	$15.87	December 16, 2024
Louisiana	$14.83	December 30, 2024 *
Maine	$18.83	December 16, 2024
Maryland	$17.96	December 16, 2024
Massachusetts	$18.83	December 16, 2024
Michigan	$18.15	December 16, 2024
Minnesota	$18.15	December 16, 2024
Mississippi	$14.83	December 16, 2024
Missouri	$18.65	December 30, 2024 *
Montana	$16.83	December 30, 2024 *
Nebraska	$19.21	December 30, 2024 *
Nevada	$17.84	December 16, 2024
New Hampshire	$18.83	December 16, 2024
New Jersey	$17.96	December 16, 2024
New Mexico	$17.04	December 16, 2024
New York	$18.83	December 16, 2024
North Carolina	$16.16	December 16, 2024
North Dakota	$19.21	December 30, 2024 *
Ohio	$19.57	December 16, 2024
Oklahoma	$15.79	December 30, 2024 *
Oregon	$19.82	December 16, 2024
Pennsylvania	$17.96	December 16, 2024
Puerto Rico	N/A **	N/A
Rhode Island	$18.83	December 16, 2024
South Carolina	$16.08	December 30, 2024 *
South Dakota	$19.21	December 16, 2024
Tennessee	$15.87	December 30, 2024 *
Texas	$15.79	December 30, 2024 *
Utah	$17.84	December 16, 2024
Vermont	$18.83	December 16, 2024
Virgin Islands	N/A **	N/A
Virginia	$16.16	December 30, 2024 *
Washington	$19.82	December 16, 2024
West Virginia	$15.87	December 16, 2024
Wisconsin	$18.15	December 16, 2024
Wyoming	$16.83	December 16, 2024

* The Farmworker Protection Rule, 89 FR 33898 (Apr. 29, 2024), amended the regulation at 20 CFR 655.120(b)(2) to state that “[t]he updated AEWR will be effective as of the date of publication of the notice in the Federal Register.” However, due to the District Court’s issuance of a preliminary injunction in the case Kansas, et al. v. U.S. Department of Labor, No. 2:24-cv-00076-LGW-BWC (S.D. Ga., Aug. 26, 2024), DOL is prohibited from enforcing the Farmworker Protection Rule in certain states and with respect to certain entities. Therefore, the effective date of the updated AEWR for these states will be December 30, 2024.

** The FLS does not report an average hourly wage for non-range occupations for this state. For this state, an employer must offer, advertise in its recruitment, and pay a wage that is at least the highest of: a prevailing wage rate (if available); the agreed-upon collective bargaining wage; the Federal minimum wage; the State minimum wage; or any other wage rate the employer intends to pay. See 20 CFR 655.120(a).

III. Average AEWR Applicable to Computation of Surety Bonds

$17.74 per hour (Effective January 1, 2025)
Important Note: Represents the simple average of the AEWRs applicable to the SOC 45-2092 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse workers) and used for the calculation of surety bonds for H-2A Labor Contractors at 20 CFR 655.132. More information on surety bond calculations, including requirements and amounts, can be found in the H-2A regulations.

Background on the AEWRs

The Department understands that agricultural employers play a vital role in our nation's economy and that obtaining a reliable workforce is critical to producing the U.S. food supply. The Department is also bound by its statutory mandate to protect workers in the U.S. from adverse effects on their wages or working conditions resulting from hiring foreign workers. AEWRs are the minimum hourly wage rates that must be offered and paid by employers to H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment. As provided in 20 CFR part 655, subpart B, the OFLC Administrator establishes the nationwide monthly AEWR for range occupations governed by the procedures in 20 CFR 655.200 through 655.235 and statewide hourly AEWRs for all other occupations.

The OFLC Administrator adjusts the AEWR for range occupations annually based on the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for wages and salaries published by the BLS. See 20 CFR 655.211(c). An employer seeking to employ foreign workers under the H-2A program is required to offer, advertise in its recruitment, and pay a wage that is at least equal to the AEWR when it is the highest applicable wage rate among the wage sources applicable to the employer's job opportunity. For range occupations, the wage offered and paid to H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment must equal or exceed the monthly AEWR, the agreed-upon collective bargaining wage, or the applicable minimum wage imposed by Federal or State law or judicial action, whichever is highest. See 20 CFR 655.210(g) and .211(a).

The OFLC Administrator adjusts the hourly AEWRs for all other occupations at least annually, as provided in 20 CFR 655.120(b). An employer seeking to employ foreign workers under the H-2A program is required to offer, advertise in its recruitment, and pay a wage that is at least equal to the AEWR when it is the highest applicable wage rate among the wage sources applicable to the employer's job opportunity. For non-range occupations, the wage offered and paid must equal or exceed the hourly AEWR, the prevailing wage rate (if available), the Federal minimum wage, the State minimum wage, or the agreed-upon collective bargaining rate, whichever is highest. See 20 CFR 655.120(a) and .122(1).

H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates

Introduction

Current Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs)

Background on the AEWRs

Historical AEWR Archive