Foreign-born workers, from HS drop-outs to CEOs

Here is a profile of foreign worker employment in America, from high school drop outs to chief executives, using 2010-11 American Community Survey data:

For the 100 largest occupations (two-thirds of American civilian employment), about 15% are foreign born workers.

41% of these foreign-born workers hold jobs not requiring a high school diploma. The largest foreign-born workforces in this category are maids and housecleaners, cooks, janitors and building cleaners, and cashier. These non high school grads earn 23% of all foreign-born worker income in the top 100 jobs.

37% hold jobs requiring a high school degree or a certificate in addition to a high school degree. The most popular jobs are first line retail supervisors, production workers, assemblers, carpenters, health aides, and secretaries and administrative assistants. They earn 33% of all foreign-born worker income.

Jobs for four-year college graduates make up 18% of the foreign-born workforce and account for 34% of foreign worker income. The largest work forces are nursing, accounting, elementary and middle school teaching, and software developers.

Jobs for advanced degree holders account for 3% of the foreign born workforce and 11% of the foreign-born worker income. This workforce is largely made up by medical doctors, other highly trained medical personnel, and college teachers.

High income foreign workers are concentrated in three classes of occupations:

Computer-related jobs account for 3% of foreign workers in the top 100 jobs, and 7% of foreign worker income. Foreign works make up 25% of the 2.5 million computer-related workers.

Healthcare-related jobs, ranging from personal care aides to doctors, account for 9% of foreign workers in the top 100 jobs, and 14% of foreign worker income. Foreign workers make up 19% of the 10 million workers.  A quarter of a million foreign-born doctors, more than a quarter of all practicing physicians, account for 6% of total foreign born worker income in the top 100 jobs.

Averaging $170,000 in income, chief executives account for one tenth of one percent of foreign workers for the top 100 jobs but 3% of their income.

Education         % of workers          % of income
Less than HS              41%                         23%
HS                             37%                          33%
BA                             18%                          34%
Higher degree             3%                          11%

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