Since 2015, Venezuela’s economic collapse has resulted in nearly 8 million people leaving the country. As of 2023, approximately 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants lived in the United States, one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations. The 2024 American Community Survey shows 1,043,351 Venezuelans in the United States, with women comprising 50% (518,181) of the population.
The number of Venezuelan women immigrating to the United States has increased in the past two decades. Table 1 shows the population grew from 31,000 in the 1960s to 621,000 in the 2010s, with an additional 235,000 arriving between 2020 and 2024. How these women identified also changed. Recent arrivals were more likely to identify as Hispanic (99%) compared to 74% in the 1960s, when the population included more women who identified as White.
Table 1: Distribution of Women Immigrants from Venezuela
Source: Calculations by the Women’s Institute for Science Equity and Race using 2024 American Community Survey: www.ipumns.org.
Credentials vs. Wages
Venezuelan women ages 25-64 have higher labor force participation (74%) than other immigrant women (65%) or U.S.-born women (67%). Over half (52%) hold bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared to 29% of other immigrant women and 24% of U.S.-born women. Median wages are $36,000 for Venezuelan women, $35,000 for other immigrant women, and $34,500 for U.S.-born women.
Table 2: Economic Outcomes for Venezuelan Women Ages 25-64
Source: Calculations by the Women’s Institute for Science Equity and Race using 2024 American Community Survey: www.ipumns.org
The labor market value of education is determined by occupation. In 1960-1970, Venezuelan women were employed in management and business occupations (52-100%). By 2024, service occupations employed 21% of these women, office and administrative support occupations 10%, and management and business occupations 10%. The mismatch between credentials and occupations raises workforce policy questions. Despite over 50% holding bachelor’s degrees, 40% of Venezuelan women work in service, administrative support, and sales—occupations that typically do not require college degrees. This pattern benefits employers in two ways: they access educated workers at wages below market value and face reduced pressure to raise wages or invest in training for U.S.-born workers in these same sectors.
Table 3: Occupational Distribution of Venezuelan Women by Decade (%)
Source: Calculations by the Women’s Institute for Science Equity and Race using 2024 American Community Survey: www.ipumns.org
The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged in December 2025 that skilled immigration programs create “wage suppression or stagnation” for U.S. workers. The same dynamic applies when credentialed workers accept positions below their education level: employers gain access to overqualified labor at below-market rates.
With continued migration flows likely following Maduro’s capture, policymakers can pursue policies that benefit both Venezuelan women and U.S. workers. Credential recognition programs paired with expanded domestic training capacity would allow Venezuelan women to work at their skill level while ensuring U.S. workers gain access to education programs in professional occupations. This approach addresses the current mismatch where educated immigrant women are underutilizing their credentials, while U.S.-born workers lack access to training for skilled positions.