The new portrait of the Portuguese diaspora in the United States, conducted by the Luso-American Foundation for Development (FLAD), reveals that Portuguese-speaking Luso-Americans in the country earn an average annual salary 20% higher.
“The average salary of a Portuguese-speaking Luso-American is $58,923 (€50,976), significantly higher than the $46,762 (€40,456) average for other U.S. residents,” states the study “An American Dream in Portuguese.”
This research shows that speaking Portuguese is linked to a 20% salary premium, defying the traditional image of the Portuguese emigrant, featuring a more qualified community with increasing geographic mobility.
Coordinated by researchers Alda Botelho Azevedo and Lara Patrício Tavares, this portrait concluded that the Luso-American community has reached the average educational level of the United States, with about one-third of adults holding at least a bachelor’s degree.
It notes that Portuguese speakers, in particular, have a graduation rate (36%) higher than the U.S. national average (33%).
“Investment in education translates into a clear return: a university degree represents a 54% salary increase,” according to conclusions released by FLAD.
Alda Botelho Azevedo, coordinator and co-author of the study, notes that “integration does not mean the erasure of the original culture.”
“On the contrary, for these generations, Portuguese identity is a positive differentiator,” she explains, identifying “a renewed interest in the language and origins, driven also by the modern and attractive image Portugal projects today in the world.”
According to the research, there has been “a significant geographic transformation: While the population decreases in historical hubs such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, it grows in new economic centers,” notably Florida, with a 23% growth, and the New York and New Jersey area, where the number of Portuguese speakers grew 32% between 2013 and 2022.
The institution’s president, Nuno Morais Sarmento, asserts that “the data show a dynamic, qualified, and prosperous community, actively contributing to American society while maintaining ties to Portugal.”
“It is a source of immense pride and a strategic asset for our country,” he added.
