Where is it easiest to open: Cotton Ginning
5 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 45-2041” (soc) for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | 11 | 16.1 | $78,904 | licence | Packing and Grading Permit |
| TX | 9 | 2.8 | $64,840 | not matched | — |
| GA | 8 | 13.5 | $62,028 | not matched | — |
| MO | 7 | 11.6 | $89,136 | exam | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Prod |
| CA | 4 | 8.2 | $71,576 | licence | Butter Grader's License; General Sampler's and Weigher's Licens |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.