Where is it easiest to open: Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating
35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 296 | 10.5 | $66,740 | licence | Butter Grader's License; General Sampler's and Weigher's Licens |
| AR | 97 | 3.7 | $77,081 | licence | Packing and Grading Permit |
| IA | 82 | 4.6 | $73,469 | not matched | — |
| FL | 73 | 18.5 | $37,024 | not matched | — |
| MN | 57 | 5.0 | $98,404 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License; Livestock Meat Packing Company / Meat |
| TX | 49 | 6.9 | $50,782 | not matched | — |
| NE | 48 | 3.8 | $77,203 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler/Sampler; Milk Producer & Field Representative |
| WA | 45 | 9.9 | $64,400 | not matched | — |
| MS | 43 | 2.8 | $59,118 | not matched | — |
| LA | 31 | 4.2 | $58,679 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| ID | 30 | 2.9 | $75,580 | exam | Bulk Milk Hauler; Weighmaster |
| OR | 25 | 2.6 | $87,508 | licence | Dairy Operator, HTST Pasteurizer; Dairy Operator, Milk Sampler/Grader |
| SD | 24 | 2.0 | $89,250 | licence | Dairy Fieldman; Milk & Cream Tester, Sampler & Grader |
| AZ | 22 | 8.7 | $75,094 | not matched | — |
| ND | 22 | 2.0 | $80,133 | not matched | — |
| CO | 21 | 3.2 | $73,221 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| MI | 16 | 4.9 | $51,354 | exam | Bulk Milk Sampler/Hauler |
| KS | 15 | 5.3 | $69,938 | not matched | — |
| IL | 14 | 8.3 | $74,388 | exam | CERTIFIED LIVESTOCK MANAGER; LIVESTOCK AUCTION MARKET OPERATOR |
| MT | 13 | 29.8 | $93,521 | not matched | — |
| MO | 12 | 6.3 | $54,829 | exam | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Prod |
| PA | 11 | 33.6 | $53,597 | not matched | — |
| IN | 10 | 4.8 | $69,146 | licence | Game Breeder's License |
| GA | 10 | 2.5 | $64,080 | not matched | — |
| WI | 8 | 4.4 | $88,514 | exam | BUTTER GRADER; BUTTER MAKER |
| NM | 6 | 5.0 | $42,667 | not matched | — |
| NC | 6 | 22.8 | $58,971 | exam | Grade "A" Milk; Livestock Market |
| NY | 4 | 4.5 | $65,167 | licence | Certified Milk Inspector; Milk Gathering Plant Manager |
| DE | 3 | 8.7 | $187,846 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 1.0 | $23,000 | not matched | — |
| VT | 3 | 2.0 | $84,833 | not matched | — |
| KY | 3 | — | — | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Milk Hauler/Milk Sample Collector |
| ME | 3 | 1.0 | $12,667 | exam | Dairy License; Weighmaster, Public |
| OH | 3 | 0.7 | $135,000 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 3 | 11.0 | $20,455 | exam | MILK SAMPLER AND WEIGHER |
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.