Where is it easiest to open: Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning)
26 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 | 199 | 38.1 | $68,369 | licence | Butter Grader's License; General Sampler's and Weigher's Licens |
| WA | 61 | 88.4 | $51,280 | not matched | — |
| OR | 30 | 17.1 | $57,578 | licence | Dairy Operator, HTST Pasteurizer; Dairy Operator, Milk Sampler/Grader |
| TX | 28 | 36.5 | $40,007 | not matched | — |
| ID | 23 | 18.9 | $46,327 | exam | Bulk Milk Hauler; Weighmaster |
| GA | 22 | 11.3 | $52,655 | not matched | — |
| FL | 21 | 31.5 | $37,360 | not matched | — |
| IA | 14 | 15.6 | $71,165 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 13 | 28.8 | $41,671 | not matched | — |
| AR | 10 | 30.9 | $50,036 | licence | Packing and Grading Permit |
| OK | 9 | 6.2 | $27,964 | not matched | — |
| CO | 7 | 70.6 | $23,530 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| NE | 6 | 35.3 | $90,250 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler/Sampler; Milk Producer & Field Representative |
| MI | 6 | 27.7 | $63,440 | exam | Bulk Milk Sampler/Hauler |
| NM | 4 | 5.5 | $70,136 | not matched | — |
| WI | 3 | 14.7 | $72,705 | exam | BUTTER GRADER; BUTTER MAKER |
| IL | 3 | 22.3 | $81,672 | exam | CERTIFIED LIVESTOCK MANAGER; LIVESTOCK AUCTION MARKET OPERATOR |
| MN | 3 | 12.3 | $45,676 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License; Livestock Meat Packing Company / Meat |
| MS | 3 | 39.0 | $22,504 | not matched | — |
| MO | 3 | 24.3 | $68,836 | exam | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Prod |
| NY | 3 | 16.0 | $46,000 | licence | Certified Milk Inspector; Milk Gathering Plant Manager |
| ND | 3 | 1.7 | $65,200 | not matched | — |
| PA | 3 | 6.0 | $44,000 | not matched | — |
| SC | 3 | 5.0 | $56,733 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 2.7 | $38,500 | not matched | — |
| AL | 3 | 13.3 | $23,450 | not matched | — |
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.