Where is it easiest to open: Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
13 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 | 193 | 42.0 | $33,113 | licence | Butter Grader's License; General Sampler's and Weigher's Licens |
| OR | 54 | 40.2 | $32,324 | licence | Dairy Operator, HTST Pasteurizer; Dairy Operator, Milk Sampler/Grader |
| FL | 21 | 6.2 | $31,915 | not matched | — |
| WA | 18 | 21.3 | $73,758 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 15 | 36.7 | $29,036 | not matched | — |
| PA | 7 | 20.3 | $18,239 | not matched | — |
| TX | 4 | 2.2 | $96,222 | not matched | — |
| NM | 4 | 3.0 | $55,500 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 24.7 | $41,730 | exam | Bulk Milk Hauler; Weighmaster |
| IA | 3 | 1.0 | $36,667 | not matched | — |
| GA | 3 | — | — | not matched | — |
| NJ | 3 | 43.7 | $37,565 | exam | MILK SAMPLER AND WEIGHER |
| NC | 3 | 9.7 | $26,517 | exam | Grade "A" Milk; Livestock Market |
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.