Where is it easiest to open: Farm Management Services
15 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 | 134 | 8.3 | $68,589 | licence | Butter Grader's License; General Sampler's and Weigher's Licens |
| FL | 36 | 6.8 | $78,743 | not matched | — |
| IA | 15 | 7.5 | $110,106 | not matched | — |
| MN | 14 | 11.1 | $187,710 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License; Livestock Meat Packing Company / Meat |
| AZ | 12 | 1.8 | $83,286 | not matched | — |
| NE | 11 | 2.9 | $112,250 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler/Sampler; Milk Producer & Field Representative |
| IL | 9 | 2.8 | $105,320 | exam | CERTIFIED LIVESTOCK MANAGER; LIVESTOCK AUCTION MARKET OPERATOR |
| PA | 5 | 2.4 | $59,250 | not matched | — |
| VA | 5 | 7.8 | $42,564 | not matched | — |
| WA | 4 | 3.8 | $29,667 | not matched | — |
| AR | 4 | 3.0 | $55,583 | licence | Packing and Grading Permit |
| NY | 3 | 126.7 | $73,903 | licence | Certified Milk Inspector; Milk Gathering Plant Manager |
| TX | 3 | 8.7 | $48,462 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 1.0 | $35,333 | exam | Bulk Milk Hauler; Weighmaster |
| IN | 3 | 3.3 | $89,600 | licence | Game Breeder's License |
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.