Where is it easiest to open: Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
45 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-3032” (soc) for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 143 | 13.5 | $76,173 | exam | TOW TRUCK OPERATOR |
| CA | 110 | 18.1 | $98,002 | licence | Commercial Driver License |
| NY | 84 | 7.4 | $85,604 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| AZ | 71 | 11.3 | $84,387 | licence | Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| WA | 67 | 12.1 | $85,762 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| OH | 58 | 12.9 | $78,366 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MI | 50 | 7.6 | $89,350 | exam | Chauffeur License; Commercial Driver License (C.D.L.) |
| CO | 41 | 12.1 | $82,004 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MN | 40 | 8.3 | $105,355 | licence | Commercial Driver's License (CDL); Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Haza |
| UT | 39 | 16.3 | $53,575 | licence | DRIVER - HEAVY TRUCK & TRACTOR TRAILER |
| CT | 34 | 9.3 | $87,003 | not matched | — |
| LA | 30 | 9.0 | $60,321 | licence | Truck Driver, Certified |
| MA | 29 | 14.7 | $92,962 | exam | BUS DRIVER; COMMERCIAL DRIVERS |
| OR | 29 | 10.2 | $71,875 | licence | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Truck Eq; School Bus Driver Certificate |
| FL | 28 | 9.9 | $106,855 | exam | Teaching Driver Education |
| PA | 26 | 6.3 | $88,031 | not matched | — |
| WI | 24 | 13.3 | $88,672 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER |
| AK | 24 | 5.6 | $102,267 | licence | Bus Driver, School; Vehicle for Hire Permit in City of Fai |
| IL | 22 | 6.2 | $113,978 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA; DRIVER |
| IN | 22 | 9.8 | $84,815 | not matched | — |
| SD | 22 | 8.8 | $82,710 | licence | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| NH | 19 | 5.9 | $76,348 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| NE | 19 | 11.1 | $102,171 | licence | Truck Driver (Heavy); Truck Driver (Light or Delivery Servic |
| NV | 16 | 19.8 | $81,174 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 15 | 9.6 | $78,458 | exam | BUS DRIVER; HARNESS RACE DRIVER |
| IA | 14 | 6.6 | $30,826 | not matched | — |
| ID | 14 | 21.2 | $74,943 | exam | Commercial Drivers |
| VA | 13 | 13.3 | $60,260 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| OK | 13 | 6.9 | $62,656 | not matched | — |
| NM | 12 | 8.1 | $69,526 | exam | Commercial Vehicle Drivers License |
| AL | 10 | 7.1 | $44,042 | exam | CDL Class A |
| SC | 10 | 10.0 | $73,650 | not matched | — |
| MD | 9 | 16.2 | $91,486 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| MT | 9 | 7.2 | $51,415 | exam | Bus Drivers; Taxi Drivers |
| MO | 6 | 9.0 | $94,296 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| ND | 6 | 27.3 | $126,116 | not matched | — |
| ME | 6 | 16.7 | $80,280 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Driver Education Instructor, School |
| DE | 5 | 34.8 | $145,144 | not matched | — |
| WY | 5 | 2.6 | $75,462 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER; TRUCK DRIVER |
| MS | 4 | 14.2 | $54,509 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| KS | 4 | 5.5 | $62,818 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| RI | 4 | 7.5 | $87,667 | exam | Chauffeur / CDL; Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| VT | 4 | 13.2 | $122,528 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| GA | 3 | 8.7 | $59,346 | not matched | — |
| NC | 3 | 6.3 | $37,053 | exam | Classified Drivers License (Non-commer; Commercial Driver License (Class A, B |
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.