Where is it easiest to open: Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations
35 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 47-1011” (soc) for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers. 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 | 3,948 | 29.3 | $114,305 | not matched | — |
| OK | 1,108 | 13.7 | $88,813 | licence | Mine Fire Boss (Underground); Mine Foreman (Underground) |
| LA | 684 | 36.9 | $93,844 | not matched | — |
| CO | 408 | 20.5 | $124,371 | not matched | — |
| NM | 401 | 21.1 | $88,944 | not matched | — |
| ND | 376 | 26.9 | $117,194 | not matched | — |
| WY | 308 | 14.7 | $87,009 | not matched | — |
| KS | 304 | 5.7 | $66,344 | not matched | — |
| PA | 240 | 32.2 | $98,057 | licence | Asbestos Supervisor |
| UT | 182 | 11.8 | $74,103 | not matched | — |
| CA | 173 | 20.9 | $91,344 | licence | Pile Driving/Pressure Foundation Jacki; Solar Contractor |
| OH | 138 | 18.9 | $80,188 | not matched | — |
| MT | 118 | 6.9 | $106,986 | licence | Surface Coal Mining Blasters |
| WV | 111 | 21.4 | $78,650 | not matched | — |
| MS | 82 | 10.4 | $83,237 | not matched | — |
| AR | 72 | 9.5 | $79,977 | not matched | — |
| IL | 71 | 6.2 | $62,264 | licence | FOREMAN; GENERAL SURFACE SUPERVISOR |
| MI | 62 | 8.1 | $75,906 | not matched | — |
| AK | 36 | 103.9 | $108,692 | licence | Engineer- Chemical, Civil, Electrical, |
| AL | 27 | 12.0 | $88,683 | not matched | — |
| NV | 23 | 18.3 | $110,216 | not matched | — |
| FL | 19 | 2.5 | $82,021 | exam | Certified Solar Contractor; Certified Utility & Excavation Contrac |
| NE | 16 | 8.9 | $78,678 | licence | Mining & Mineral Engineer |
| AZ | 12 | 7.8 | $87,237 | not matched | — |
| DE | 9 | 7.2 | $110,431 | not matched | — |
| WA | 8 | 1.0 | $106,125 | licence | Mining Engineer |
| IN | 8 | 10.5 | $102,631 | not matched | — |
| KY | 6 | 13.0 | $62,641 | exam | Assistant Mine Foreman; Certified Surface Miner |
| VA | 5 | 21.8 | $46,688 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 4 | 28.2 | $111,743 | not matched | — |
| SC | 3 | 6.3 | $212,474 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 1.0 | $86,333 | not matched | — |
| SD | 3 | 20.0 | $94,117 | not matched | — |
| NY | 3 | 13.0 | $57,923 | not matched | — |
| MA | 3 | 6.3 | $49,368 | 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.