Where is it easiest to open: Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
46 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 47-2152” (soc) for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters. 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 | 575 | 10.1 | $75,240 | exam | BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY TESTER; FIRE SPRINKLER RESPONSIBLE MANAGING EM |
| CA | 472 | 11.5 | $103,909 | licence | Boiler, Hot Water Heating and Steam Fi; Machinery and Pumps Limited Specialty |
| FL | 301 | 9.0 | $64,848 | exam | Certified Plumbing Contractor; Certified Pool/Spa Contractor |
| MS | 294 | 5.1 | $40,680 | not matched | — |
| PA | 147 | 18.3 | $89,666 | licence | Plumbing Inspector (UCC); Plumbing Plans Examiner (UCC) |
| LA | 126 | 7.5 | $53,226 | exam | Medical (Gas Piping Installer); Plumber, Journeyman |
| WA | 120 | 5.1 | $59,620 | licence | Plumber |
| AZ | 114 | 14.1 | $85,409 | not matched | — |
| CO | 111 | 4.8 | $62,218 | exam | Journeyman Plumber; Master Plumber |
| NJ | 90 | 29.8 | $104,843 | exam | LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR; PLUMBER |
| IL | 89 | 15.1 | $85,755 | exam | FIRE SPRINKLERS CONTRACTORS; PLUMBER |
| NM | 76 | 4.1 | $43,545 | licence | Plumber |
| IN | 63 | 8.8 | $74,327 | exam | Backflow Prevention and Cross Connecti; Journeyman Plumber |
| UT | 62 | 5.9 | $73,104 | licence | PLUMBERS |
| NY | 61 | 8.4 | $96,419 | not matched | — |
| OR | 56 | 5.2 | $56,891 | licence | Apprentice, Registered (Construction T; Backflow Assembly Tester Certification |
| ID | 51 | 4.1 | $39,304 | exam | Apprentice Plumber; Backflow Assembly Testers |
| MA | 50 | 6.6 | $83,843 | exam | GAS FITTER (Apprentice, Journeyman, Ma; PIPEFITTER |
| AR | 49 | 4.3 | $45,861 | exam | Apprentice Plumber; Backflow Preventer Testing Technician |
| OH | 37 | 10.8 | $69,070 | licence | Plumber and Pipefitter License |
| GA | 35 | 7.7 | $62,406 | exam | Journeyman Plumber; Master Plumber - Non-Restricted |
| AL | 33 | 5.4 | $52,073 | licence | Certified Journeyman Gas Fitter; Certified Journeyman Plumber |
| NC | 30 | 12.0 | $62,735 | exam | Boiler Or Pressure Vessel Inspections; Corporate Irrigation Contractor |
| MO | 30 | 27.7 | $103,118 | not matched | — |
| SC | 26 | 4.7 | $47,293 | licence | Boiler Registration; Fire Sprinkler Branch Company |
| MI | 26 | 7.4 | $70,229 | exam | Boiler Installer; Boiler Repairer |
| OK | 26 | 6.8 | $58,751 | exam | Commercial Installation of Water Well ; Plumbing Contractor |
| TN | 18 | 9.3 | $91,554 | exam | LIMITED LICENSED PLUMBERS; SPRINKLER SYS CONTRACTOR, RESPONSIBL |
| NH | 17 | 12.6 | $78,874 | exam | Plumber, Apprentice; Plumber, Journeyman |
| HI | 16 | 11.5 | $81,815 | exam | Plumber |
| ND | 16 | 6.4 | $111,272 | exam | Contractors, Monitoring Well; Contractors, Pump and Pitless Unit |
| MD | 15 | 7.4 | $85,865 | licence | APPRENTICE NATURAL GAS FITTER; APPRENTICE PLUBMBER/GAS FITTER |
| WV | 14 | 22.5 | $92,333 | not matched | — |
| DE | 13 | 23.8 | $96,342 | exam | Master Plumber; Master Plumber - License by Reciprocit |
| VA | 12 | 8.2 | $72,214 | exam | Plumbers License |
| CT | 12 | 16.5 | $86,692 | exam | Auto Fire Sprinkler Layout Technician; Backflow Prevention Device Tester |
| NV | 10 | 4.2 | $40,595 | not matched | — |
| AK | 10 | 9.4 | $86,245 | licence | Contractor, Gas Piping, Plumbing & She; Gas Piping and Plumbing, Journeyman & |
| MT | 8 | 0.2 | $83,000 | exam | Plumbers - Journeyman Plumber; Plumbers - Master Plumber |
| WY | 6 | 5.0 | $48,533 | exam | CLASS A STORAGE TANK OPERATOR; CLASS B STORAGE TANK OPERATOR |
| ME | 6 | 11.8 | $90,000 | exam | Plumber, Journeyman; Plumber, Journeyman in Training |
| RI | 4 | 15.8 | $85,238 | exam | Fire Protection Sprinkler Fitter; Irrigator |
| KY | 4 | 34.2 | $106,380 | exam | Boiler Contractor; Certified Monitoring Well Driller |
| SD | 3 | 4.3 | $4,538 | licence | Apprentice Plumber; Plumber, Journeyman |
| VT | 3 | 5.0 | $50,800 | exam | Contractor, Residential; Fire Sprinkler Installer, Domestic |
| IA | 3 | 26.3 | $88,924 | 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.