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Where is it easiest to open: Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors
51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 11,683 | 10.9 | $85,544 | licence | Boiler, Hot Water Heating and Steam Fi; Machinery and Pumps Limited Specialty |
| FL | 9,351 | 10.1 | $60,798 | exam | Certified Plumbing Contractor; Certified Pool/Spa Contractor |
| TX | 8,909 | 11.8 | $69,986 | exam | BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY TESTER; FIRE SPRINKLER RESPONSIBLE MANAGING EM |
| NY | 7,057 | 9.3 | $79,174 | not matched | — |
| PA | 4,153 | 10.7 | $75,469 | licence | Plumbing Inspector (UCC); Plumbing Plans Examiner (UCC) |
| IL | 4,042 | 10.1 | $85,029 | exam | FIRE SPRINKLERS CONTRACTORS; PLUMBER |
| NC | 3,961 | 11.3 | $62,076 | exam | Boiler Or Pressure Vessel Inspections; Corporate Irrigation Contractor |
| NJ | 3,454 | 8.8 | $78,801 | exam | LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR; PLUMBER |
| MA | 3,069 | 9.7 | $91,449 | exam | GAS FITTER (Apprentice, Journeyman, Ma; PIPEFITTER |
| GA | 3,068 | 10.8 | $68,711 | exam | Journeyman Plumber; Master Plumber - Non-Restricted |
| OH | 2,967 | 12.7 | $71,078 | licence | Plumber and Pipefitter License |
| VA | 2,736 | 12.6 | $68,899 | exam | Plumbers License |
| MI | 2,652 | 11.5 | $75,926 | exam | Boiler Installer; Boiler Repairer |
| CO | 2,603 | 9.3 | $71,977 | exam | Journeyman Plumber; Master Plumber |
| AZ | 2,566 | 12.5 | $70,896 | not matched | — |
| WA | 2,237 | 14.8 | $89,523 | licence | Plumber |
| IN | 2,002 | 13.2 | $76,448 | exam | Backflow Prevention and Cross Connecti; Journeyman Plumber |
| MD | 1,986 | 14.8 | $77,068 | licence | APPRENTICE NATURAL GAS FITTER; APPRENTICE PLUBMBER/GAS FITTER |
| WI | 1,942 | 12.1 | $78,685 | exam | AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER CONTRACTOR; AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER CONTRACTOR, M |
| MO | 1,886 | 12.5 | $75,446 | not matched | — |
| TN | 1,873 | 13.4 | $66,105 | exam | LIMITED LICENSED PLUMBERS; SPRINKLER SYS CONTRACTOR, RESPONSIBL |
| MN | 1,803 | 11.8 | $84,467 | licence | Backflow Prevention Certification; Certified Pipelayer |
| SC | 1,681 | 11.0 | $63,734 | licence | Boiler Registration; Fire Sprinkler Branch Company |
| AL | 1,636 | 10.3 | $62,144 | licence | Certified Journeyman Gas Fitter; Certified Journeyman Plumber |
| LA | 1,612 | 8.7 | $62,559 | exam | Medical (Gas Piping Installer); Plumber, Journeyman |
| OK | 1,571 | 8.4 | $56,264 | exam | Commercial Installation of Water Well ; Plumbing Contractor |
| UT | 1,438 | 10.8 | $67,984 | licence | PLUMBERS |
| KY | 1,344 | 11.7 | $64,469 | exam | Boiler Contractor; Certified Monitoring Well Driller |
| OR | 1,333 | 11.7 | $85,331 | licence | Apprentice, Registered (Construction T; Backflow Assembly Tester Certification |
| CT | 1,318 | 8.3 | $82,312 | exam | Auto Fire Sprinkler Layout Technician; Backflow Prevention Device Tester |
| AR | 1,118 | 9.6 | $60,576 | exam | Apprentice Plumber; Backflow Preventer Testing Technician |
| IA | 1,089 | 13.4 | $71,887 | not matched | — |
| KS | 985 | 11.4 | $70,438 | not matched | — |
| NV | 906 | 18.9 | $78,150 | not matched | — |
| ID | 887 | 11.1 | $63,184 | exam | Apprentice Plumber; Backflow Assembly Testers |
| NE | 801 | 12.3 | $71,426 | licence | Plumber; Underground Storage Tank Occupations |
| ME | 781 | 6.1 | $66,252 | exam | Plumber, Journeyman; Plumber, Journeyman in Training |
| NH | 776 | 7.2 | $77,932 | exam | Plumber, Apprentice; Plumber, Journeyman |
| MT | 692 | 6.4 | $67,081 | exam | Plumbers - Journeyman Plumber; Plumbers - Master Plumber |
| MS | 684 | 9.7 | $60,775 | not matched | — |
| NM | 683 | 9.6 | $60,021 | licence | Plumber |
| RI | 494 | 8.9 | $76,137 | exam | Fire Protection Sprinkler Fitter; Irrigator |
| HI | 403 | 9.8 | $84,947 | exam | Plumber |
| WV | 389 | 7.6 | $55,699 | not matched | — |
| SD | 364 | 11.6 | $62,591 | licence | Apprentice Plumber; Plumber, Journeyman |
| DE | 344 | 13.7 | $71,640 | exam | Master Plumber; Master Plumber - License by Reciprocit |
| WY | 312 | 6.7 | $62,017 | exam | CLASS A STORAGE TANK OPERATOR; CLASS B STORAGE TANK OPERATOR |
| ND | 310 | 10.7 | $71,608 | exam | Contractors, Monitoring Well; Contractors, Pump and Pitless Unit |
| VT | 299 | 7.9 | $67,940 | exam | Contractor, Residential; Fire Sprinkler Installer, Domestic |
| AK | 255 | 7.5 | $85,891 | licence | Contractor, Gas Piping, Plumbing & She; Gas Piping and Plumbing, Journeyman & |
| DC | 37 | 47.9 | $75,030 | exam | PLUMBERS; Tankerman |
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.