Where is it easiest to open: Drywall and Insulation Contractors
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 47-2131” (soc) for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall. 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 | 2,405 | 18.1 | $72,459 | licence | Asbestos Certification; Asbestos Consultant Certification |
| FL | 1,939 | 7.7 | $56,928 | exam | Asbestos Consultant; Asbestos Consultant (AF) |
| TX | 1,121 | 17.6 | $59,812 | exam | ASBESTOS-RELATED WORKER (Various) |
| NY | 1,093 | 11.3 | $72,119 | exam | Asbestos Handler |
| WA | 804 | 14.1 | $69,620 | not matched | — |
| MA | 671 | 10.3 | $79,571 | licence | ASBESTOS WORKER |
| CO | 562 | 10.5 | $64,433 | exam | Asbestos Project Designer; Asbestos Worker |
| NC | 559 | 9.5 | $64,353 | licence | Asbestos Accreditation |
| GA | 524 | 8.5 | $62,548 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 515 | 21.1 | $55,505 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 512 | 9.2 | $84,530 | licence | ASBESTOS SAFETY TECHNICIAN; ASBESTOS WORKER PERMIT |
| PA | 504 | 12.1 | $71,433 | licence | Asbestos Contractor (Individual); Asbestos Project Designer |
| MN | 495 | 10.1 | $73,497 | licence | Asbestos Contractor License; Asbestos Individual Certification (Ins |
| IL | 488 | 12.4 | $88,313 | licence | ASBESTOS AIR SAMPLING PROFESSIONAL; ASBESTOS CONTRACTOR |
| VA | 472 | 12.6 | $63,962 | licence | Asbestos Contractor License; Asbestos Project Designer License |
| UT | 439 | 9.4 | $55,206 | not matched | — |
| WI | 432 | 9.1 | $67,232 | licence | ASBESTOS PROJECT DESIGNER; ASBESTOS ROOFING WORKER |
| OH | 411 | 13.7 | $62,322 | not matched | — |
| MI | 402 | 10.2 | $66,297 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Contractor/Supervis; Asbestos Abatement Project Designer |
| ID | 398 | 6.2 | $53,287 | not matched | — |
| OR | 358 | 14.1 | $69,915 | not matched | — |
| MD | 327 | 18.6 | $66,324 | licence | Asbestos Designer; Asbestos Worker |
| MO | 295 | 14.9 | $66,273 | not matched | — |
| IN | 281 | 13.9 | $60,198 | not matched | — |
| TN | 249 | 13.4 | $71,593 | not matched | — |
| SC | 208 | 9.2 | $63,270 | not matched | — |
| MT | 204 | 4.2 | $51,461 | not matched | — |
| IA | 201 | 10.2 | $70,129 | not matched | — |
| OK | 195 | 7.8 | $55,579 | not matched | — |
| AL | 194 | 9.6 | $57,186 | not matched | — |
| NV | 178 | 47.9 | $64,082 | not matched | — |
| CT | 174 | 14.0 | $68,283 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Worker; Asbestos Contractor |
| NH | 173 | 16.3 | $84,385 | exam | Asbestos Abatement Worker; Asbestos Disposal Site Worker |
| NE | 171 | 9.4 | $61,718 | licence | Asbestos Worker |
| LA | 161 | 10.6 | $50,771 | not matched | — |
| KS | 146 | 10.4 | $62,856 | not matched | — |
| ME | 146 | 7.3 | $53,826 | not matched | — |
| KY | 144 | 10.4 | $52,689 | not matched | — |
| NM | 126 | 10.7 | $56,874 | not matched | — |
| AR | 113 | 8.5 | $61,800 | exam | Asbestos Abatement Contractor or Abate; Asbestos Abatement Worker |
| RI | 110 | 11.2 | $74,794 | not matched | — |
| SD | 110 | 5.3 | $61,026 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Contractor; Asbestos Abatement Project Designer |
| WY | 95 | 4.4 | $48,304 | not matched | — |
| DE | 88 | 10.2 | $68,759 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Worker (Class A); Asbestos Abatement Worker (Class B Lim |
| ND | 87 | 5.9 | $91,239 | not matched | — |
| AK | 85 | 4.2 | $62,875 | licence | Asbestos Removal Worker |
| VT | 73 | 4.5 | $50,187 | licence | Contractor, Residential |
| HI | 62 | 19.2 | $83,243 | not matched | — |
| MS | 57 | 11.6 | $60,442 | not matched | — |
| WV | 23 | 14.1 | $62,314 | not matched | — |
| DC | 10 | 45.1 | $85,173 | 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.