Where is it easiest to open: Sawmills
39 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-7051” (soc) for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA | 209 | 12.4 | $46,919 | not matched | — |
| MO | 104 | 10.3 | $35,147 | not matched | — |
| WA | 87 | 54.0 | $71,441 | not matched | — |
| AR | 69 | 44.4 | $64,576 | not matched | — |
| WI | 69 | 16.9 | $48,327 | not matched | — |
| OR | 69 | 61.5 | $72,583 | not matched | — |
| OH | 66 | 16.6 | $45,874 | not matched | — |
| NC | 62 | 35.0 | $60,360 | not matched | — |
| TN | 59 | 21.1 | $47,932 | not matched | — |
| TX | 57 | 35.9 | $70,733 | not matched | — |
| VA | 55 | 25.7 | $45,037 | licence | Pallet Jack Certification; Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| KY | 53 | 16.5 | $42,741 | not matched | — |
| ME | 50 | 29.1 | $58,287 | not matched | — |
| MI | 47 | 15.1 | $45,352 | not matched | — |
| IN | 43 | 14.4 | $47,752 | not matched | — |
| CA | 41 | 58.0 | $73,208 | not matched | — |
| AL | 39 | 81.2 | $63,812 | not matched | — |
| NY | 38 | 20.5 | $54,225 | not matched | — |
| WV | 38 | 22.1 | $35,863 | not matched | — |
| MS | 35 | 48.7 | $60,907 | not matched | — |
| NH | 31 | 21.7 | $58,610 | not matched | — |
| VT | 31 | 13.0 | $50,189 | not matched | — |
| MT | 21 | 45.0 | $55,311 | not matched | — |
| GA | 18 | 93.0 | $64,641 | not matched | — |
| LA | 15 | 48.7 | $55,288 | not matched | — |
| ID | 11 | 113.0 | $73,240 | not matched | — |
| IL | 10 | 7.1 | $71,704 | not matched | — |
| SC | 10 | 53.6 | $67,431 | not matched | — |
| FL | 10 | 43.2 | $53,421 | not matched | — |
| MA | 9 | 11.4 | $48,641 | not matched | — |
| CO | 9 | 4.8 | $81,884 | not matched | — |
| MD | 9 | 5.7 | $46,882 | not matched | — |
| MN | 6 | 2.5 | $36,333 | not matched | — |
| OK | 6 | 26.3 | $75,367 | not matched | — |
| CT | 4 | 26.8 | $57,346 | not matched | — |
| AK | 4 | 12.2 | $60,122 | not matched | — |
| WY | 3 | 23.0 | $36,507 | not matched | — |
| RI | 3 | 3.7 | $74,727 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 7.7 | $29,913 | 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.