Where is it easiest to open: Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing
20 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 51-9061” (soc) for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers. 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 | 33 | 34.9 | $56,588 | not matched | — |
| TX | 23 | 83.7 | $72,171 | not matched | — |
| GA | 12 | 101.1 | $64,335 | not matched | — |
| MI | 11 | 74.1 | $58,688 | not matched | — |
| FL | 6 | 33.3 | $46,355 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 6 | 39.0 | $44,162 | not matched | — |
| PA | 6 | 266.0 | $62,740 | not matched | — |
| CO | 5 | 25.6 | $44,125 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| MN | 5 | 30.2 | $63,311 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| MA | 5 | 51.6 | $76,244 | not matched | — |
| SC | 4 | 189.5 | $44,768 | not matched | — |
| IL | 4 | 47.2 | $51,365 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 38.7 | $48,991 | not matched | — |
| IN | 3 | 81.3 | $49,881 | not matched | — |
| NV | 3 | 6.7 | $58,700 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 3 | 66.7 | $74,560 | not matched | — |
| NY | 3 | 63.7 | $72,168 | not matched | — |
| OH | 3 | 65.7 | $75,310 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| RI | 3 | 133.3 | $73,335 | not matched | — |
| TN | 3 | 67.0 | $51,129 | 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.