Where is it easiest to open: Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 17 | 128.2 | $79,042 | not matched | — |
| IL | 14 | 124.5 | $128,820 | not matched | — |
| OH | 12 | 133.2 | $88,080 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| PA | 11 | 113.6 | $97,156 | not matched | — |
| CA | 6 | 88.2 | $84,998 | not matched | — |
| AL | 5 | 241.4 | $129,673 | not matched | — |
| OK | 4 | 160.5 | $80,991 | not matched | — |
| AR | 3 | 187.0 | $168,376 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| AZ | 3 | 115.7 | $96,340 | 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.