Where is it easiest to open: Iron Foundries
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 8 | 412.0 | $121,993 | not matched | — |
| CA | 8 | 49.2 | $74,881 | not matched | — |
| OH | 7 | 71.1 | $56,177 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| WI | 7 | 67.9 | $62,676 | not matched | — |
| PA | 4 | 62.0 | $58,500 | not matched | — |
| WA | 3 | 91.7 | $49,193 | 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.