Where is it easiest to open: Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OH | 16 | 59.8 | $55,051 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| CA | 13 | 21.8 | $69,415 | not matched | — |
| MI | 9 | 103.4 | $50,176 | not matched | — |
| PA | 4 | 32.8 | $54,252 | not matched | — |
| IL | 4 | 18.8 | $67,467 | not matched | — |
| WI | 3 | 77.3 | $73,026 | not matched | — |
| NH | 3 | 70.7 | $68,849 | exam | Weighmaster |
| NY | 3 | 30.0 | $40,744 | not matched | — |
| TX | 3 | 25.0 | $52,213 | 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.