Where is it easiest to open: Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing
48 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 | 308 | 43.8 | $71,491 | not matched | — |
| CA | 243 | 21.7 | $70,361 | not matched | — |
| FL | 149 | 31.7 | $70,295 | not matched | — |
| PA | 139 | 34.2 | $76,381 | not matched | — |
| OH | 109 | 20.9 | $68,415 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| MI | 101 | 17.6 | $69,914 | not matched | — |
| NY | 95 | 20.3 | $80,992 | not matched | — |
| IL | 80 | 26.6 | $62,305 | not matched | — |
| AL | 73 | 33.9 | $77,024 | not matched | — |
| WA | 72 | 40.1 | $74,938 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 67 | 34.3 | $71,129 | not matched | — |
| NC | 60 | 28.1 | $76,960 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| WI | 60 | 37.6 | $75,155 | not matched | — |
| UT | 60 | 32.0 | $85,988 | not matched | — |
| IN | 55 | 48.6 | $86,936 | not matched | — |
| TN | 51 | 46.8 | $82,512 | not matched | — |
| CO | 49 | 32.5 | $75,948 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| OK | 45 | 56.6 | $63,718 | not matched | — |
| GA | 45 | 28.2 | $73,547 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 44 | 28.2 | $80,659 | not matched | — |
| LA | 42 | 35.1 | $74,232 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| MO | 41 | 26.3 | $66,109 | not matched | — |
| OR | 40 | 23.0 | $80,446 | not matched | — |
| MN | 38 | 20.6 | $62,496 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| MA | 29 | 24.2 | $81,769 | not matched | — |
| SC | 29 | 47.8 | $84,361 | not matched | — |
| VA | 26 | 33.5 | $78,839 | not matched | — |
| IA | 24 | 44.0 | $77,665 | exam | Sampling Technician |
| CT | 23 | 27.0 | $79,460 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| ID | 20 | 38.1 | $59,287 | not matched | — |
| NM | 19 | 15.4 | $63,808 | not matched | — |
| AR | 19 | 68.0 | $70,611 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| NV | 18 | 40.3 | $74,551 | not matched | — |
| MD | 15 | 32.7 | $74,149 | not matched | — |
| KY | 15 | 18.7 | $67,214 | not matched | — |
| MT | 14 | 53.1 | $64,098 | not matched | — |
| ME | 14 | 21.5 | $74,229 | licence | Dairy License; Weighmaster, Public |
| WV | 13 | 13.8 | $50,436 | not matched | — |
| NE | 13 | 40.2 | $79,096 | not matched | — |
| NH | 12 | 20.8 | $77,799 | exam | Weighmaster |
| RI | 11 | 434.3 | $84,368 | not matched | — |
| MS | 10 | 57.5 | $72,237 | not matched | — |
| KS | 8 | 19.5 | $58,449 | not matched | — |
| ND | 8 | 64.0 | $57,420 | not matched | — |
| DE | 8 | 46.1 | $64,298 | not matched | — |
| WY | 6 | 21.0 | $75,460 | licence | CATHODIC PROTECTION TESTER |
| SD | 3 | 110.0 | $71,088 | not matched | — |
| AK | 3 | 17.7 | $78,585 | 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.