Where is it easiest to open: Plate Work Manufacturing
37 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 | 94 | 32.3 | $67,838 | not matched | — |
| PA | 93 | 25.8 | $65,552 | not matched | — |
| OH | 91 | 27.6 | $64,783 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| CA | 77 | 15.0 | $71,199 | not matched | — |
| IL | 67 | 30.3 | $66,326 | not matched | — |
| MI | 64 | 35.1 | $71,457 | not matched | — |
| WI | 53 | 38.2 | $68,979 | not matched | — |
| FL | 37 | 31.9 | $59,857 | not matched | — |
| AL | 29 | 25.1 | $58,963 | not matched | — |
| NY | 26 | 21.3 | $61,061 | not matched | — |
| UT | 21 | 11.8 | $49,815 | not matched | — |
| IN | 19 | 30.4 | $63,529 | not matched | — |
| OK | 18 | 40.7 | $58,193 | not matched | — |
| MA | 18 | 22.7 | $77,456 | not matched | — |
| MN | 18 | 19.8 | $62,703 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| MO | 17 | 38.9 | $73,764 | not matched | — |
| NC | 17 | 31.2 | $55,235 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| WA | 16 | 15.9 | $68,278 | not matched | — |
| CT | 15 | 9.3 | $54,350 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| OR | 14 | 21.4 | $66,234 | not matched | — |
| GA | 12 | 44.4 | $55,700 | not matched | — |
| CO | 10 | 22.8 | $45,272 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| AZ | 10 | 22.6 | $37,540 | not matched | — |
| SC | 10 | 26.5 | $60,264 | not matched | — |
| MD | 8 | 24.1 | $72,492 | not matched | — |
| TN | 7 | 32.6 | $77,478 | not matched | — |
| ND | 6 | 64.7 | $69,897 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 6 | 15.2 | $81,736 | not matched | — |
| IA | 6 | 23.5 | $65,660 | exam | Sampling Technician |
| WV | 4 | 30.0 | $74,133 | not matched | — |
| KY | 4 | 47.2 | $53,524 | not matched | — |
| AR | 3 | 12.0 | $61,639 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| WY | 3 | 15.7 | $66,277 | licence | CATHODIC PROTECTION TESTER |
| SD | 3 | 86.0 | $81,771 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 30.3 | $43,385 | not matched | — |
| VA | 3 | 66.7 | $64,150 | not matched | — |
| KS | 3 | 51.7 | $64,794 | 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.