Where is it easiest to open: Sheet Metal Work 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 563 | 24.5 | $61,422 | not matched | — |
| TX | 315 | 35.7 | $57,540 | not matched | — |
| FL | 229 | 20.0 | $56,034 | not matched | — |
| PA | 205 | 24.3 | $68,646 | not matched | — |
| NY | 196 | 19.8 | $62,437 | not matched | — |
| OH | 160 | 23.7 | $60,940 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| IL | 151 | 28.3 | $69,714 | not matched | — |
| MI | 135 | 30.7 | $70,865 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 119 | 27.2 | $78,104 | not matched | — |
| NC | 105 | 24.9 | $60,177 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| GA | 102 | 29.7 | $56,481 | not matched | — |
| MA | 99 | 26.1 | $84,031 | not matched | — |
| WA | 97 | 29.1 | $66,981 | not matched | — |
| WI | 97 | 70.2 | $70,549 | not matched | — |
| IN | 92 | 42.1 | $67,106 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 87 | 21.8 | $62,996 | not matched | — |
| MN | 75 | 40.0 | $66,578 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| OR | 62 | 23.3 | $64,557 | not matched | — |
| CO | 62 | 17.7 | $55,111 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| UT | 54 | 15.4 | $62,580 | not matched | — |
| AL | 51 | 33.1 | $49,181 | not matched | — |
| TN | 48 | 37.3 | $71,415 | not matched | — |
| OK | 46 | 29.8 | $64,729 | not matched | — |
| CT | 45 | 16.8 | $62,366 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| MO | 44 | 25.3 | $63,963 | not matched | — |
| NV | 44 | 27.7 | $57,112 | not matched | — |
| VA | 42 | 27.6 | $65,791 | not matched | — |
| NH | 39 | 27.2 | $64,464 | exam | Weighmaster |
| SC | 37 | 23.7 | $52,019 | not matched | — |
| KY | 30 | 70.2 | $57,849 | not matched | — |
| MD | 29 | 46.4 | $79,978 | not matched | — |
| LA | 27 | 16.1 | $49,214 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| KS | 26 | 38.3 | $65,995 | not matched | — |
| ID | 23 | 30.3 | $51,879 | not matched | — |
| ME | 19 | 27.6 | $59,359 | licence | Dairy License; Weighmaster, Public |
| MS | 19 | 24.8 | $55,727 | not matched | — |
| AR | 18 | 34.0 | $70,286 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| RI | 14 | 6.1 | $58,465 | not matched | — |
| NM | 12 | 5.8 | $44,014 | not matched | — |
| IA | 10 | 38.8 | $63,423 | exam | Sampling Technician |
| MT | 8 | 5.6 | $57,511 | not matched | — |
| DE | 8 | 11.6 | $83,774 | not matched | — |
| HI | 6 | 16.2 | $76,711 | not matched | — |
| VT | 6 | 55.0 | $64,815 | licence | Weights and Measures Dealer/Repairer |
| AK | 4 | 8.8 | $83,857 | not matched | — |
| SD | 3 | 35.0 | $62,229 | not matched | — |
| WV | 3 | 61.3 | $67,761 | not matched | — |
| NE | 3 | 30.7 | $94,717 | 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.