Where is it easiest to open: Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing
43 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 | 314 | 11.6 | $71,544 | not matched | — |
| NY | 194 | 8.1 | $66,307 | not matched | — |
| FL | 162 | 12.9 | $53,809 | not matched | — |
| TX | 124 | 20.0 | $57,689 | not matched | — |
| PA | 91 | 24.9 | $65,900 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 87 | 16.6 | $50,879 | not matched | — |
| WA | 86 | 9.7 | $62,772 | not matched | — |
| CO | 75 | 7.3 | $59,091 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| IL | 70 | 11.4 | $73,751 | not matched | — |
| UT | 66 | 10.9 | $62,997 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 60 | 10.0 | $61,391 | not matched | — |
| OR | 59 | 8.9 | $70,683 | not matched | — |
| MA | 49 | 11.0 | $79,020 | not matched | — |
| NV | 43 | 10.6 | $56,859 | not matched | — |
| CT | 41 | 11.4 | $75,682 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| GA | 40 | 41.1 | $61,456 | not matched | — |
| AL | 37 | 25.7 | $65,798 | not matched | — |
| MI | 37 | 13.7 | $59,061 | not matched | — |
| TN | 35 | 17.6 | $59,502 | not matched | — |
| NC | 31 | 9.9 | $48,961 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| OH | 31 | 38.0 | $69,162 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| MN | 30 | 15.2 | $97,910 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| WI | 26 | 19.3 | $70,988 | not matched | — |
| MT | 24 | 5.4 | $56,116 | not matched | — |
| NM | 21 | 11.1 | $46,047 | not matched | — |
| MD | 21 | 15.1 | $68,533 | not matched | — |
| IN | 20 | 33.6 | $70,783 | not matched | — |
| MO | 19 | 21.2 | $59,291 | not matched | — |
| OK | 18 | 17.2 | $56,181 | not matched | — |
| LA | 17 | 19.5 | $66,722 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| KY | 15 | 28.7 | $46,453 | not matched | — |
| ID | 14 | 7.4 | $48,615 | not matched | — |
| NE | 12 | 15.2 | $53,148 | not matched | — |
| NH | 11 | 10.5 | $78,096 | exam | Weighmaster |
| AR | 9 | 4.0 | $46,639 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| SC | 7 | 5.0 | $39,971 | not matched | — |
| RI | 7 | 14.3 | $63,070 | not matched | — |
| SD | 6 | 6.0 | $72,778 | not matched | — |
| VA | 6 | 31.0 | $60,570 | not matched | — |
| KS | 5 | 18.2 | $71,033 | not matched | — |
| MS | 4 | 3.0 | $48,917 | not matched | — |
| DE | 3 | 16.0 | $56,479 | not matched | — |
| ME | 3 | 4.0 | $59,917 | licence | Dairy License; Weighmaster, Public |
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.