Where is it easiest to open: Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
22 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 | 76 | 37.7 | $80,948 | not matched | — |
| CA | 40 | 32.9 | $64,727 | not matched | — |
| OH | 14 | 57.7 | $78,491 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| PA | 10 | 63.7 | $64,138 | not matched | — |
| OK | 9 | 18.1 | $91,337 | not matched | — |
| MO | 7 | 146.1 | $65,543 | not matched | — |
| AL | 6 | 77.8 | $74,109 | not matched | — |
| MN | 4 | 62.2 | $74,273 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| NC | 4 | 43.8 | $77,063 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| IL | 4 | 11.0 | $81,045 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 55.3 | $76,795 | not matched | — |
| WI | 3 | 55.7 | $80,856 | not matched | — |
| WY | 3 | 23.0 | $70,493 | licence | CATHODIC PROTECTION TESTER |
| FL | 3 | 8.7 | $58,154 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 13.7 | $34,732 | not matched | — |
| IN | 3 | 47.0 | $123,277 | not matched | — |
| KS | 3 | 168.7 | $58,441 | not matched | — |
| MA | 3 | 43.7 | $67,824 | not matched | — |
| MI | 3 | 16.0 | $54,292 | not matched | — |
| NM | 3 | 52.0 | $98,538 | not matched | — |
| NY | 3 | 10.0 | $71,433 | not matched | — |
| OR | 3 | 37.0 | $87,586 | 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.