Where is it easiest to open: Metal Heat Treating
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MI | 80 | 27.4 | $66,727 | not matched | — |
| CA | 65 | 25.0 | $77,541 | not matched | — |
| OH | 59 | 25.4 | $60,550 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| TX | 34 | 63.3 | $72,782 | not matched | — |
| IL | 28 | 30.1 | $51,391 | not matched | — |
| IN | 22 | 45.1 | $84,716 | not matched | — |
| WI | 21 | 42.9 | $64,904 | not matched | — |
| PA | 18 | 25.6 | $61,130 | not matched | — |
| CT | 17 | 17.8 | $76,417 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| OK | 9 | 7.6 | $66,515 | not matched | — |
| MA | 9 | 19.3 | $61,230 | not matched | — |
| SC | 9 | 52.2 | $61,994 | not matched | — |
| NY | 7 | 49.1 | $74,099 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 7 | 21.3 | $59,268 | not matched | — |
| OR | 7 | 23.7 | $68,518 | not matched | — |
| MN | 6 | 22.8 | $78,942 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| RI | 4 | 8.5 | $66,882 | not matched | — |
| WA | 4 | 27.8 | $59,306 | not matched | — |
| IA | 4 | 9.5 | $51,500 | exam | Sampling Technician |
| TN | 3 | 7.7 | $91,522 | not matched | — |
| KS | 3 | 61.0 | $50,568 | 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.