Where is it easiest to open: Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers
45 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 | 325 | 14.7 | $58,338 | not matched | — |
| TX | 170 | 22.1 | $56,603 | not matched | — |
| MI | 131 | 25.9 | $52,515 | not matched | — |
| OH | 127 | 24.0 | $61,211 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| PA | 108 | 23.2 | $66,781 | not matched | — |
| IN | 88 | 26.1 | $63,299 | not matched | — |
| IL | 87 | 30.9 | $60,618 | not matched | — |
| WI | 80 | 33.5 | $54,221 | not matched | — |
| FL | 79 | 9.1 | $52,017 | not matched | — |
| NY | 65 | 19.2 | $67,589 | not matched | — |
| NC | 51 | 16.2 | $50,286 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| MN | 51 | 23.0 | $54,379 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| MA | 49 | 37.4 | $67,160 | not matched | — |
| WA | 48 | 12.3 | $47,491 | not matched | — |
| OR | 47 | 14.8 | $56,980 | not matched | — |
| CT | 45 | 28.7 | $67,422 | licence | Milk Examiner; Operator Of Weighing & Measuring Devic |
| AZ | 41 | 13.2 | $50,168 | not matched | — |
| CO | 39 | 11.5 | $51,604 | exam | Certified Weigher's License; Egg Seller |
| NJ | 28 | 27.0 | $60,448 | not matched | — |
| MO | 27 | 10.6 | $56,240 | not matched | — |
| OK | 23 | 12.3 | $59,845 | not matched | — |
| UT | 22 | 13.8 | $51,284 | not matched | — |
| NV | 21 | 13.4 | $45,413 | not matched | — |
| TN | 19 | 28.9 | $57,179 | not matched | — |
| IA | 18 | 10.2 | $41,404 | exam | Sampling Technician |
| GA | 17 | 8.0 | $69,779 | not matched | — |
| SC | 17 | 29.0 | $54,047 | not matched | — |
| AL | 16 | 28.3 | $84,481 | not matched | — |
| RI | 14 | 11.2 | $44,522 | not matched | — |
| VA | 12 | 8.2 | $70,838 | not matched | — |
| MD | 11 | 15.8 | $82,218 | not matched | — |
| LA | 9 | 46.7 | $80,269 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| KY | 9 | 13.1 | $58,737 | not matched | — |
| KS | 9 | 16.7 | $32,980 | not matched | — |
| NH | 9 | 31.6 | $39,275 | exam | Weighmaster |
| ID | 8 | 6.5 | $34,808 | not matched | — |
| NE | 7 | 4.0 | $42,500 | not matched | — |
| ME | 4 | 2.2 | $19,222 | licence | Dairy License; Weighmaster, Public |
| DE | 4 | 18.5 | $63,662 | not matched | — |
| MT | 4 | 2.5 | $30,100 | not matched | — |
| WV | 4 | 74.0 | $118,017 | not matched | — |
| MS | 3 | 27.3 | $59,634 | not matched | — |
| AR | 3 | 19.0 | $60,825 | exam | Class A and B Hydrostatic Testing Tech |
| NM | 3 | 7.0 | $55,000 | not matched | — |
| ND | 3 | 7.7 | $63,957 | 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.