Where is it easiest to open: Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 82 | 52.8 | $83,222 | not matched | — |
| CA | 48 | 26.2 | $68,401 | not matched | — |
| PA | 23 | 79.0 | $59,405 | not matched | — |
| IL | 22 | 24.0 | $70,368 | not matched | — |
| MI | 22 | 26.0 | $60,267 | not matched | — |
| OK | 19 | 53.4 | $62,459 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 10 | 14.9 | $68,685 | not matched | — |
| AL | 9 | 28.8 | $62,838 | not matched | — |
| OH | 9 | 18.2 | $77,945 | licence | Weigher, Sampler, and Tester License |
| WI | 8 | 68.9 | $79,203 | not matched | — |
| FL | 8 | 15.5 | $74,726 | not matched | — |
| OR | 8 | 45.4 | $62,416 | not matched | — |
| LA | 7 | 18.0 | $89,341 | exam | Measurer- Sampler, Dairy Products |
| MN | 6 | 25.2 | $73,477 | licence | Bulk Milk Hauler & Sampler License |
| NY | 6 | 6.7 | $52,875 | not matched | — |
| SC | 3 | 56.3 | $78,041 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 30.7 | $66,250 | not matched | — |
| WA | 3 | 43.3 | $58,438 | not matched | — |
| NC | 3 | 93.0 | $113,373 | exam | Antifreeze Registration; Livestock Market |
| NH | 3 | 4.7 | $45,714 | exam | Weighmaster |
| IN | 3 | 10.0 | $45,033 | 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.