Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Construction Machinery Manufacturing
19 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 17-2141” (soc) for Mechanical Engineers. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WI | 23 | 170.8 | $87,229 | licence | DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - HVAC; DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - Plum |
| CA | 17 | 20.1 | $74,143 | licence | Engineer In Training (E.I.T.); General Engineering Contractor |
| OH | 15 | 46.3 | $74,036 | licence | Professional Engineer; Professional Engineers and Surveyors |
| TX | 14 | 27.9 | $75,246 | licence | ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL; PODIATRIST |
| MN | 13 | 115.8 | $80,854 | licence | Engineer-In-Training; Professional Engineer |
| PA | 12 | 193.2 | $74,232 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| IL | 12 | 134.9 | $74,105 | licence | ENGINEER, INTERN; ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL |
| IN | 8 | 34.0 | $76,051 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| FL | 7 | 29.7 | $68,101 | licence | Engineering Intern; Professional Engineer |
| TN | 6 | 367.8 | $72,835 | exam | ENGINEER INTERNS; PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| NC | 5 | 192.2 | $77,232 | exam | Engineer Privilege; Professional Engineer |
| AZ | 4 | 47.5 | $55,184 | licence | Engineer/Mechanical |
| KS | 4 | 70.5 | $76,379 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| OK | 4 | 48.2 | $64,311 | licence | Engineer Intern |
| WA | 4 | 19.2 | $89,468 | licence | Engineer; Mechanical Engineer |
| IA | 3 | 670.7 | $90,124 | not matched | — |
| UT | 3 | 9.3 | $77,107 | licence | PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| ID | 3 | 39.3 | $67,873 | exam | Engineer; Engineer Intern |
| NJ | 3 | 5.7 | $77,118 | exam | ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING; PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
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.