Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 15 | 23.5 | $70,676 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 9 | 50.7 | $77,739 | licence | Engineer/Mechanical |
| TX | 9 | 19.0 | $75,953 | licence | ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL; PODIATRIST |
| UT | 8 | 20.4 | $71,920 | licence | PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| PA | 6 | 50.7 | $78,734 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| VA | 4 | 33.8 | $57,319 | exam | Engineer, Professional License |
| KY | 3 | 53.7 | $72,882 | exam | Hoist Engineer; Professional Engineer |
| CO | 3 | 20.7 | $70,597 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| IL | 3 | 25.3 | $72,816 | licence | ENGINEER, INTERN; ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL |
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.