Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Special Die and Tool, Die Set, Jig, and Fixture Manufacturing
32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MI | 373 | 29.6 | $77,062 | exam | Engineer, Licensed Professional; Stationary Engineer |
| OH | 161 | 20.2 | $60,334 | licence | Professional Engineer; Professional Engineers and Surveyors |
| IL | 121 | 16.1 | $68,883 | licence | ENGINEER, INTERN; ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL |
| CA | 114 | 14.7 | $75,771 | licence | Engineer In Training (E.I.T.); General Engineering Contractor |
| PA | 100 | 17.3 | $63,347 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| IN | 86 | 16.1 | $63,392 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| WI | 86 | 25.7 | $69,557 | licence | DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - HVAC; DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - Plum |
| CT | 43 | 12.7 | $70,046 | exam | Engineer-in-training; Professional Engineer |
| TX | 35 | 9.1 | $68,154 | licence | ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL; PODIATRIST |
| NY | 33 | 14.9 | $55,586 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| TN | 30 | 11.8 | $55,715 | exam | ENGINEER INTERNS; PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| MA | 30 | 12.7 | $69,691 | exam | ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING; ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL |
| MN | 26 | 59.4 | $92,620 | licence | Engineer-In-Training; Professional Engineer |
| NJ | 21 | 15.0 | $59,565 | exam | ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING; PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| FL | 15 | 3.8 | $64,614 | licence | Engineering Intern; Professional Engineer |
| MO | 12 | 34.7 | $58,663 | licence | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| AL | 12 | 33.9 | $50,300 | exam | Licensed Professional Engineer |
| WA | 12 | 23.2 | $75,932 | licence | Engineer; Mechanical Engineer |
| OR | 11 | 18.5 | $62,256 | licence | Engineer, Licensed Professional |
| NC | 10 | 13.7 | $61,241 | exam | Engineer Privilege; Professional Engineer |
| SC | 9 | 6.3 | $80,702 | licence | Engineer Construction Manager; Engineering and Land Surveying |
| AZ | 8 | 17.0 | $53,228 | licence | Engineer/Mechanical |
| KY | 7 | 11.9 | $74,711 | exam | Hoist Engineer; Professional Engineer |
| NH | 6 | 15.2 | $71,451 | exam | Engineer, Professional |
| IA | 6 | 24.7 | $74,662 | not matched | — |
| RI | 6 | 2.8 | $40,765 | exam | Engineer, Professional |
| AR | 6 | 17.2 | $41,883 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| VT | 6 | 9.8 | $62,000 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| MD | 4 | 32.2 | $61,256 | licence | ENGINEER IN TRAINING; PE FIRM CORPORATION |
| KS | 4 | 5.2 | $74,524 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| CO | 4 | 1.8 | $46,143 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| NM | 3 | 8.0 | $85,958 | exam | Engineering Intern Certification; Professional Engineers |
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.