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Where is it easiest to open: Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 46 | 37.6 | $74,033 | licence | Engineer In Training (E.I.T.); General Engineering Contractor |
| IL | 30 | 62.5 | $88,212 | licence | ENGINEER, INTERN; ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL |
| NJ | 26 | 25.3 | $96,643 | exam | ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING; PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER |
| TX | 17 | 16.5 | $69,505 | licence | ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL; PODIATRIST |
| MN | 15 | 151.2 | $98,243 | licence | Engineer-In-Training; Professional Engineer |
| FL | 14 | 39.1 | $81,892 | licence | Engineering Intern; Professional Engineer |
| OH | 12 | 58.3 | $61,477 | licence | Professional Engineer; Professional Engineers and Surveyors |
| WA | 11 | 41.5 | $93,355 | licence | Engineer; Mechanical Engineer |
| PA | 9 | 41.1 | $96,311 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| NY | 9 | 42.4 | $93,921 | exam | Professional Engineer |
| MI | 7 | 41.4 | $73,303 | exam | Engineer, Licensed Professional; Stationary Engineer |
| WI | 6 | 100.7 | $93,831 | licence | DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - HVAC; DESIGNER OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS - Plum |
| NC | 6 | 19.7 | $104,720 | exam | Engineer Privilege; Professional Engineer |
| VA | 5 | 107.2 | $84,963 | exam | Engineer, Professional License |
| KY | 5 | 120.4 | $83,199 | exam | Hoist Engineer; Professional Engineer |
| CO | 4 | 152.5 | $81,993 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| GA | 3 | 40.3 | $114,975 | exam | Engineer In-Training; Professional Engineer |
| CT | 3 | 54.7 | $74,244 | exam | Engineer-in-training; Professional Engineer |
| NV | 3 | 3.3 | $103,200 | not matched | — |
| IN | 3 | 32.0 | $61,510 | exam | Engineer Intern; Professional Engineer |
| SC | 3 | 141.7 | $94,155 | licence | Engineer Construction Manager; Engineering and Land Surveying |
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.