Where is it easiest to open: Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing
27 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 51-4121” (soc) for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. 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 | 77 | 45.6 | $65,701 | licence | Welding Contractor |
| TX | 29 | 37.9 | $61,492 | licence | VETERINARIAN |
| PA | 29 | 82.3 | $63,025 | not matched | — |
| IN | 28 | 126.9 | $56,945 | not matched | — |
| MI | 19 | 53.0 | $54,791 | not matched | — |
| NC | 18 | 167.6 | $66,897 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 15 | 23.1 | $63,829 | not matched | — |
| OH | 15 | 117.3 | $59,073 | not matched | — |
| MO | 14 | 45.3 | $46,920 | not matched | — |
| FL | 12 | 61.8 | $43,488 | not matched | — |
| CO | 12 | 21.3 | $57,566 | not matched | — |
| AL | 9 | 89.9 | $74,824 | not matched | — |
| NY | 8 | 81.9 | $71,285 | exam | Field Welder |
| MA | 8 | 21.4 | $90,936 | not matched | — |
| WI | 7 | 32.1 | $80,564 | exam | WELDER; WELD TEST CONDUCTOR - Physical & Radio |
| KS | 7 | 32.0 | $65,830 | not matched | — |
| SD | 7 | 92.4 | $59,434 | not matched | — |
| UT | 6 | 14.0 | $67,071 | not matched | — |
| TN | 6 | 242.5 | $65,054 | not matched | — |
| GA | 6 | 30.8 | $49,719 | not matched | — |
| IL | 6 | 133.0 | $95,148 | not matched | — |
| IA | 4 | 48.8 | $68,554 | not matched | — |
| OK | 4 | 101.5 | $78,219 | licence | Welder |
| OR | 4 | 43.5 | $82,115 | licence | Apprentice, Registered (Industrial Tra |
| KY | 3 | 26.7 | $80,438 | not matched | — |
| NV | 3 | 38.0 | $59,737 | not matched | — |
| WA | 3 | 22.3 | $43,896 | 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.