Where is it easiest to open: All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
42 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 49-9099” (soc) for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other. 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 | 339 | 9.1 | $57,654 | not matched | — |
| FL | 232 | 8.1 | $49,421 | not matched | — |
| MI | 219 | 8.8 | $56,277 | not matched | — |
| TX | 150 | 8.8 | $47,289 | exam | FIRE EXTINGUISHER TECHNICIAN |
| NY | 144 | 14.5 | $56,796 | not matched | — |
| MN | 115 | 11.4 | $58,181 | licence | Lake Service Provider (LSP); Placing in Service Permit |
| IL | 96 | 13.9 | $64,188 | licence | FIRE EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTOR (CLASS A, B; FIRE EQUIPMENT EMPLOYEE (CLASS 1, 2, 3 |
| PA | 92 | 9.3 | $63,579 | not matched | — |
| OH | 80 | 8.0 | $50,889 | not matched | — |
| SC | 59 | 7.7 | $50,719 | not matched | — |
| MA | 46 | 16.0 | $77,236 | not matched | — |
| WA | 45 | 8.1 | $45,942 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 44 | 12.5 | $60,239 | not matched | — |
| UT | 40 | 6.5 | $47,907 | not matched | — |
| NV | 35 | 176.5 | $119,678 | not matched | — |
| OR | 34 | 9.2 | $61,736 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 33 | 8.6 | $46,777 | not matched | — |
| CO | 30 | 6.8 | $65,191 | not matched | — |
| CT | 30 | 17.5 | $68,811 | exam | Limited Geothermal Contractor |
| GA | 30 | 6.2 | $59,102 | not matched | — |
| MO | 27 | 22.4 | $81,381 | not matched | — |
| WI | 25 | 18.0 | $49,698 | exam | ABOVEGROUND TANK SYSTEM INSTALLER; AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM APPREN |
| NC | 25 | 26.2 | $48,726 | exam | Fire Sprinkler Installation Contractor; Residential Fire Sprinkler Installatio |
| ID | 25 | 6.3 | $102,720 | not matched | — |
| IN | 23 | 21.1 | $56,555 | not matched | — |
| TN | 21 | 18.3 | $54,263 | exam | FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPECIALIST; FIRE EXTINGUISHER TECHNICIAN |
| OK | 20 | 35.0 | $74,174 | exam | Aboveground Storage Tank Installer; Aboveground Storage Tank Remover |
| ME | 20 | 14.7 | $52,867 | not matched | — |
| LA | 12 | 28.4 | $47,337 | exam | Fire Extinguisher Contractor/ Technici |
| NM | 10 | 9.8 | $45,265 | not matched | — |
| KS | 10 | 6.2 | $41,597 | not matched | — |
| MD | 9 | 8.2 | $57,216 | not matched | — |
| RI | 9 | 7.7 | $36,667 | licence | Fire Extinguisher Installer/Servicer |
| KY | 8 | 23.9 | $49,052 | licence | Kentucky Fire Prevention Contractor - ; Kentucky Fire Prevention Contractor - |
| VA | 7 | 15.7 | $73,455 | not matched | — |
| DE | 4 | 14.2 | $40,333 | not matched | — |
| AL | 3 | 159.0 | $74,015 | not matched | — |
| HI | 3 | 34.3 | $61,505 | not matched | — |
| WY | 3 | 7.7 | $36,304 | not matched | — |
| NH | 3 | 17.3 | $45,385 | not matched | — |
| NE | 3 | 1.3 | $6,500 | not matched | — |
| MT | 3 | 6.0 | $52,444 | 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.