Where is it easiest to open: Automobile and Other Motor Vehicle Merchant Wholesalers
50 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 41-4012” (soc) for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products. 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 | 720 | 17.6 | $107,253 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| TX | 470 | 23.3 | $85,882 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| FL | 456 | 14.0 | $85,255 | not matched | — |
| NY | 269 | 17.5 | $89,766 | not matched | — |
| PA | 212 | 21.7 | $71,377 | not matched | — |
| IL | 181 | 26.4 | $86,290 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| NJ | 179 | 33.5 | $109,443 | not matched | — |
| MI | 171 | 18.9 | $88,736 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| GA | 161 | 30.2 | $99,414 | not matched | — |
| NC | 138 | 21.6 | $80,014 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| OH | 138 | 29.0 | $87,189 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| AZ | 126 | 19.5 | $86,592 | not matched | — |
| IN | 125 | 30.3 | $63,614 | not matched | — |
| WA | 121 | 21.4 | $79,313 | not matched | — |
| WI | 119 | 33.2 | $71,319 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| MO | 109 | 29.4 | $101,468 | not matched | — |
| AL | 105 | 26.2 | $78,868 | not matched | — |
| CO | 90 | 23.4 | $89,845 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| MA | 88 | 17.7 | $101,165 | not matched | — |
| TN | 87 | 34.4 | $83,834 | not matched | — |
| MN | 87 | 44.8 | $111,350 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| VA | 86 | 31.4 | $116,987 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| OR | 82 | 22.5 | $82,926 | not matched | — |
| MD | 80 | 16.1 | $80,546 | not matched | — |
| LA | 68 | 20.0 | $73,316 | not matched | — |
| SC | 66 | 22.7 | $72,325 | not matched | — |
| UT | 65 | 21.7 | $97,282 | not matched | — |
| AR | 64 | 19.3 | $75,301 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| OK | 62 | 29.1 | $77,274 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| IA | 60 | 37.5 | $71,287 | not matched | — |
| KS | 47 | 25.9 | $72,606 | not matched | — |
| MS | 40 | 29.8 | $82,209 | not matched | — |
| NE | 40 | 35.1 | $80,957 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| NV | 38 | 14.4 | $76,821 | not matched | — |
| KY | 37 | 73.6 | $152,680 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| ID | 36 | 30.4 | $72,142 | not matched | — |
| CT | 32 | 18.5 | $94,895 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| ME | 30 | 18.9 | $61,435 | not matched | — |
| ND | 28 | 26.3 | $84,019 | not matched | — |
| SD | 27 | 21.2 | $81,244 | not matched | — |
| NH | 19 | 12.1 | $91,974 | not matched | — |
| DE | 17 | 4.7 | $67,462 | not matched | — |
| NM | 16 | 17.9 | $79,066 | not matched | — |
| RI | 14 | 9.3 | $55,862 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| MT | 14 | 12.1 | $69,371 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| HI | 12 | 14.3 | $82,779 | not matched | — |
| WV | 10 | 40.0 | $44,628 | not matched | — |
| AK | 10 | 27.7 | $89,657 | not matched | — |
| VT | 8 | 24.8 | $119,308 | not matched | — |
| WY | 8 | 18.4 | $73,497 | 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.