Where is it easiest to open: Other Commercial Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
47 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 | 469 | 10.5 | $76,991 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| FL | 297 | 8.2 | $66,821 | not matched | — |
| TX | 297 | 15.1 | $76,545 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NY | 242 | 7.9 | $65,509 | not matched | — |
| IL | 131 | 32.6 | $79,077 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| PA | 127 | 18.1 | $84,440 | not matched | — |
| OH | 105 | 27.2 | $71,859 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| NJ | 102 | 15.8 | $80,445 | not matched | — |
| NC | 89 | 15.8 | $66,916 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| GA | 86 | 8.4 | $71,640 | not matched | — |
| WA | 77 | 12.9 | $77,633 | not matched | — |
| MI | 72 | 17.7 | $77,075 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| TN | 67 | 19.1 | $73,679 | not matched | — |
| CO | 63 | 9.4 | $70,466 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| AZ | 62 | 9.5 | $65,450 | not matched | — |
| MA | 57 | 16.2 | $84,901 | not matched | — |
| MO | 56 | 12.8 | $66,960 | not matched | — |
| WI | 50 | 16.6 | $88,191 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| MD | 45 | 15.6 | $81,752 | not matched | — |
| IN | 45 | 19.8 | $76,853 | not matched | — |
| OR | 37 | 16.7 | $82,031 | not matched | — |
| MN | 36 | 30.7 | $164,365 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| SC | 34 | 8.4 | $53,768 | not matched | — |
| OK | 34 | 17.1 | $80,060 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| CT | 32 | 20.0 | $73,477 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| UT | 30 | 15.4 | $73,633 | not matched | — |
| KS | 30 | 13.9 | $75,967 | not matched | — |
| NV | 30 | 16.9 | $50,709 | not matched | — |
| AL | 23 | 10.8 | $69,004 | not matched | — |
| IA | 19 | 11.1 | $67,706 | not matched | — |
| HI | 17 | 8.5 | $73,200 | not matched | — |
| VA | 17 | 5.6 | $59,510 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| AR | 16 | 12.9 | $62,743 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| LA | 14 | 9.9 | $66,812 | not matched | — |
| RI | 14 | 8.6 | $64,117 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| MT | 13 | 8.5 | $59,064 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| KY | 13 | 11.4 | $143,757 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| NM | 11 | 12.5 | $33,514 | not matched | — |
| MS | 10 | 9.7 | $59,206 | not matched | — |
| SD | 9 | 8.3 | $73,627 | not matched | — |
| NH | 8 | 9.1 | $60,644 | not matched | — |
| NE | 8 | 6.2 | $116,780 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| DE | 8 | 18.4 | $68,320 | not matched | — |
| AK | 7 | 10.4 | $60,452 | not matched | — |
| ND | 6 | 12.8 | $93,221 | not matched | — |
| ID | 6 | 12.7 | $62,671 | not matched | — |
| WV | 4 | 8.8 | $63,086 | 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.