Where is it easiest to open: Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers
46 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 | 660 | 12.4 | $96,589 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| NY | 284 | 13.5 | $74,559 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 226 | 21.5 | $101,705 | not matched | — |
| FL | 216 | 15.6 | $83,107 | not matched | — |
| IL | 205 | 21.1 | $112,556 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| TX | 200 | 14.8 | $82,130 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| PA | 127 | 20.2 | $72,785 | not matched | — |
| OH | 106 | 16.7 | $86,779 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| GA | 80 | 42.4 | $90,479 | not matched | — |
| WA | 76 | 19.1 | $83,714 | not matched | — |
| NC | 71 | 23.2 | $75,319 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| MA | 71 | 34.7 | $92,829 | not matched | — |
| MI | 64 | 13.0 | $83,112 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| MO | 60 | 23.3 | $102,380 | not matched | — |
| TN | 60 | 20.1 | $81,746 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 54 | 18.3 | $68,240 | not matched | — |
| MN | 51 | 18.0 | $82,381 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| CT | 46 | 13.0 | $113,710 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| WI | 46 | 19.3 | $104,893 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| CO | 39 | 12.6 | $98,814 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| OR | 37 | 19.8 | $90,941 | not matched | — |
| MD | 36 | 28.2 | $94,491 | not matched | — |
| VA | 33 | 11.6 | $86,870 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| HI | 31 | 12.4 | $79,021 | not matched | — |
| SC | 28 | 43.8 | $100,390 | not matched | — |
| NV | 27 | 15.8 | $72,585 | not matched | — |
| UT | 26 | 49.9 | $105,880 | not matched | — |
| IN | 22 | 21.2 | $107,844 | not matched | — |
| LA | 22 | 12.5 | $67,653 | not matched | — |
| AR | 18 | 20.7 | $81,290 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| AL | 18 | 16.3 | $86,696 | not matched | — |
| KS | 14 | 7.6 | $73,245 | not matched | — |
| OK | 13 | 19.2 | $78,816 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| NE | 12 | 11.2 | $91,741 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| KY | 10 | 12.0 | $67,542 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| ID | 10 | 12.9 | $85,674 | not matched | — |
| RI | 10 | 6.4 | $85,609 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| IA | 9 | 20.8 | $96,690 | not matched | — |
| DE | 9 | 8.9 | $50,712 | not matched | — |
| NM | 8 | 15.2 | $61,730 | not matched | — |
| ND | 5 | 49.6 | $80,573 | not matched | — |
| NH | 4 | 7.0 | $92,893 | not matched | — |
| SD | 4 | 10.8 | $78,930 | not matched | — |
| ME | 4 | 13.0 | $59,577 | not matched | — |
| AK | 3 | 17.3 | $80,346 | not matched | — |
| MS | 3 | 8.7 | $76,500 | 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.