Where is it easiest to open: Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers
35 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 | 915 | 4.8 | $59,266 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| NY | 427 | 6.4 | $79,163 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 156 | 8.8 | $68,300 | not matched | — |
| FL | 145 | 5.9 | $51,364 | not matched | — |
| TX | 144 | 6.4 | $53,654 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NC | 99 | 16.2 | $66,798 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| GA | 63 | 8.2 | $53,895 | not matched | — |
| IL | 48 | 8.1 | $76,061 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| SC | 43 | 20.6 | $59,551 | not matched | — |
| MI | 36 | 20.5 | $75,923 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| PA | 35 | 9.7 | $56,690 | not matched | — |
| MA | 31 | 11.7 | $82,188 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 28 | 4.2 | $59,653 | not matched | — |
| WA | 27 | 6.7 | $80,583 | not matched | — |
| CO | 23 | 3.9 | $78,578 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| CT | 20 | 5.9 | $92,729 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| MD | 18 | 5.8 | $45,500 | not matched | — |
| OH | 17 | 8.0 | $50,684 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| MN | 14 | 9.7 | $54,706 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| NV | 13 | 3.8 | $69,347 | not matched | — |
| UT | 11 | 9.5 | $50,762 | not matched | — |
| MO | 11 | 8.1 | $72,393 | not matched | — |
| OR | 10 | 34.4 | $43,971 | not matched | — |
| IN | 10 | 24.5 | $48,841 | not matched | — |
| OK | 9 | 29.9 | $76,948 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| HI | 8 | 6.1 | $57,612 | not matched | — |
| DC | 8 | 2.2 | $97,111 | not matched | — |
| AL | 6 | 12.8 | $64,662 | not matched | — |
| LA | 6 | 4.7 | $54,607 | not matched | — |
| MS | 6 | 9.0 | $54,944 | not matched | — |
| RI | 6 | 9.2 | $59,964 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| KS | 5 | 9.4 | $52,660 | not matched | — |
| IA | 3 | 0.3 | $96,000 | not matched | — |
| VA | 3 | 1.3 | $51,250 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| ME | 3 | 1.3 | $64,500 | 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.