Where is it easiest to open: General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
45 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 | 507 | 36.4 | $68,437 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| NY | 463 | 13.7 | $58,785 | not matched | — |
| FL | 295 | 34.4 | $67,608 | not matched | — |
| TX | 186 | 50.0 | $95,181 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| IL | 170 | 40.9 | $81,984 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| NJ | 166 | 46.3 | $76,818 | not matched | — |
| WA | 79 | 28.9 | $71,510 | not matched | — |
| GA | 72 | 51.3 | $60,081 | not matched | — |
| PA | 71 | 83.4 | $66,304 | not matched | — |
| OH | 58 | 52.3 | $64,698 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| MI | 56 | 93.7 | $70,228 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| MD | 49 | 56.7 | $66,786 | not matched | — |
| NC | 48 | 61.7 | $71,372 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| MA | 44 | 74.3 | $75,896 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 43 | 86.5 | $80,616 | not matched | — |
| VA | 43 | 34.9 | $86,515 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| TN | 35 | 61.1 | $81,529 | not matched | — |
| CO | 35 | 97.0 | $81,641 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| NV | 30 | 27.9 | $73,496 | not matched | — |
| MN | 28 | 62.4 | $78,619 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| MO | 27 | 74.8 | $74,180 | not matched | — |
| LA | 25 | 94.4 | $62,587 | not matched | — |
| OR | 24 | 65.8 | $64,295 | not matched | — |
| CT | 23 | 128.6 | $69,970 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| UT | 23 | 99.3 | $67,350 | not matched | — |
| IN | 20 | 52.2 | $68,473 | not matched | — |
| NE | 18 | 59.1 | $70,570 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| KY | 17 | 66.1 | $68,911 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| WI | 16 | 56.2 | $76,383 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| DE | 13 | 13.7 | $84,865 | not matched | — |
| HI | 13 | 33.5 | $57,625 | not matched | — |
| ID | 11 | 39.9 | $76,032 | not matched | — |
| MS | 11 | 171.1 | $66,219 | not matched | — |
| AL | 10 | 174.2 | $68,662 | not matched | — |
| OK | 10 | 122.5 | $72,269 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| NM | 9 | 112.3 | $65,162 | not matched | — |
| DC | 8 | 5.8 | $58,978 | not matched | — |
| MT | 8 | 66.0 | $75,153 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| SC | 8 | 133.4 | $21,413 | not matched | — |
| IA | 7 | 110.1 | $69,355 | not matched | — |
| AK | 7 | 30.7 | $85,423 | not matched | — |
| RI | 6 | 7.0 | $31,976 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| NH | 4 | 75.0 | $42,280 | not matched | — |
| ND | 4 | 119.2 | $73,436 | not matched | — |
| AR | 3 | 2.7 | $64,500 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
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.