Where is it easiest to open: Farm Supplies 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 | 765 | 15.3 | $90,677 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| IL | 654 | 12.1 | $80,817 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| IA | 632 | 12.7 | $90,130 | not matched | — |
| TX | 447 | 9.8 | $78,657 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NE | 441 | 8.4 | $71,266 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| WI | 313 | 12.4 | $70,801 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| KS | 295 | 9.3 | $82,309 | not matched | — |
| IN | 277 | 10.4 | $73,328 | not matched | — |
| WA | 274 | 12.3 | $82,141 | not matched | — |
| MO | 269 | 10.3 | $81,250 | not matched | — |
| SD | 268 | 10.2 | $92,784 | not matched | — |
| MN | 266 | 13.5 | $102,884 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| FL | 242 | 9.2 | $95,371 | not matched | — |
| OH | 239 | 9.4 | $74,443 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| ND | 228 | 7.6 | $84,494 | not matched | — |
| NC | 177 | 28.0 | $97,387 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| OR | 167 | 15.9 | $70,447 | not matched | — |
| GA | 160 | 15.1 | $81,706 | not matched | — |
| MI | 153 | 10.9 | $72,892 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| ID | 139 | 14.1 | $82,195 | not matched | — |
| AR | 136 | 11.5 | $71,401 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| NY | 133 | 7.7 | $76,880 | not matched | — |
| PA | 130 | 18.5 | $64,300 | not matched | — |
| CO | 104 | 17.5 | $83,020 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| AZ | 96 | 12.5 | $91,881 | not matched | — |
| LA | 85 | 9.7 | $75,970 | not matched | — |
| KY | 81 | 10.8 | $74,539 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| TN | 80 | 13.6 | $76,059 | not matched | — |
| MS | 79 | 8.4 | $74,488 | not matched | — |
| AL | 74 | 11.9 | $67,157 | not matched | — |
| MT | 71 | 6.1 | $70,195 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| OK | 70 | 9.2 | $69,544 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| SC | 60 | 10.2 | $75,519 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 54 | 11.1 | $87,351 | not matched | — |
| UT | 38 | 14.6 | $53,103 | not matched | — |
| MD | 38 | 8.7 | $71,567 | not matched | — |
| VA | 31 | 13.3 | $71,214 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| MA | 29 | 10.3 | $95,805 | not matched | — |
| DE | 28 | 11.0 | $83,805 | not matched | — |
| CT | 26 | 7.7 | $148,241 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| NV | 23 | 7.0 | $87,290 | not matched | — |
| NM | 18 | 8.8 | $58,481 | not matched | — |
| HI | 17 | 10.1 | $68,006 | not matched | — |
| VT | 15 | 9.7 | $94,014 | not matched | — |
| ME | 13 | 6.8 | $82,670 | not matched | — |
| NH | 8 | 9.9 | $60,329 | not matched | — |
| WY | 7 | 8.3 | $64,741 | 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.