Where is it easiest to open: Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Local
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-3032” (soc) for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. 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 | 3,303 | 7.4 | $73,466 | licence | Commercial Driver License |
| TX | 2,196 | 11.0 | $73,958 | exam | TOW TRUCK OPERATOR |
| IL | 1,778 | 4.2 | $68,393 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA; DRIVER |
| PA | 1,261 | 9.5 | $66,450 | not matched | — |
| OH | 1,226 | 7.6 | $63,184 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| FL | 1,210 | 5.5 | $58,549 | exam | Teaching Driver Education |
| WI | 1,135 | 6.4 | $66,880 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER |
| NY | 1,059 | 8.6 | $67,507 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| IA | 942 | 4.2 | $57,816 | not matched | — |
| IN | 916 | 8.0 | $67,549 | not matched | — |
| NC | 915 | 7.6 | $58,143 | exam | Classified Drivers License (Non-commer; Commercial Driver License (Class A, B |
| GA | 781 | 8.2 | $55,878 | not matched | — |
| MN | 744 | 5.5 | $64,003 | licence | Commercial Driver's License (CDL); Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Haza |
| MI | 716 | 7.4 | $70,732 | exam | Chauffeur License; Commercial Driver License (C.D.L.) |
| WA | 711 | 5.9 | $70,868 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| VA | 699 | 8.4 | $55,765 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| NJ | 677 | 7.0 | $63,020 | exam | BUS DRIVER; HARNESS RACE DRIVER |
| MO | 630 | 6.1 | $56,026 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| CO | 598 | 5.9 | $69,763 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| NE | 582 | 4.2 | $56,854 | licence | Truck Driver (Heavy); Truck Driver (Light or Delivery Servic |
| AL | 535 | 6.9 | $55,391 | exam | CDL Class A |
| LA | 497 | 7.3 | $61,315 | licence | Truck Driver, Certified |
| MA | 482 | 7.1 | $64,128 | exam | BUS DRIVER; COMMERCIAL DRIVERS |
| KY | 480 | 6.7 | $59,744 | exam | Driver, Hazardous Materials Endorsemen; Licensed Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| TN | 453 | 7.7 | $57,310 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER |
| AZ | 450 | 9.8 | $72,506 | licence | Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| OR | 444 | 8.1 | $72,421 | licence | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Truck Eq; School Bus Driver Certificate |
| MD | 437 | 6.4 | $62,251 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| AR | 424 | 7.5 | $59,540 | exam | Commercial Driver (Tractor-Trailer Tru; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cylinder Deliv |
| OK | 411 | 10.3 | $64,094 | not matched | — |
| MS | 397 | 6.2 | $52,858 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| ID | 360 | 7.5 | $55,187 | exam | Commercial Drivers |
| KS | 352 | 7.7 | $62,824 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| ND | 351 | 8.1 | $84,229 | not matched | — |
| UT | 349 | 10.0 | $78,903 | licence | DRIVER - HEAVY TRUCK & TRACTOR TRAILER |
| WV | 328 | 7.1 | $59,267 | not matched | — |
| ME | 273 | 4.2 | $59,831 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Driver Education Instructor, School |
| SC | 262 | 10.8 | $65,496 | not matched | — |
| SD | 248 | 2.9 | $58,919 | licence | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MT | 245 | 3.9 | $66,062 | exam | Bus Drivers; Taxi Drivers |
| NM | 239 | 10.1 | $80,904 | exam | Commercial Vehicle Drivers License |
| WY | 204 | 6.3 | $77,315 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER; TRUCK DRIVER |
| NV | 199 | 6.6 | $72,944 | not matched | — |
| CT | 165 | 7.2 | $70,996 | not matched | — |
| NH | 115 | 4.7 | $59,858 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| DE | 108 | 5.3 | $83,528 | not matched | — |
| VT | 108 | 4.3 | $56,828 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| HI | 81 | 8.7 | $67,431 | not matched | — |
| RI | 76 | 6.1 | $78,440 | exam | Chauffeur / CDL; Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| AK | 63 | 3.6 | $99,404 | licence | Bus Driver, School; Vehicle for Hire Permit in City of Fai |
| DC | 5 | 5.6 | $50,643 | exam | TRUCK DRIVER, HEAVY(CDL) |
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.