Where is it easiest to open: Other Support Activities for Air Transportation
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 49-3011” (soc) for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 654 | 22.8 | $72,786 | not matched | — |
| CA | 472 | 17.3 | $74,341 | not matched | — |
| TX | 456 | 45.8 | $69,569 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 148 | 25.7 | $69,461 | not matched | — |
| GA | 117 | 21.1 | $71,194 | not matched | — |
| WA | 99 | 22.3 | $72,917 | not matched | — |
| OK | 83 | 22.3 | $65,510 | exam | Aircraft Mechanic; Aircraft Repairperson |
| CO | 81 | 19.7 | $57,203 | not matched | — |
| IL | 78 | 39.7 | $65,256 | not matched | — |
| NC | 75 | 29.7 | $67,538 | not matched | — |
| NY | 74 | 38.0 | $62,824 | not matched | — |
| AK | 70 | 15.6 | $75,675 | licence | Aircraft Mechanic |
| OH | 62 | 43.7 | $71,552 | licence | Airframe, Power Plant, or Repairer Lic |
| AL | 62 | 47.2 | $83,229 | licence | Licensed Aircraft Mechanic |
| KS | 55 | 47.2 | $93,087 | exam | Aircraft Mechanic |
| NJ | 51 | 29.8 | $104,784 | not matched | — |
| MI | 51 | 51.1 | $69,204 | not matched | — |
| PA | 50 | 21.7 | $56,541 | not matched | — |
| TN | 44 | 36.5 | $68,179 | not matched | — |
| OR | 42 | 12.5 | $80,588 | licence | Apprentice, Registered (Industrial Tra |
| NV | 40 | 14.9 | $71,174 | not matched | — |
| UT | 38 | 11.2 | $94,481 | licence | AIRCRAFT MECHANIC |
| AR | 33 | 9.5 | $45,061 | not matched | — |
| MO | 32 | 18.9 | $78,832 | not matched | — |
| MD | 31 | 22.5 | $102,050 | not matched | — |
| SC | 30 | 16.3 | $99,914 | not matched | — |
| MN | 29 | 13.3 | $89,181 | not matched | — |
| ID | 27 | 7.7 | $63,678 | not matched | — |
| VA | 26 | 11.1 | $66,587 | not matched | — |
| CT | 26 | 28.5 | $72,310 | not matched | — |
| IN | 26 | 40.1 | $82,494 | not matched | — |
| LA | 25 | 13.0 | $63,240 | not matched | — |
| KY | 24 | 24.6 | $81,417 | not matched | — |
| MT | 22 | 7.3 | $53,119 | licence | Aircraft Mechanics |
| WI | 22 | 32.5 | $76,761 | not matched | — |
| MA | 20 | 16.7 | $82,377 | not matched | — |
| HI | 15 | 9.3 | $64,793 | not matched | — |
| NM | 15 | 8.7 | $61,153 | not matched | — |
| NE | 14 | 127.5 | $81,659 | licence | Aviation Mechanic, Certificated |
| MS | 13 | 29.8 | $103,183 | not matched | — |
| DE | 13 | 24.3 | $101,630 | not matched | — |
| NH | 11 | 14.0 | $92,357 | not matched | — |
| ME | 10 | 21.1 | $55,393 | not matched | — |
| WY | 6 | 3.5 | $53,762 | exam | AIRCRAFT MECHANIC |
| SD | 6 | 6.8 | $45,707 | not matched | — |
| VT | 5 | 12.2 | $76,000 | not matched | — |
| ND | 5 | 3.8 | $47,632 | not matched | — |
| DC | 4 | 61.2 | $79,710 | exam | Aircraft Mechanic - A & P; Aircraft Repairer |
| WV | 4 | 103.0 | $59,837 | not matched | — |
| IA | 4 | 30.0 | $23,442 | not matched | — |
| RI | 3 | 12.7 | $45,711 | 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.