Where is it easiest to open: Port and Harbor Operations
15 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-5021” (soc) for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels. 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 | 31 | 38.2 | $38,421 | licence | Deputy Harbor Pilot; State Pilot |
| TX | 28 | 37.4 | $56,638 | not matched | — |
| CA | 16 | 29.5 | $105,331 | licence | For-Hire Vessel Operator License |
| LA | 16 | 68.5 | $79,237 | not matched | — |
| MD | 11 | 117.5 | $64,641 | licence | PILOT IN TRAINING; PILOT OF UNLIMITED DRAUGHT |
| NY | 8 | 55.1 | $39,073 | exam | Public Vessel Operator |
| NJ | 8 | 121.6 | $180,030 | not matched | — |
| WA | 7 | 14.4 | $99,614 | not matched | — |
| VA | 7 | 187.0 | $67,748 | not matched | — |
| GA | 3 | 31.7 | $32,158 | not matched | — |
| DE | 3 | 309.0 | $55,878 | exam | Apprentice River Pilot ; River Pilot |
| OR | 3 | 6.7 | $116,800 | licence | Maritime Pilot Apprentice Trainee; Maritime Pilot Trainee |
| CT | 3 | 39.3 | $69,000 | not matched | — |
| AL | 3 | 11.0 | $81,515 | exam | Licensed Ship Pilot |
| IL | 3 | 5.0 | $97,667 | 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.