Where is it easiest to open: Navigational Services to Shipping
31 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 | 212 | 4.7 | $87,501 | licence | Deputy Harbor Pilot; State Pilot |
| LA | 156 | 14.0 | $95,759 | not matched | — |
| TX | 81 | 16.6 | $113,708 | not matched | — |
| WA | 58 | 11.8 | $118,801 | not matched | — |
| CA | 36 | 16.4 | $137,731 | licence | For-Hire Vessel Operator License |
| AK | 34 | 4.6 | $130,278 | licence | Marine Pilot |
| VA | 26 | 10.2 | $85,371 | not matched | — |
| NY | 25 | 26.2 | $117,826 | exam | Public Vessel Operator |
| MA | 16 | 12.0 | $87,677 | not matched | — |
| OR | 12 | 14.9 | $105,514 | licence | Maritime Pilot Apprentice Trainee; Maritime Pilot Trainee |
| AL | 11 | 8.1 | $112,438 | exam | Licensed Ship Pilot |
| ME | 10 | 6.0 | $76,717 | not matched | — |
| IL | 10 | 34.7 | $76,256 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 10 | 3.2 | $93,688 | not matched | — |
| HI | 9 | 6.8 | $104,459 | not matched | — |
| NC | 8 | 8.8 | $57,929 | licence | For-Hire Blanket Captains Coastal Recr |
| MD | 8 | 107.6 | $109,418 | licence | PILOT IN TRAINING; PILOT OF UNLIMITED DRAUGHT |
| GA | 8 | 20.6 | $81,727 | not matched | — |
| SC | 8 | 29.5 | $90,606 | licence | Pilot |
| RI | 7 | 2.9 | $97,000 | exam | Pilot, Ship |
| PA | 6 | 6.7 | $98,750 | not matched | — |
| DE | 5 | 8.6 | $88,791 | exam | Apprentice River Pilot ; River Pilot |
| MO | 5 | 41.6 | $107,596 | not matched | — |
| MN | 4 | 8.2 | $61,485 | licence | Pilot-Escort Driver Certification |
| IA | 4 | 13.2 | $72,566 | not matched | — |
| OH | 3 | 10.7 | $28,969 | licence | Captain's License |
| TN | 3 | 48.3 | $79,828 | not matched | — |
| NH | 3 | 8.3 | $137,120 | not matched | — |
| MI | 3 | 3.3 | $192,700 | licence | Sport Trolling (Charter Captains) |
| KY | 3 | 7.7 | $263,043 | not matched | — |
| WI | 3 | 10.0 | $81,200 | 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.