Where is it easiest to open: Other Support Activities for Water Transportation
23 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 | 182 | 5.4 | $63,762 | licence | Deputy Harbor Pilot; State Pilot |
| TX | 86 | 8.2 | $85,449 | not matched | — |
| LA | 77 | 26.0 | $92,066 | not matched | — |
| CA | 42 | 10.0 | $67,905 | licence | For-Hire Vessel Operator License |
| NJ | 21 | 7.0 | $88,537 | not matched | — |
| WA | 19 | 4.9 | $83,170 | not matched | — |
| NY | 14 | 7.1 | $104,900 | exam | Public Vessel Operator |
| AL | 12 | 40.4 | $64,955 | exam | Licensed Ship Pilot |
| AK | 12 | 4.3 | $64,923 | licence | Marine Pilot |
| IL | 11 | 5.0 | $78,618 | not matched | — |
| SC | 10 | 19.7 | $61,893 | licence | Pilot |
| MD | 8 | 4.6 | $69,027 | licence | PILOT IN TRAINING; PILOT OF UNLIMITED DRAUGHT |
| RI | 8 | 3.8 | $137,533 | exam | Pilot, Ship |
| VA | 8 | 15.8 | $77,190 | not matched | — |
| HI | 7 | 7.7 | $100,741 | not matched | — |
| MO | 6 | 5.0 | $64,567 | not matched | — |
| MA | 6 | 8.7 | $68,327 | not matched | — |
| GA | 5 | 2.0 | $83,600 | not matched | — |
| KY | 4 | 21.8 | $64,632 | not matched | — |
| NC | 3 | 2.7 | $47,125 | licence | For-Hire Blanket Captains Coastal Recr |
| MI | 3 | 3.0 | $47,111 | licence | Sport Trolling (Charter Captains) |
| ME | 3 | 1.3 | $46,250 | not matched | — |
| CT | 3 | 6.7 | $105,350 | 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.