Where is it easiest to open: Motor Vehicle Towing
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 | 1,284 | 8.8 | $51,684 | licence | Commercial Driver License |
| TX | 782 | 7.3 | $55,194 | exam | TOW TRUCK OPERATOR |
| FL | 624 | 6.6 | $54,942 | exam | Teaching Driver Education |
| NY | 465 | 5.0 | $47,935 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| IL | 382 | 7.0 | $49,409 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA; DRIVER |
| PA | 356 | 7.0 | $48,155 | not matched | — |
| NC | 329 | 6.3 | $49,576 | exam | Classified Drivers License (Non-commer; Commercial Driver License (Class A, B |
| NJ | 310 | 6.3 | $47,116 | exam | BUS DRIVER; HARNESS RACE DRIVER |
| VA | 293 | 6.8 | $59,228 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| WA | 281 | 5.6 | $57,916 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| OH | 281 | 10.7 | $54,257 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MI | 274 | 7.8 | $53,766 | exam | Chauffeur License; Commercial Driver License (C.D.L.) |
| GA | 274 | 7.7 | $53,047 | not matched | — |
| MA | 269 | 6.9 | $54,381 | exam | BUS DRIVER; COMMERCIAL DRIVERS |
| MD | 202 | 5.9 | $50,384 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| TN | 196 | 7.0 | $52,018 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER |
| AZ | 195 | 9.6 | $51,669 | licence | Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| CO | 174 | 7.2 | $57,541 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| IN | 162 | 8.6 | $54,233 | not matched | — |
| MO | 151 | 8.3 | $51,140 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| SC | 144 | 5.8 | $49,144 | not matched | — |
| AL | 128 | 7.7 | $50,697 | exam | CDL Class A |
| OR | 122 | 8.3 | $52,394 | licence | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Truck Eq; School Bus Driver Certificate |
| LA | 118 | 6.0 | $47,909 | licence | Truck Driver, Certified |
| MN | 111 | 8.8 | $56,413 | licence | Commercial Driver's License (CDL); Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Haza |
| UT | 97 | 4.5 | $44,374 | licence | DRIVER - HEAVY TRUCK & TRACTOR TRAILER |
| WI | 96 | 8.1 | $51,429 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER |
| NV | 89 | 11.1 | $45,374 | not matched | — |
| OK | 79 | 5.7 | $49,363 | not matched | — |
| KY | 77 | 10.4 | $50,840 | exam | Driver, Hazardous Materials Endorsemen; Licensed Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| NM | 74 | 4.9 | $45,389 | exam | Commercial Vehicle Drivers License |
| AR | 73 | 8.2 | $49,297 | exam | Commercial Driver (Tractor-Trailer Tru; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cylinder Deliv |
| MS | 67 | 5.9 | $50,000 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MT | 57 | 6.1 | $47,642 | exam | Bus Drivers; Taxi Drivers |
| IA | 57 | 7.4 | $55,612 | not matched | — |
| CT | 56 | 6.9 | $51,249 | not matched | — |
| ME | 54 | 5.2 | $44,837 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Driver Education Instructor, School |
| ID | 52 | 5.6 | $44,440 | exam | Commercial Drivers |
| KS | 50 | 7.8 | $51,400 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| NH | 49 | 4.6 | $60,799 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| HI | 47 | 6.1 | $41,239 | not matched | — |
| WV | 46 | 7.3 | $37,000 | not matched | — |
| DE | 43 | 6.1 | $51,148 | not matched | — |
| WY | 36 | 4.7 | $49,129 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER; TRUCK DRIVER |
| NE | 35 | 4.5 | $50,615 | licence | Truck Driver (Heavy); Truck Driver (Light or Delivery Servic |
| RI | 21 | 5.4 | $57,728 | exam | Chauffeur / CDL; Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| AK | 21 | 6.3 | $54,023 | licence | Bus Driver, School; Vehicle for Hire Permit in City of Fai |
| ND | 17 | 6.8 | $58,017 | not matched | — |
| VT | 16 | 4.3 | $43,246 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| DC | 14 | 3.2 | $49,289 | exam | TRUCK DRIVER, HEAVY(CDL) |
| SD | 14 | 8.5 | $52,101 | licence | Commercial Drivers License (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.