Where is it easiest to open: Packing and Crating
36 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 | 201 | 9.8 | $62,996 | licence | Commercial Driver License |
| FL | 158 | 5.3 | $38,546 | exam | Teaching Driver Education |
| TX | 125 | 13.7 | $52,685 | exam | TOW TRUCK OPERATOR |
| IL | 87 | 25.3 | $50,100 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA; DRIVER |
| NY | 75 | 6.4 | $34,452 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| NJ | 48 | 10.9 | $62,468 | exam | BUS DRIVER; HARNESS RACE DRIVER |
| OH | 40 | 19.9 | $40,298 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MI | 30 | 17.1 | $57,282 | exam | Chauffeur License; Commercial Driver License (C.D.L.) |
| MD | 27 | 10.8 | $51,613 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| MA | 26 | 2.8 | $40,292 | exam | BUS DRIVER; COMMERCIAL DRIVERS |
| NC | 25 | 7.6 | $28,821 | exam | Classified Drivers License (Non-commer; Commercial Driver License (Class A, B |
| VA | 24 | 6.2 | $46,893 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| PA | 22 | 39.8 | $56,641 | not matched | — |
| GA | 20 | 7.0 | $42,764 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 19 | 6.2 | $43,650 | licence | Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| KY | 16 | 27.2 | $42,326 | exam | Driver, Hazardous Materials Endorsemen; Licensed Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| MN | 16 | 12.8 | $45,010 | licence | Commercial Driver's License (CDL); Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Haza |
| WA | 15 | 2.7 | $94,000 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| NV | 14 | 4.9 | $34,087 | not matched | — |
| UT | 14 | 11.3 | $26,342 | licence | DRIVER - HEAVY TRUCK & TRACTOR TRAILER |
| OR | 13 | 17.1 | $74,734 | licence | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Truck Eq; School Bus Driver Certificate |
| CO | 13 | 6.7 | $46,345 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| SC | 12 | 23.9 | $50,648 | not matched | — |
| RI | 11 | 9.2 | $24,347 | exam | Chauffeur / CDL; Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| WI | 10 | 15.8 | $60,316 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER |
| TN | 10 | 13.5 | $46,889 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER |
| CT | 8 | 10.8 | $38,721 | not matched | — |
| IN | 7 | 13.3 | $55,129 | not matched | — |
| MO | 7 | 9.1 | $44,000 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| KS | 6 | 10.5 | $48,905 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| LA | 4 | 6.5 | $40,308 | licence | Truck Driver, Certified |
| ND | 4 | 4.5 | $21,444 | not matched | — |
| DE | 4 | 4.0 | $42,875 | not matched | — |
| NH | 3 | 0.3 | $32,000 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| OK | 3 | 11.3 | $45,265 | not matched | — |
| MT | 3 | 3.3 | $49,500 | exam | Bus Drivers; Taxi Drivers |
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.