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Where is it easiest to open: Direct Life Insurance Carriers
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 41-3021” (soc) for Insurance Sales Agents. 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 | 506 | 18.0 | $179,722 | licence | Broker-Dealer Certificate; Casualty Broker-Agent |
| TX | 367 | 66.3 | $106,819 | exam | Funeral Pre-Arrangment Life Agent; General Lines Agent / All LOAs |
| FL | 343 | 64.6 | $118,986 | exam | Broker/Dealer Agent (BDA); Health and Life Insurance - Debit Coll |
| NY | 274 | 73.1 | $185,491 | exam | Excess Line Broker; Insurance Agent, Accident, Health, Lif |
| IL | 216 | 36.5 | $120,885 | exam | BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY; EGG PRODUCER-DEALER/PRODUCER-PACKER/GR |
| PA | 212 | 61.7 | $114,061 | not matched | — |
| OH | 203 | 55.1 | $100,990 | exam | Insurance Agent |
| NJ | 176 | 86.5 | $222,645 | exam | INSURANCE PRODUCER |
| NC | 148 | 97.9 | $117,482 | exam | Accredited Re-insurer (Life/Health & P; Agent-Insurance Producer - Accident He |
| MA | 137 | 87.3 | $181,650 | exam | FINANCIAL BROKERS, AGENTS, AND DEALERS |
| GA | 134 | 45.9 | $116,596 | exam | Associate Broker; Broker |
| MN | 120 | 105.4 | $106,406 | exam | Broker's License to Represent a Distil; Food Broker License |
| CT | 118 | 217.9 | $127,438 | exam | Broker - Dealer Agent; Certified Insurance Consultant License |
| MI | 117 | 45.6 | $115,266 | exam | Insurance Agent (Insurance Producer); Insurance Agent, Surplus Lines |
| TN | 112 | 52.2 | $122,050 | exam | INSURANCE PRODUCER; SURPLUS LINES AGENT |
| MD | 110 | 22.1 | $143,041 | not matched | — |
| VA | 108 | 33.2 | $122,709 | exam | Insurance Sales Agent |
| CO | 101 | 37.6 | $124,344 | exam | Insurance Agent |
| AZ | 99 | 27.1 | $104,518 | licence | Insurance Producer; Insurance Producer Self-Service Storag |
| IN | 93 | 60.9 | $99,208 | exam | Licensed Insurance Agent; Licensed Security Salesperson (License |
| WA | 89 | 33.1 | $137,229 | exam | Agent (Insurance); Brokers (Insurance) |
| WI | 88 | 189.6 | $190,713 | exam | BROKER-DEALERS; INSURANCE INTERMEDIARY (AGENT) |
| MO | 86 | 69.2 | $164,495 | exam | Insurance Agent; Insurance Consultant |
| LA | 83 | 19.4 | $104,570 | licence | Insurance Producer |
| IA | 77 | 196.0 | $143,148 | not matched | — |
| SC | 77 | 73.5 | $61,896 | licence | Broker; Broker In Charge |
| UT | 74 | 17.6 | $97,540 | licence | INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS |
| KS | 69 | 13.5 | $123,994 | licence | Insurance Agent |
| OR | 66 | 31.2 | $187,828 | licence | Event Officials; Insurance Consultants |
| AL | 62 | 40.1 | $116,295 | licence | Licensed Insurance Managing General Ag; Licensed Insurance Producer |
| NE | 62 | 107.0 | $70,511 | licence | Broker-Dealer; Broker-Dealer Agent |
| OK | 56 | 12.9 | $94,617 | exam | Active Broker License; Alcohol and Drug Substance Abuse Cours |
| KY | 54 | 13.3 | $113,721 | exam | Insurance Administrator (TPA); Insurance Agent |
| DE | 46 | 8.0 | $119,076 | exam | Insurance Agent; Insurance Appraiser |
| NH | 43 | 21.9 | $108,169 | exam | Electrical Inspectors, Third Party; Insurance Producer |
| DC | 43 | 6.0 | $248,058 | not matched | — |
| ME | 38 | 120.8 | $117,495 | not matched | — |
| NV | 37 | 7.5 | $288,428 | not matched | — |
| MS | 36 | 31.1 | $81,737 | exam | Insurance Producer |
| AR | 34 | 35.5 | $71,107 | exam | Boiler Inspector (Insurance); Consultant |
| HI | 34 | 8.6 | $87,384 | exam | Insurance Producer (Agent) |
| ID | 32 | 7.0 | $112,785 | exam | Insurance Producer; Manufactured Home Resale Broker |
| RI | 31 | 16.7 | $200,291 | exam | Insurance Producer; Surplus Line Broker |
| NM | 27 | 4.3 | $82,191 | exam | Broker/Dealer and Agent; Insurance Producer |
| SD | 23 | 42.6 | $88,213 | licence | Insurance Producer; Insurance Surplus Lines Broker/Agent |
| VT | 23 | 33.2 | $137,414 | exam | Insurance Producer; Life Settlement Broker |
| ND | 22 | 38.9 | $95,121 | exam | Broker Dealer; Insurance Consultants |
| WV | 22 | 6.7 | $85,218 | not matched | — |
| MT | 19 | 2.3 | $169,091 | exam | Insurance Agents |
| WY | 13 | 1.6 | $243,667 | licence | INSURANCE SALESPERSON |
| AK | 9 | 3.1 | $124,786 | licence | Insurance Occupations |
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.