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Where is it easiest to open: Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
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 | 13,918 | 6.0 | $101,835 | licence | Broker-Dealer Certificate; Casualty Broker-Agent |
| TX | 12,147 | 6.5 | $83,896 | exam | Funeral Pre-Arrangment Life Agent; General Lines Agent / All LOAs |
| FL | 10,836 | 6.4 | $81,977 | exam | Broker/Dealer Agent (BDA); Health and Life Insurance - Debit Coll |
| NY | 6,334 | 8.1 | $117,246 | exam | Excess Line Broker; Insurance Agent, Accident, Health, Lif |
| IL | 5,669 | 7.1 | $106,374 | exam | BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY; EGG PRODUCER-DEALER/PRODUCER-PACKER/GR |
| PA | 4,769 | 7.2 | $97,796 | not matched | — |
| GA | 4,595 | 5.9 | $97,207 | exam | Associate Broker; Broker |
| OH | 4,378 | 6.4 | $83,163 | exam | Insurance Agent |
| NC | 3,905 | 6.9 | $93,102 | exam | Accredited Re-insurer (Life/Health & P; Agent-Insurance Producer - Accident He |
| MI | 3,672 | 7.2 | $80,571 | exam | Insurance Agent (Insurance Producer); Insurance Agent, Surplus Lines |
| MO | 3,313 | 5.7 | $83,392 | exam | Insurance Agent; Insurance Consultant |
| MN | 3,128 | 5.1 | $94,648 | exam | Broker's License to Represent a Distil; Food Broker License |
| CO | 3,111 | 4.9 | $85,699 | exam | Insurance Agent |
| IN | 2,957 | 5.8 | $78,724 | exam | Licensed Insurance Agent; Licensed Security Salesperson (License |
| AZ | 2,845 | 4.9 | $81,320 | licence | Insurance Producer; Insurance Producer Self-Service Storag |
| VA | 2,705 | 5.2 | $81,582 | exam | Insurance Sales Agent |
| WA | 2,592 | 6.2 | $90,576 | exam | Agent (Insurance); Brokers (Insurance) |
| NJ | 2,588 | 8.8 | $115,546 | exam | INSURANCE PRODUCER |
| WI | 2,581 | 4.7 | $79,578 | exam | BROKER-DEALERS; INSURANCE INTERMEDIARY (AGENT) |
| TN | 2,548 | 5.6 | $83,911 | exam | INSURANCE PRODUCER; SURPLUS LINES AGENT |
| OK | 2,183 | 3.9 | $64,255 | exam | Active Broker License; Alcohol and Drug Substance Abuse Cours |
| LA | 2,129 | 5.4 | $82,196 | licence | Insurance Producer |
| MA | 2,065 | 9.5 | $113,270 | exam | FINANCIAL BROKERS, AGENTS, AND DEALERS |
| SC | 2,041 | 4.8 | $75,049 | licence | Broker; Broker In Charge |
| IA | 1,990 | 4.9 | $77,552 | not matched | — |
| KS | 1,931 | 7.3 | $80,450 | licence | Insurance Agent |
| MD | 1,855 | 6.9 | $88,119 | not matched | — |
| KY | 1,734 | 5.2 | $75,663 | exam | Insurance Administrator (TPA); Insurance Agent |
| AL | 1,713 | 4.7 | $78,287 | licence | Licensed Insurance Managing General Ag; Licensed Insurance Producer |
| UT | 1,652 | 5.7 | $86,121 | licence | INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS |
| OR | 1,642 | 4.9 | $77,465 | licence | Event Officials; Insurance Consultants |
| NE | 1,525 | 4.4 | $76,168 | licence | Broker-Dealer; Broker-Dealer Agent |
| AR | 1,507 | 4.0 | $62,568 | exam | Boiler Inspector (Insurance); Consultant |
| NV | 1,245 | 4.3 | $75,390 | not matched | — |
| CT | 1,229 | 8.0 | $109,297 | exam | Broker - Dealer Agent; Certified Insurance Consultant License |
| MS | 1,217 | 4.4 | $72,260 | exam | Insurance Producer |
| ID | 930 | 3.9 | $63,915 | exam | Insurance Producer; Manufactured Home Resale Broker |
| NM | 749 | 4.3 | $60,949 | exam | Broker/Dealer and Agent; Insurance Producer |
| SD | 724 | 4.4 | $72,525 | licence | Insurance Producer; Insurance Surplus Lines Broker/Agent |
| ND | 632 | 3.7 | $73,426 | exam | Broker Dealer; Insurance Consultants |
| MT | 629 | 4.3 | $72,603 | exam | Insurance Agents |
| WV | 625 | 4.6 | $60,382 | not matched | — |
| ME | 459 | 7.6 | $87,137 | not matched | — |
| NH | 422 | 6.9 | $103,927 | exam | Electrical Inspectors, Third Party; Insurance Producer |
| HI | 385 | 5.2 | $78,966 | exam | Insurance Producer (Agent) |
| WY | 343 | 3.6 | $67,713 | licence | INSURANCE SALESPERSON |
| RI | 320 | 7.5 | $96,231 | exam | Insurance Producer; Surplus Line Broker |
| DE | 315 | 7.7 | $97,325 | exam | Insurance Agent; Insurance Appraiser |
| VT | 206 | 7.7 | $87,916 | exam | Insurance Producer; Life Settlement Broker |
| AK | 169 | 7.1 | $84,119 | licence | Insurance Occupations |
| DC | 88 | 14.5 | $158,724 | 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.