Where is it easiest to open: Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing
23 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 49-3042” (soc) for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines. 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 | 69 | 7.4 | $189,208 | not matched | — |
| CA | 56 | 14.4 | $203,333 | not matched | — |
| TX | 38 | 6.2 | $125,363 | not matched | — |
| IL | 24 | 24.7 | $160,803 | licence | ELEVATOR CONTRACTOR |
| LA | 13 | 11.8 | $90,771 | not matched | — |
| NY | 11 | 6.5 | $141,394 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 11 | 2.9 | $24,062 | not matched | — |
| WA | 10 | 3.4 | $124,265 | not matched | — |
| AK | 7 | 0.6 | $461,750 | not matched | — |
| MA | 7 | 4.6 | $128,719 | not matched | — |
| MO | 7 | 22.1 | $107,000 | not matched | — |
| PA | 6 | 3.2 | $98,947 | not matched | — |
| TN | 6 | 41.8 | $110,287 | not matched | — |
| NV | 6 | 1.3 | $62,125 | not matched | — |
| GA | 5 | 6.8 | $113,412 | not matched | — |
| NC | 4 | 0.8 | $47,000 | not matched | — |
| DE | 3 | 1.0 | $100,000 | not matched | — |
| ID | 3 | 6.3 | $93,895 | not matched | — |
| CT | 3 | 47.7 | $323,524 | not matched | — |
| MD | 3 | 1.7 | $158,600 | not matched | — |
| CO | 3 | 6.0 | $71,333 | not matched | — |
| MN | 3 | 2.0 | $542,333 | not matched | — |
| HI | 3 | 1.0 | $146,000 | 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.