Where is it easiest to open: Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing
49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 977 | 18.1 | $98,220 | not matched | — |
| CA | 561 | 12.5 | $97,021 | not matched | — |
| FL | 259 | 15.9 | $84,117 | not matched | — |
| LA | 258 | 18.2 | $93,704 | not matched | — |
| PA | 143 | 13.4 | $91,564 | not matched | — |
| OK | 132 | 11.3 | $91,104 | not matched | — |
| NY | 113 | 13.7 | $90,508 | not matched | — |
| CO | 112 | 10.3 | $90,219 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 99 | 14.1 | $95,646 | not matched | — |
| WA | 96 | 9.3 | $93,627 | not matched | — |
| OH | 94 | 14.8 | $77,914 | not matched | — |
| GA | 91 | 15.8 | $90,400 | not matched | — |
| UT | 90 | 15.6 | $89,226 | not matched | — |
| IL | 89 | 11.9 | $91,526 | licence | ELEVATOR CONTRACTOR |
| NJ | 88 | 16.5 | $94,455 | not matched | — |
| NV | 88 | 5.0 | $88,773 | not matched | — |
| MA | 79 | 10.4 | $102,393 | not matched | — |
| NC | 78 | 15.7 | $79,786 | not matched | — |
| TN | 77 | 10.2 | $85,758 | not matched | — |
| AL | 73 | 12.6 | $83,022 | not matched | — |
| ND | 64 | 14.2 | $109,440 | not matched | — |
| VA | 61 | 15.8 | $84,999 | not matched | — |
| OR | 57 | 8.5 | $86,290 | not matched | — |
| SC | 57 | 13.3 | $85,755 | not matched | — |
| NM | 53 | 16.8 | $89,914 | not matched | — |
| MI | 50 | 16.9 | $91,387 | not matched | — |
| MD | 47 | 14.7 | $94,212 | not matched | — |
| WY | 43 | 11.3 | $81,068 | not matched | — |
| MN | 43 | 12.0 | $89,924 | not matched | — |
| MO | 39 | 13.3 | $87,583 | not matched | — |
| IN | 38 | 19.8 | $94,160 | not matched | — |
| KS | 34 | 8.2 | $85,625 | not matched | — |
| IA | 32 | 11.2 | $88,315 | not matched | — |
| CT | 30 | 13.6 | $98,589 | not matched | — |
| AK | 30 | 8.1 | $140,590 | not matched | — |
| KY | 28 | 18.1 | $83,619 | not matched | — |
| WI | 28 | 12.0 | $84,688 | not matched | — |
| MT | 27 | 8.7 | $95,591 | not matched | — |
| AR | 25 | 16.5 | $92,100 | not matched | — |
| ID | 23 | 8.3 | $82,711 | not matched | — |
| NE | 21 | 13.2 | $80,971 | not matched | — |
| MS | 16 | 8.2 | $101,817 | not matched | — |
| WV | 14 | 12.9 | $87,994 | not matched | — |
| NH | 12 | 11.0 | $102,689 | not matched | — |
| HI | 12 | 6.1 | $76,041 | not matched | — |
| DE | 12 | 13.2 | $77,792 | not matched | — |
| RI | 8 | 17.5 | $133,721 | not matched | — |
| ME | 5 | 15.2 | $89,566 | licence | Elevator Contractor; Lift Mechanic |
| SD | 3 | 19.3 | $85,052 | 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.