Where is it easiest to open: Landscape Architectural Services
49 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 17-1011” (soc) for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. 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 | 917 | 6.3 | $82,480 | licence | Architects (Architectural Practice) |
| FL | 538 | 3.9 | $75,541 | licence | Architect |
| TX | 317 | 9.2 | $75,486 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| NY | 304 | 5.4 | $85,234 | exam | Architect |
| CO | 213 | 5.3 | $93,206 | exam | Architect |
| GA | 179 | 3.9 | $81,231 | exam | Registered Architect |
| AZ | 148 | 6.0 | $58,653 | licence | Architect |
| IL | 145 | 5.0 | $86,133 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| NC | 137 | 5.5 | $74,897 | exam | Architect (By Exam); Architect by Reciprocity |
| NJ | 136 | 4.6 | $71,307 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| PA | 132 | 5.7 | $82,216 | exam | Architect |
| MA | 130 | 9.7 | $97,605 | licence | ARCHITECT |
| MD | 85 | 7.2 | $82,606 | licence | ARCHITECT; ARCHITECT CORPORATION |
| MI | 84 | 7.7 | $89,282 | exam | Architects |
| UT | 82 | 2.9 | $66,573 | licence | ARCHITECT |
| WA | 79 | 6.1 | $86,146 | exam | Architect |
| OR | 75 | 6.8 | $67,587 | licence | Architect |
| OH | 73 | 5.9 | $67,167 | exam | Architect |
| CT | 70 | 3.9 | $76,573 | licence | Architect |
| VA | 69 | 11.8 | $83,048 | exam | Architect License |
| SC | 62 | 5.5 | $82,736 | licence | Architect; Architect Construction Manager |
| TN | 61 | 7.9 | $65,035 | exam | PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECT |
| MN | 59 | 3.6 | $90,718 | licence | Architect |
| IN | 52 | 6.3 | $82,024 | exam | Architect |
| LA | 37 | 4.8 | $58,788 | exam | Architect |
| ID | 37 | 4.7 | $64,213 | exam | Architect |
| MO | 36 | 4.8 | $68,318 | exam | Architect |
| OK | 29 | 3.4 | $69,760 | licence | Architect |
| WI | 27 | 8.9 | $82,029 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| AL | 27 | 3.6 | $58,083 | exam | Registered Architect |
| NV | 26 | 5.3 | $76,210 | not matched | — |
| HI | 22 | 6.2 | $101,074 | exam | Architect |
| KY | 22 | 5.3 | $63,103 | exam | Architect |
| DC | 20 | 8.7 | $90,397 | exam | ARCHITECTURE |
| ME | 17 | 4.4 | $53,149 | exam | Architect |
| VT | 17 | 2.5 | $64,476 | exam | Architect |
| IA | 17 | 4.9 | $62,440 | licence | Architect, Licensed |
| KS | 16 | 5.3 | $45,518 | exam | Architect |
| RI | 16 | 2.6 | $60,810 | exam | Architect |
| NH | 16 | 3.9 | $63,365 | exam | Architect |
| NM | 15 | 7.3 | $62,835 | exam | Licensed Architect |
| MT | 13 | 4.9 | $83,031 | licence | Architects and Landscape - Architect E; Architects & Landscape - Architect |
| NE | 9 | 10.9 | $34,969 | licence | Architect; Architectural Engineer |
| AR | 7 | 6.1 | $39,767 | exam | Architect |
| MS | 5 | 1.8 | $43,333 | licence | Architect |
| WY | 4 | 9.5 | $79,053 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| SD | 3 | 17.0 | $104,980 | licence | Architect |
| AK | 3 | 2.7 | $114,125 | licence | Architect |
| DE | 3 | 1.3 | $68,750 | exam | Architect |
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.