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Where is it easiest to open: Investigation and Personal Background Check Services
50 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 33-9032” (soc) for Security Guards. 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 | 605 | 9.5 | $85,646 | licence | Baton Permit; Exposed Firearm Permit |
| FL | 495 | 7.4 | $44,129 | exam | Corporate Officer or LLC Member for Se; General Individual Occupational |
| NY | 272 | 8.6 | $53,419 | licence | Armored Car Guard; Security Guard |
| TX | 252 | 12.1 | $60,809 | licence | Racing -- Law Enforcement; Racing -- Security Officer |
| IL | 127 | 11.9 | $53,613 | exam | INTERTRACK EMPLOYEE |
| GA | 104 | 17.4 | $54,579 | exam | Employee - In-House Armed Security; Employee - Security Guard |
| MA | 96 | 15.1 | $51,143 | exam | GAMING EMPLOYEE |
| AZ | 90 | 9.1 | $53,250 | licence | Armed Security Guard; Unarmed Security Guard |
| NJ | 89 | 10.9 | $58,779 | licence | SECURITY OFFICER; SECURITY OFFICER INSTRUCTOR |
| OH | 86 | 22.8 | $89,314 | licence | Security Guard License |
| CO | 85 | 6.1 | $67,689 | not matched | — |
| PA | 83 | 20.6 | $53,651 | not matched | — |
| NC | 81 | 10.3 | $40,487 | licence | Armored Car Profession; Close Personal Protection |
| VA | 75 | 33.7 | $55,531 | licence | Armed Security Officer; Armored Car Personnel |
| MD | 75 | 7.5 | $49,733 | licence | GUARDS |
| WA | 68 | 5.2 | $41,794 | exam | Guard (Security); Security Guard |
| MI | 67 | 13.0 | $45,472 | exam | Horse Racing Occupational License; Security Guard |
| NV | 50 | 7.1 | $29,845 | not matched | — |
| OR | 46 | 3.9 | $57,685 | licence | Private Security Manager/Supervisor; Private Security Professionals |
| TN | 44 | 35.3 | $61,097 | exam | ARMED SECURITY GUARD/OFFICER; CONTRACT SECURITY COMPANY (INDIVIDUAL |
| LA | 43 | 14.0 | $41,121 | exam | Security Officer |
| OK | 39 | 12.6 | $64,778 | exam | Security Guard/Armed Security Guard |
| UT | 36 | 5.6 | $62,688 | licence | SECURITY GUARD |
| SC | 36 | 11.8 | $66,606 | not matched | — |
| CT | 36 | 11.2 | $48,049 | not matched | — |
| IN | 32 | 7.1 | $51,358 | exam | Occupational Riverboat Gambling Licens |
| MN | 30 | 10.6 | $64,376 | licence | Protective Agent Services License |
| AL | 25 | 20.7 | $59,253 | licence | Licensed Armed Personal Security Offic; Licensed Personal Security Officer |
| ID | 21 | 7.0 | $61,034 | not matched | — |
| MO | 20 | 9.9 | $94,313 | not matched | — |
| WI | 19 | 11.3 | $38,656 | licence | PRIVATE SECURITY PERSON |
| NM | 16 | 26.6 | $40,984 | exam | Private Patrol Operation Company/Trade; Private Patrol Operator |
| NH | 15 | 11.7 | $53,767 | licence | Security Guard |
| KS | 15 | 9.6 | $43,236 | licence | Level III Gaming Occupation |
| KY | 13 | 3.6 | $43,234 | not matched | — |
| ME | 12 | 2.1 | $78,360 | licence | Security Company, Licensed Contract; Security Guard, Private |
| DC | 12 | 8.0 | $144,635 | exam | REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON; Security Officer |
| AR | 10 | 9.6 | $46,979 | exam | Class "B" Security Contractor Manager; Commissioned School Security Officer ( |
| RI | 9 | 2.8 | $55,560 | not matched | — |
| DE | 8 | 3.2 | $51,769 | not matched | — |
| MT | 8 | 2.0 | $76,562 | licence | Private Security - Alarm Response Runn; Private Security - Certified Firearm I |
| IA | 8 | 3.8 | $35,500 | licence | Private Security Agent (Security Guard |
| WV | 7 | 3.1 | $27,500 | not matched | — |
| VT | 7 | 3.9 | $53,556 | exam | Licensed Private Investigator and/or S |
| NE | 5 | 7.0 | $61,343 | not matched | — |
| HI | 4 | 1.0 | $9,250 | exam | Guard; Guard Employee |
| AK | 3 | 1.3 | $40,500 | licence | Security Guard |
| SD | 3 | 14.0 | $59,857 | not matched | — |
| MS | 3 | 5.7 | $27,941 | not matched | — |
| WY | 3 | 2.0 | $18,500 | 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.