Where is it easiest to open: Landscaping Services
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 37-3012” (soc) for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation. 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 | 10,659 | 7.4 | $41,357 | not matched | — |
| CA | 9,384 | 11.1 | $51,048 | licence | Qualified Applicator Certificate; Qualified Applicator License |
| NY | 7,725 | 4.3 | $62,725 | exam | Aquatic Antifouling Paint Applicator; Commercial Pesticide Applicator/Techni |
| TX | 5,501 | 11.0 | $48,964 | exam | APPRENTICE (Structural Pest Control Ap; CHIROPRACTOR |
| PA | 5,176 | 5.5 | $53,978 | not matched | — |
| IL | 5,021 | 4.6 | $69,394 | exam | PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL; PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL NOT F |
| NJ | 4,734 | 4.6 | $56,062 | exam | PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL; PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, PRIVATE |
| MA | 4,554 | 4.1 | $74,730 | not matched | — |
| NC | 4,356 | 7.2 | $44,691 | exam | Aerial Pesticide Applicator (Contracto; Ground Pesticide Applicator (Commerci |
| OH | 4,224 | 6.8 | $51,286 | licence | Pesticide License |
| MI | 3,781 | 5.5 | $60,354 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial; Pesticide Applicator, Private |
| WA | 3,189 | 6.0 | $52,619 | not matched | — |
| GA | 3,189 | 7.3 | $48,145 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| VA | 3,069 | 8.4 | $47,215 | licence | Fertilizer Applicators, Certified; Pesticide Business |
| WI | 2,488 | 5.5 | $53,202 | exam | COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR; PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR |
| IN | 2,455 | 7.1 | $47,991 | exam | For Hire, Pesticide Applicator License; Not for Hire, Pesticide Applicator Lic |
| CO | 2,434 | 7.2 | $59,351 | exam | Certified Operators (Pesticides); Commercial Applicator's License (Pesti |
| MN | 2,369 | 5.8 | $58,575 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator Licens; Fertilizer License |
| CT | 2,169 | 4.6 | $59,847 | not matched | — |
| MO | 2,165 | 6.1 | $48,838 | not matched | — |
| MD | 2,052 | 9.4 | $48,095 | not matched | — |
| TN | 1,969 | 7.8 | $50,992 | not matched | — |
| SC | 1,906 | 7.0 | $44,363 | not matched | — |
| OR | 1,885 | 6.0 | $47,788 | licence | Pesticide Consultant |
| AZ | 1,815 | 10.8 | $45,287 | not matched | — |
| UT | 1,462 | 5.4 | $53,491 | not matched | — |
| AL | 1,336 | 7.3 | $45,000 | licence | Professional Fumigation Pest Control O |
| IA | 1,214 | 5.8 | $51,522 | exam | Commercial Pesticide Applicator (Indiv; Private Pesticide Applicator |
| ID | 1,149 | 5.3 | $51,502 | exam | Private Pesticide Applicator; Professional Pesticide Applicator |
| KY | 1,095 | 7.9 | $46,098 | exam | Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator; Pesticide Distributor |
| NH | 1,026 | 5.0 | $60,127 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| OK | 994 | 7.1 | $43,005 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial (Cert; Pesticide Applicator, Non-Commercial ( |
| LA | 964 | 6.7 | $43,424 | not matched | — |
| ME | 963 | 3.8 | $55,468 | licence | Pesticide Applicator, Basic Agricultur; Pesticide Applicator, Commercial |
| KS | 936 | 7.7 | $49,239 | not matched | — |
| NE | 907 | 5.3 | $52,691 | licence | Pesticide Applicator |
| NV | 831 | 13.2 | $45,685 | not matched | — |
| RI | 793 | 3.6 | $73,372 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| AR | 716 | 6.2 | $43,069 | exam | Commercial Applicator Technician; Commercial/Non-Commercial Pest Control |
| MT | 669 | 3.6 | $53,658 | not matched | — |
| MS | 557 | 5.8 | $39,389 | exam | Certified Commericial Pesticide Applic; Private Applicator Certificate |
| VT | 518 | 2.8 | $55,906 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial |
| DE | 456 | 9.4 | $51,659 | not matched | — |
| NM | 396 | 8.0 | $41,463 | not matched | — |
| HI | 378 | 9.4 | $50,203 | not matched | — |
| WV | 371 | 5.2 | $45,477 | not matched | — |
| SD | 357 | 4.0 | $50,137 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator |
| WY | 337 | 3.8 | $53,976 | licence | PESTICIDE HANDLER, SPRAYER, AND APPLIC |
| ND | 260 | 4.4 | $60,132 | exam | Pesticide Applicators (Commercial) |
| AK | 209 | 4.1 | $62,829 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Mun; Pesticide Applicator |
| DC | 22 | 9.0 | $33,561 | exam | CHIROPRACTOR |
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.