Where is it easiest to open: Solid Waste Collection
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-3032” (soc) for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. 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 | 889 | 31.8 | $85,726 | licence | Commercial Driver License |
| TX | 695 | 26.7 | $69,780 | exam | TOW TRUCK OPERATOR |
| NY | 555 | 17.9 | $72,207 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| FL | 552 | 28.5 | $75,205 | exam | Teaching Driver Education |
| PA | 531 | 19.8 | $65,519 | not matched | — |
| OH | 375 | 22.5 | $66,273 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| IL | 349 | 23.4 | $92,560 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA; DRIVER |
| NC | 337 | 19.7 | $60,729 | exam | Classified Drivers License (Non-commer; Commercial Driver License (Class A, B |
| NJ | 311 | 24.4 | $78,394 | exam | BUS DRIVER; HARNESS RACE DRIVER |
| GA | 304 | 16.1 | $65,030 | not matched | — |
| MA | 269 | 22.7 | $80,596 | exam | BUS DRIVER; COMMERCIAL DRIVERS |
| MI | 252 | 25.6 | $75,378 | exam | Chauffeur License; Commercial Driver License (C.D.L.) |
| CO | 213 | 19.1 | $69,985 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| TN | 211 | 20.4 | $65,457 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER |
| MN | 210 | 18.1 | $74,481 | licence | Commercial Driver's License (CDL); Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Haza |
| IN | 205 | 29.5 | $74,778 | not matched | — |
| WA | 203 | 23.5 | $82,751 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| MD | 200 | 21.9 | $60,290 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| MO | 199 | 15.9 | $66,317 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| AZ | 197 | 25.4 | $67,978 | licence | Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| SC | 172 | 19.0 | $66,827 | not matched | — |
| WI | 170 | 18.2 | $69,566 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER |
| VA | 170 | 20.4 | $73,122 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Tow Truck Driver Registration |
| CT | 160 | 17.6 | $72,993 | not matched | — |
| OR | 154 | 22.7 | $69,607 | licence | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Truck Eq; School Bus Driver Certificate |
| LA | 122 | 23.6 | $70,620 | licence | Truck Driver, Certified |
| IA | 105 | 12.9 | $63,375 | not matched | — |
| AL | 105 | 16.3 | $76,742 | exam | CDL Class A |
| NH | 100 | 14.1 | $62,018 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| AR | 98 | 13.9 | $58,476 | exam | Commercial Driver (Tractor-Trailer Tru; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cylinder Deliv |
| ME | 92 | 12.0 | $64,256 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Driver Education Instructor, School |
| UT | 87 | 17.1 | $69,373 | licence | DRIVER - HEAVY TRUCK & TRACTOR TRAILER |
| NE | 87 | 15.7 | $55,762 | licence | Truck Driver (Heavy); Truck Driver (Light or Delivery Servic |
| OK | 87 | 19.9 | $63,916 | not matched | — |
| KY | 81 | 21.8 | $68,552 | exam | Driver, Hazardous Materials Endorsemen; Licensed Commercial Driver (CDL) |
| NV | 70 | 31.7 | $72,870 | not matched | — |
| RI | 64 | 7.7 | $67,611 | exam | Chauffeur / CDL; Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| KS | 63 | 24.6 | $75,655 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| MS | 62 | 23.3 | $58,817 | exam | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| NM | 52 | 12.5 | $65,696 | exam | Commercial Vehicle Drivers License |
| HI | 48 | 15.9 | $69,293 | not matched | — |
| WV | 42 | 23.0 | $70,091 | not matched | — |
| ND | 39 | 8.2 | $67,472 | not matched | — |
| VT | 38 | 17.4 | $62,539 | exam | Commercial Driver |
| ID | 34 | 16.7 | $66,766 | exam | Commercial Drivers |
| DE | 33 | 30.3 | $73,056 | not matched | — |
| SD | 30 | 15.1 | $58,916 | licence | Commercial Drivers License (CDL) |
| AK | 22 | 16.4 | $64,094 | licence | Bus Driver, School; Vehicle for Hire Permit in City of Fai |
| WY | 21 | 10.6 | $64,455 | exam | SCHOOL BUS DRIVER; TRUCK DRIVER |
| MT | 20 | 16.2 | $70,744 | exam | Bus Drivers; Taxi Drivers |
| DC | 12 | 9.2 | $46,045 | exam | TRUCK DRIVER, HEAVY(CDL) |
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.