Where is it easiest to open: Materials Recovery Facilities
35 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 47-4041” (soc) for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers. 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 | 123 | 15.7 | $73,866 | licence | Asbestos Certification; Asbestos Consultant Certification |
| NY | 91 | 16.6 | $68,320 | exam | Asbestos Handler; Mold Worker |
| TX | 77 | 23.2 | $60,879 | exam | ASBESTOS-RELATED WORKER (Various); LEAD-RELATED WORKER (Various) |
| FL | 39 | 37.9 | $49,158 | exam | Asbestos Consultant; Asbestos Consultant (AF) |
| IL | 36 | 15.7 | $77,301 | licence | ASBESTOS AIR SAMPLING PROFESSIONAL; ASBESTOS CONTRACTOR |
| OH | 36 | 15.1 | $48,499 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 33 | 9.6 | $53,259 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 32 | 25.5 | $79,672 | licence | ASBESTOS SAFETY TECHNICIAN; ASBESTOS WORKER PERMIT |
| WA | 30 | 39.4 | $61,234 | not matched | — |
| PA | 28 | 13.1 | $65,669 | exam | Asbestos Contractor (Individual); Asbestos Project Designer |
| MA | 25 | 16.3 | $79,926 | licence | ASBESTOS WORKER; DELEADER SUPERVISOR |
| MI | 24 | 13.3 | $80,275 | exam | Asbestos Abatement Contractor/Supervis; Asbestos Abatement Project Designer |
| CO | 18 | 12.1 | $78,477 | exam | Asbestos Project Designer; Asbestos Worker |
| OR | 17 | 46.5 | $52,602 | licence | Lead Based Paint Activities License - |
| NC | 15 | 38.3 | $72,494 | licence | Asbestos Accreditation; Hazardous Waste Emergency |
| WI | 14 | 18.6 | $66,096 | exam | ASBESTOS PROJECT DESIGNER; ASBESTOS ROOFING WORKER |
| MN | 14 | 23.1 | $69,466 | licence | Asbestos Contractor License; Asbestos Individual Certification (Ins |
| IN | 13 | 24.8 | $50,489 | not matched | — |
| CT | 10 | 5.9 | $126,983 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Worker; Asbestos Consultant-inspector |
| NV | 10 | 62.5 | $31,742 | not matched | — |
| MO | 10 | 26.5 | $61,913 | not matched | — |
| AR | 10 | 11.4 | $57,623 | exam | Asbestos Abatement Worker; Asbestos Project Designer |
| OK | 8 | 6.5 | $64,981 | exam | Asbestos Contractor; Asbestos Worker |
| ME | 8 | 10.1 | $80,346 | not matched | — |
| HI | 8 | 29.4 | $61,174 | not matched | — |
| MD | 7 | 19.3 | $83,348 | licence | Asbestos Designer; Asbestos Worker |
| GA | 7 | 13.3 | $62,269 | not matched | — |
| SC | 7 | 12.4 | $58,655 | not matched | — |
| VA | 7 | 29.9 | $58,263 | exam | Asbestos Contractor License; Asbestos Project Designer License |
| KY | 5 | 9.0 | $127,867 | licence | Certified Lead Hazard Detection and Ab; Certified Lead Hazard Detection and Ab |
| UT | 4 | 6.2 | $64,920 | not matched | — |
| VT | 4 | 11.2 | $47,511 | exam | Asbestos Supervisor; Asbestos Worker |
| IA | 4 | 10.2 | $46,146 | exam | Asbestos Abatement Worker; Lead Abatement Contractor |
| TN | 4 | 14.2 | $32,404 | not matched | — |
| DE | 3 | 10.0 | $73,067 | licence | Asbestos Abatement Worker (Class A); Asbestos Abatement Worker (Class B Lim |
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.