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Where is it easiest to open: Elementary and Secondary Schools
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 25-2021” (soc) for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education. 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 | 2,740 | 52.8 | $58,516 | licence | Studio Teachers Certificate; Teacher Credentials |
| FL | 1,758 | 41.9 | $43,758 | exam | Elementary Education (grades K-6); Physical Education (grades K-12) |
| NY | 1,748 | 60.1 | $55,252 | licence | Public School Teacher |
| TX | 1,534 | 61.2 | $48,374 | not matched | — |
| PA | 1,119 | 54.2 | $50,268 | exam | Barber Teacher; Cosmetology Teacher |
| IL | 839 | 46.7 | $48,051 | exam | BARBER TEACHER; ESTHETICIAN TEACHER |
| NJ | 808 | 55.3 | $49,624 | exam | COSMETOLOGY AND HAIRSTYLING TEACHER; LEARNING DISABILITIES TEACHER-CONSULTA |
| OH | 796 | 44.9 | $42,082 | licence | Kindergarten and Primary School Teache; Multi-Age Specialty Teacher (Music, et |
| GA | 627 | 54.6 | $42,946 | exam | Elementary School Teachers; Teacher Aides |
| NC | 624 | 55.6 | $39,022 | exam | Esthetician Teacher; Professional Educator License |
| AZ | 617 | 50.2 | $46,022 | licence | Elementary Teaching |
| MA | 533 | 65.9 | $60,441 | licence | EDUCATOR; TEACHER |
| MN | 455 | 45.5 | $42,333 | licence | Teaching Licenses - Various Types / Sp |
| VA | 454 | 42.0 | $47,060 | licence | Career and Technical Education Teachin; Dental Teacher |
| MI | 439 | 67.2 | $43,071 | licence | School Teacher, Elementary & Secondary |
| MD | 438 | 55.5 | $49,797 | licence | Elementary and Middle School Teachers; Teacher (Provisional and Resident) |
| WI | 418 | 37.5 | $37,135 | licence | SUBSTITUTE TEACHER - Five Year License; SUBSTITUTE TEACHER - Three Year Permit |
| WA | 418 | 35.9 | $50,117 | licence | Teacher |
| LA | 364 | 69.7 | $44,747 | exam | Teacher, Primary and Secondary Certifi |
| OR | 363 | 30.8 | $42,191 | licence | Substitute Teaching; Teacher, Charter School Registration |
| CO | 348 | 58.6 | $48,831 | exam | Alternative Teacher; Teacher |
| MO | 336 | 47.6 | $42,900 | exam | Teachers and Instructors, All Other |
| SC | 330 | 39.3 | $40,509 | not matched | — |
| TN | 327 | 65.3 | $46,929 | exam | TEACHER |
| IN | 304 | 49.5 | $40,879 | exam | Teaching License; Teaching License-Standard |
| CT | 271 | 66.1 | $61,441 | licence | Education: Initial Educator Certificat; Education: Professional Educator Certi |
| UT | 185 | 59.6 | $38,275 | licence | ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS, EXCEPT SPE; TEACHERS - ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, SECONDA |
| NH | 168 | 53.2 | $47,486 | exam | Child Care Program Teacher; Special Education Teacher |
| KY | 165 | 49.5 | $34,413 | licence | Substitute Teacher Certification; Teacher Certification |
| AL | 159 | 45.9 | $36,069 | exam | Alabama Professional Educator Certific |
| DC | 159 | 84.8 | $73,065 | licence | TEACHER-PUBLIC SCHOOL |
| MS | 159 | 38.4 | $32,135 | exam | Alternative Pathways Educator; Educator |
| NV | 141 | 52.9 | $50,203 | not matched | — |
| IA | 138 | 31.4 | $31,053 | licence | School Teacher |
| OK | 138 | 61.3 | $45,392 | exam | School Teacher, Elementary; School Teacher, Pre-Kindergarten throu |
| ID | 138 | 29.8 | $37,298 | exam | Teacher |
| AR | 122 | 47.2 | $39,047 | exam | Elementary Education K-6 Teacher; K-12 area teacher (Art, Music, PE/Heal |
| HI | 122 | 75.8 | $59,030 | exam | Elementary School Teacher; Secondary School Teacher |
| KS | 119 | 42.0 | $30,003 | exam | Educator - Type 1 (Elementary/Preschoo |
| ME | 119 | 36.6 | $42,660 | exam | Principal, Teaching; Teacher (various primary, secondary an |
| NE | 111 | 31.3 | $32,120 | licence | Elementary School Teacher; Substitute Teacher |
| RI | 108 | 58.2 | $52,180 | exam | School Nurse-Teacher; Teacher (Elementary) |
| NM | 103 | 40.1 | $42,533 | exam | Teacher |
| VT | 99 | 38.4 | $46,833 | exam | Educator |
| MT | 69 | 24.0 | $30,490 | licence | Elementary Teachers |
| DE | 67 | 51.1 | $41,813 | licence | Teacher 1-8, Elementary; Teacher of Art - Elementary 1-8 |
| WV | 55 | 26.1 | $28,256 | not matched | — |
| SD | 46 | 58.9 | $37,004 | licence | Birth to Age-8 Instructor; School Teacher, Elementary |
| AK | 33 | 17.5 | $33,905 | licence | Teachers, All Including PreKG, KG, Ele |
| WY | 25 | 28.0 | $42,544 | exam | SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER; SUBSTITUTE TEACHER |
| ND | 20 | 39.2 | $30,357 | licence | Armed First Responders; Teachers |
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.