Where is it easiest to open: Amusement and Theme Parks
25 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 39-3091” (soc) for Amusement and Recreation Attendants. 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 | 65 | 775.3 | $29,808 | not matched | — |
| TX | 59 | 121.4 | $22,535 | not matched | — |
| FL | 43 | 1355.8 | $29,558 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 19 | 64.1 | $65,623 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 19 | 37.7 | $21,086 | not matched | — |
| TN | 17 | 141.0 | $37,460 | not matched | — |
| IL | 16 | 37.0 | $56,640 | not matched | — |
| MO | 13 | 55.3 | $35,506 | not matched | — |
| UT | 13 | 78.1 | $35,282 | not matched | — |
| NY | 10 | 44.0 | $58,502 | not matched | — |
| SC | 10 | 31.0 | $24,184 | licence | Swimming Pool/SPA Operator |
| NH | 8 | 19.5 | $116,103 | not matched | — |
| MI | 8 | 40.5 | $11,784 | not matched | — |
| MD | 7 | 28.9 | $52,594 | not matched | — |
| GA | 7 | 2.4 | $54,471 | not matched | — |
| VA | 6 | 19.3 | $18,009 | not matched | — |
| MN | 6 | 2.8 | $93,529 | licence | Certified Pool Operator Certificate |
| OH | 6 | 709.2 | $12,879 | not matched | — |
| PA | 6 | 164.3 | $29,570 | not matched | — |
| NV | 5 | 115.8 | $35,321 | not matched | — |
| CT | 5 | 54.2 | $44,376 | licence | Amusement Engineer |
| DE | 4 | 7.8 | $161,290 | not matched | — |
| AL | 3 | 168.7 | $25,962 | not matched | — |
| ME | 3 | 16.0 | $142,750 | not matched | — |
| OK | 3 | 75.7 | $29,885 | 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.