Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 35-3011” (soc) for Bartenders. 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 | 3,327 | 13.0 | $27,433 | not matched | — |
| NY | 3,313 | 10.0 | $32,554 | not matched | — |
| IL | 2,917 | 8.9 | $24,169 | exam | INTERTRACK EMPLOYEE |
| TX | 2,904 | 13.3 | $24,664 | not matched | — |
| WI | 2,738 | 6.6 | $17,010 | not matched | — |
| PA | 2,139 | 7.9 | $20,801 | not matched | — |
| FL | 1,824 | 14.4 | $29,865 | not matched | — |
| OH | 1,776 | 8.5 | $21,509 | licence | Alcohol Dealer Registration at Retail; Distilled Spirits Plant Permit |
| MI | 1,271 | 11.3 | $22,363 | exam | Casino Employees Level 3; Horse Racing Occupational License |
| WA | 996 | 10.3 | $32,548 | not matched | — |
| OR | 957 | 9.3 | $26,576 | licence | Alcohol Service Permit; Food Handler Cards |
| NC | 954 | 10.4 | $24,240 | licence | Air Carrier; Airport Central Storage |
| MN | 900 | 11.1 | $21,534 | not matched | — |
| CO | 850 | 12.4 | $30,455 | not matched | — |
| IA | 833 | 7.3 | $15,784 | not matched | — |
| IN | 830 | 10.4 | $19,799 | exam | Bartender's Permit Type 300 (Restricte; Bartender's Permit Type 801 (Volunteer |
| LA | 793 | 9.4 | $21,764 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 763 | 11.4 | $28,157 | not matched | — |
| NV | 701 | 14.7 | $38,250 | not matched | — |
| MO | 651 | 9.7 | $23,604 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 641 | 14.0 | $27,326 | not matched | — |
| MA | 601 | 13.8 | $27,830 | exam | GAMING EMPLOYEE |
| MT | 522 | 9.2 | $20,644 | not matched | — |
| GA | 496 | 14.5 | $24,801 | not matched | — |
| NE | 478 | 8.5 | $18,163 | not matched | — |
| SC | 425 | 12.3 | $26,699 | not matched | — |
| MD | 413 | 12.3 | $26,132 | not matched | — |
| ND | 352 | 8.4 | $17,706 | not matched | — |
| TN | 350 | 17.6 | $37,261 | not matched | — |
| OK | 346 | 10.1 | $22,069 | not matched | — |
| ID | 344 | 8.1 | $20,711 | not matched | — |
| SD | 311 | 9.9 | $20,468 | not matched | — |
| KY | 308 | 9.7 | $22,462 | not matched | — |
| AL | 294 | 9.3 | $24,035 | not matched | — |
| WV | 254 | 6.5 | $16,712 | not matched | — |
| KS | 244 | 11.4 | $15,364 | licence | Level III Gaming Occupation |
| CT | 243 | 10.3 | $22,947 | not matched | — |
| RI | 229 | 9.6 | $23,881 | licence | Bartenders |
| DC | 174 | 22.2 | $33,202 | not matched | — |
| VA | 170 | 21.6 | $32,595 | not matched | — |
| UT | 169 | 15.0 | $23,696 | not matched | — |
| HI | 155 | 10.2 | $24,956 | not matched | — |
| WY | 134 | 7.8 | $17,934 | not matched | — |
| ME | 134 | 8.9 | $34,140 | not matched | — |
| AK | 128 | 9.2 | $29,286 | licence | Alcohol Server |
| AR | 122 | 8.3 | $23,805 | not matched | — |
| VT | 98 | 9.6 | $21,560 | not matched | — |
| NM | 96 | 17.7 | $23,294 | exam | Alcohol Server Permit; Staff Permit Employees |
| MS | 95 | 9.4 | $21,918 | not matched | — |
| DE | 71 | 12.6 | $23,532 | not matched | — |
| NH | 21 | 6.5 | $38,686 | 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.