Where is it easiest to open: General Automotive Repair
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 49-3023” (soc) for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. 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 | 9,797 | 4.8 | $59,320 | not matched | — |
| TX | 6,258 | 5.4 | $55,442 | not matched | — |
| NY | 5,297 | 3.9 | $47,549 | not matched | — |
| FL | 5,199 | 4.2 | $50,493 | not matched | — |
| PA | 4,530 | 4.0 | $47,185 | licence | Vehicle Manufacturer |
| IL | 3,872 | 4.7 | $56,044 | licence | AUTOMOTIVE PARTS RECYCLER; REBUILDER |
| OH | 2,919 | 5.6 | $48,784 | not matched | — |
| NC | 2,786 | 4.6 | $48,520 | licence | Motor Club; Motor Vehicle Manufacturer Branch |
| MI | 2,540 | 5.1 | $49,586 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 2,502 | 3.9 | $52,304 | not matched | — |
| VA | 2,269 | 5.4 | $53,083 | not matched | — |
| GA | 2,215 | 5.1 | $55,877 | not matched | — |
| IN | 1,875 | 5.4 | $50,855 | not matched | — |
| WI | 1,870 | 4.8 | $52,758 | not matched | — |
| MA | 1,806 | 4.3 | $56,004 | not matched | — |
| WA | 1,732 | 5.2 | $62,537 | not matched | — |
| MN | 1,715 | 5.1 | $56,985 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 1,677 | 5.8 | $58,065 | not matched | — |
| MO | 1,676 | 5.2 | $50,411 | not matched | — |
| MD | 1,631 | 5.3 | $55,487 | not matched | — |
| CO | 1,571 | 5.5 | $61,270 | not matched | — |
| TN | 1,309 | 4.8 | $49,206 | licence | AUTOMOBILE CLUB OR AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIAT |
| OR | 1,119 | 5.1 | $50,032 | not matched | — |
| IA | 1,076 | 4.6 | $48,411 | not matched | — |
| SC | 1,067 | 5.1 | $49,199 | not matched | — |
| AL | 919 | 4.8 | $49,130 | not matched | — |
| CT | 908 | 4.9 | $54,992 | not matched | — |
| UT | 862 | 5.4 | $52,723 | not matched | — |
| OK | 862 | 4.8 | $46,234 | not matched | — |
| KY | 856 | 4.5 | $48,933 | not matched | — |
| KS | 779 | 4.5 | $48,202 | not matched | — |
| LA | 765 | 4.3 | $47,973 | not matched | — |
| NV | 702 | 5.3 | $62,541 | not matched | — |
| NE | 682 | 4.8 | $52,592 | not matched | — |
| NH | 657 | 4.4 | $56,861 | not matched | — |
| ME | 614 | 3.7 | $46,708 | not matched | — |
| AR | 587 | 4.5 | $44,318 | not matched | — |
| ID | 547 | 4.5 | $50,466 | not matched | — |
| MS | 490 | 4.5 | $46,400 | not matched | — |
| MT | 472 | 4.1 | $48,937 | not matched | — |
| NM | 462 | 4.7 | $48,071 | not matched | — |
| WV | 440 | 4.1 | $40,022 | not matched | — |
| SD | 371 | 4.3 | $49,810 | not matched | — |
| VT | 333 | 3.7 | $49,698 | not matched | — |
| RI | 330 | 4.0 | $51,437 | not matched | — |
| ND | 263 | 4.7 | $58,097 | not matched | — |
| DE | 238 | 5.1 | $57,769 | not matched | — |
| HI | 227 | 4.4 | $51,637 | not matched | — |
| WY | 225 | 4.4 | $52,429 | not matched | — |
| AK | 197 | 5.4 | $63,238 | not matched | — |
| DC | 31 | 5.2 | $58,100 | 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.