Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 39-2021” (soc) for Animal Caretakers. 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 | 2,578 | 6.7 | $35,706 | not matched | — |
| TX | 1,921 | 7.6 | $27,982 | exam | Racing --Assistant Farrier/Plater/Blac; Racing --Assistant Starter |
| FL | 1,906 | 5.6 | $28,223 | exam | General Individual Occupational; Professional Individual Occupational |
| NY | 1,290 | 5.7 | $29,344 | licence | Farrier; Groom |
| IL | 975 | 7.7 | $26,789 | licence | BLACKSMITH FARRIER; EXERCISE PERSON |
| PA | 966 | 6.6 | $24,558 | not matched | — |
| NC | 897 | 7.5 | $27,164 | licence | Animal Contact Exhibit Permit; Animal Shelter Registration |
| OH | 810 | 7.6 | $24,108 | not matched | — |
| MA | 759 | 6.8 | $30,663 | licence | HORSE Racing |
| WA | 709 | 6.6 | $32,216 | exam | Animal Massage |
| NJ | 707 | 7.0 | $28,549 | licence | GROOM |
| VA | 705 | 7.6 | $27,133 | not matched | — |
| CO | 680 | 7.3 | $29,797 | exam | Occupational Registration (groom, pony; Pet Animal Care and Facilities |
| GA | 680 | 7.6 | $26,001 | not matched | — |
| MI | 639 | 7.3 | $25,166 | exam | Horse Racing Occupational License |
| AZ | 559 | 6.9 | $31,445 | not matched | — |
| WI | 520 | 8.0 | $22,474 | not matched | — |
| TN | 470 | 6.5 | $27,734 | exam | ANIMAL CHEMICAL CAPTURE CERTIFICATION |
| IN | 448 | 7.7 | $24,168 | exam | Falconry License |
| MN | 447 | 9.4 | $26,737 | licence | Animal Chiropractic Registration; Animal Exhibition Permit |
| MO | 444 | 8.0 | $25,367 | not matched | — |
| SC | 427 | 7.0 | $27,881 | not matched | — |
| MD | 409 | 8.5 | $27,958 | not matched | — |
| OR | 384 | 6.5 | $29,093 | not matched | — |
| CT | 362 | 7.3 | $28,374 | not matched | — |
| UT | 305 | 7.2 | $29,069 | not matched | — |
| AL | 272 | 8.8 | $32,181 | not matched | — |
| IA | 252 | 7.6 | $22,734 | not matched | — |
| NV | 245 | 6.8 | $29,710 | not matched | — |
| OK | 234 | 7.3 | $26,490 | licence | Horse Racing Blacksmith |
| KY | 229 | 6.3 | $24,849 | not matched | — |
| NH | 207 | 5.6 | $26,725 | not matched | — |
| LA | 177 | 8.7 | $24,146 | licence | Horse Racing Occupations (Jockey, Hot |
| ME | 175 | 5.8 | $25,217 | licence | Animal Kennels, Boarding; Animal Kennels, Breeding |
| ID | 172 | 5.7 | $25,303 | not matched | — |
| KS | 171 | 9.4 | $23,672 | not matched | — |
| AR | 159 | 5.9 | $29,797 | licence | Horseshoer |
| RI | 128 | 5.2 | $26,800 | not matched | — |
| NM | 123 | 6.7 | $27,047 | not matched | — |
| NE | 118 | 7.0 | $25,211 | not matched | — |
| MT | 100 | 5.6 | $26,466 | not matched | — |
| MS | 83 | 4.7 | $23,172 | not matched | — |
| WV | 70 | 5.4 | $25,129 | not matched | — |
| SD | 65 | 5.9 | $27,240 | not matched | — |
| DE | 65 | 7.2 | $25,165 | not matched | — |
| AK | 64 | 4.8 | $26,164 | licence | Animal Facility License/Commercial or |
| ND | 64 | 6.8 | $24,589 | not matched | — |
| VT | 63 | 5.0 | $30,115 | not matched | — |
| HI | 52 | 5.2 | $24,918 | not matched | — |
| WY | 51 | 3.8 | $26,706 | not matched | — |
| DC | 42 | 9.5 | $31,070 | 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.