Ranking Burdens by State
Table 6 ranks the states by how burdensome their licenses are, on average. As in 2017, Hawaii has the highest average burdens across the occupations it licenses—972 days or two and a half years of education and experience, two exams, $506 in fees, and minimum grade and age requirements. Hawaii is again followed by Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida and Virginia.
Nebraska again has the lowest average burdens—requiring 114 days or almost four months of education and experience, one exam, $92 in fees, and minimum grade and age requirements on average. Following Nebraska are Pennsylvania, Utah, North Dakota and Washington. Only Utah is new to this list of least burdensome states thanks to reforms to contractor specialty licenses detailed below.
In all, three states—Hawaii, Nevada and California—require more than two years of education and experience on average across the occupations they license. Another 14 states require one to just under two years. And even the least burdensome state, Nebraska, requires almost four months.
Table 7 ranks the states by a combined measure of breadth and burden. Similar to how we created the combined rank measure for the occupations, we created this rank by multiplying the number of occupations a state licenses (as shown in Table 2) by the state’s burden score (used to rank the states in Table 6). The states that top this ranking license a lot of occupations and do so very onerously on average.
Nevada remains the most widely and onerously licensed state. It licenses a large number of occupations—75—and does so very onerously, ranking as the second most burdensome state. California is a close second in our combined rankings, followed by Virginia, Hawaii and Arizona. California, Nevada and Virginia all rank in the top 10 for most occupations licensed and for most burdensome licenses, and all three are in the top five for most widely and onerously licensed. Hawaii and Arizona license somewhat fewer occupations, though still more than average, and rank as the first and fourth most burdensome states. Wyoming ranks as the least widely and onerously licensed state. Though it is the 22nd most burdensome state—mandating almost nine months of education and experience, two exams, $373 in fees, and minimum grade and age requirements on average—it licenses the fewest occupations of any state.
Wyoming is not the only state that ranks low in Table 7 but substantially higher in Table 6, reflecting the fact that it licenses relatively few occupations but does so onerously. For example, Kentucky and Texas rank 13th and 18th for burden. But because they license fewer occupations than average, they rank 40th and 41st for breadth and burden combined.
Conversely, some states impose relatively light burdens but license a large number of occupations and so rank high in Table 7 but quite a bit lower in Table 6. Such states include Washington (76 occupations, 47th most burdensome), Tennessee (69 occupations, 37th most burdensome), West Virginia (67 occupations, 41st most burdensome) and Mississippi (65 occupations, 44th most burdensome).
Table 6: Burdens by State
States Ranked by Average Burdens for Licensed Occupations, 2022
| Rank | Change from 2017 | State | Number of 102 Lower-Income Occupations Licensed | Average Fees | Average Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Average Exams | Average Min. Grade | Average Min. Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – (0) | Hawaii | 64 | $506 | 972 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| 2 | – (0) | Nevada | 75 | $727 | 883 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 3 | – (0) | California | 75 | $517 | 837 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 4 | – (0) | Arizona | 68 | $481 | 689 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| 5 | – (0) | Florida | 55 | $300 | 658 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 6 | – (0) | Virginia | 72 | $319 | 580 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 7 | ↑ (2) | Oregon | 69 | $311 | 530 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 8 | ↑ (3) | Massachusetts | 50 | $331 | 511 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 9 | ↑ (1) | Maryland | 58 | $295 | 532 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 10 | ↓ (-2) | New Mexico | 66 | $273 | 495 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 11 | ↑ (1) | Delaware | 42 | $230 | 495 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 12 | ↑ (3) | Georgia | 41 | $197 | 472 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 13 | ↑ (1) | Kentucky | 38 | $281 | 404 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 14 | ↑ (2) | New Jersey | 54 | $279 | 422 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 15 | ↑ (2) | South Carolina | 60 | $243 | 428 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 16 | ↑ (2) | Oklahoma | 42 | $307 | 405 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 17 | ↑ (5) | Connecticut | 65 | $290 | 374 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 18 | ↑ (1) | Texas | 38 | $264 | 329 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 19 | ↑ (5) | New Hampshire | 37 | $209 | 326 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 20 | ↑ (6) | Michigan | 48 | $281 | 308 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 21 | – (0) | Montana | 32 | $316 | 295 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 22 | ↑ (5) | Wyoming | 26 | $373 | 259 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 23 | ↑ (2) | Indiana | 37 | $162 | 306 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 24 | ↑ (5) | Idaho | 66 | $187 | 330 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 25 | ↑ (5) | Rhode Island | 70 | $236 | 297 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 26 | ↑ (6) | Maine | 46 | $226 | 323 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 27 | ↓ (-4) | South Dakota | 32 | $244 | 281 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| 28 | ↓ (-8) | Missouri | 33 | $192 | 281 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 29 | ↓ (-22) | Arkansas | 72 | $267 | 282 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 30 | ↑ (4) | New York | 41 | $275 | 275 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 31 | ↓ (-3) | Vermont | 31 | $194 | 266 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 32 | ↑ (1) | Ohio | 40 | $145 | 269 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 33 | ↑ (3) | D.C. | 61 | $434 | 275 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 34 | ↑ (1) | Colorado | 34 | $355 | 257 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 35 | ↑ (2) | Illinois | 41 | $281 | 234 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| 36 | ↓ (-5) | Minnesota | 35 | $243 | 266 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 37 | ↑ (2) | Tennessee | 69 | $339 | 245 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 38 | – (0) | Iowa | 71 | $152 | 269 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 39 | ↑ (3) | North Carolina | 66 | $231 | 228 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 40 | ↑ (1) | Kansas | 35 | $160 | 199 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 41 | ↑ (5) | West Virginia | 67 | $200 | 214 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 42 | ↓ (-2) | Alaska | 64 | $439 | 230 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 43 | – (0) | Wisconsin | 42 | $258 | 197 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 44 | ↑ (1) | Mississippi | 65 | $343 | 169 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 45 | ↓ (-1) | Louisiana | 77 | $333 | 175 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 46 | ↑ (1) | Alabama | 63 | $374 | 154 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 47 | ↑ (1) | Washington | 76 | $230 | 171 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 48 | ↑ (1) | North Dakota | 65 | $151 | 113 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 49 | ↓ (-36) | Utah | 64 | $321 | 130 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 50 | – (0) | Pennsylvania | 50 | $116 | 120 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 51 | – (0) | Nebraska | 61 | $92 | 114 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
↑ Increase since 2017 ↓ Decrease since 2017
Table 7: Combined State Rankings
States Ranked by Number of Licenses and Average Burdens, 2022
| Rank | Change from 2017 | State | Number of 102 Lower-Income Occupations Licensed | Average Fees | Average Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Average Exams | Average Min. Grade | Average Min. Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – (0) | Nevada | 75 | $727 | 883 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 2 | – (0) | California | 75 | $517 | 837 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 3 | ↑ (4) | Virginia | 72 | $319 | 580 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 4 | ↑ (1) | Hawaii | 64 | $506 | 972 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| 5 | ↓ (-1) | Arizona | 68 | $481 | 689 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| 6 | – (0) | Louisiana | 77 | $333 | 175 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | ↑ (1) | Oregon | 69 | $311 | 530 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 8 | ↑ (1) | Washington | 76 | $230 | 171 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 9 | ↓ (-6) | Arkansas | 72 | $267 | 282 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 10 | ↑ (1) | New Mexico | 66 | $273 | 495 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 11 | ↓ (-1) | Rhode Island | 70 | $236 | 297 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 12 | – (0) | Iowa | 71 | $152 | 269 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 13 | – (0) | Tennessee | 69 | $339 | 245 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 14 | ↑ (1) | Idaho | 66 | $187 | 330 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 15 | ↑ (4) | Connecticut | 65 | $290 | 374 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 16 | – (0) | West Virginia | 67 | $200 | 214 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 17 | – (0) | North Carolina | 66 | $231 | 228 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 18 | – (0) | Mississippi | 65 | $343 | 169 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 19 | ↑ (2) | Alaska | 64 | $439 | 230 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 20 | ↑ (2) | South Carolina | 60 | $243 | 428 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 21 | ↑ (2) | Maryland | 58 | $295 | 532 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 22 | ↑ (2) | North Dakota | 65 | $151 | 113 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 23 | ↓ (-3) | Florida | 55 | $300 | 658 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 24 | ↑ (2) | D.C. | 61 | $434 | 275 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 25 | – (0) | Alabama | 63 | $374 | 154 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 26 | ↓ (-12) | Utah | 64 | $321 | 130 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 27 | – (0) | Nebraska | 61 | $92 | 114 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 28 | – (0) | New Jersey | 54 | $279 | 422 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 29 | – (0) | Massachusetts | 50 | $331 | 511 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 30 | – (0) | Michigan | 48 | $281 | 308 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 31 | – (0) | Pennsylvania | 50 | $116 | 120 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 32 | – (0) | Maine | 46 | $226 | 323 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 33 | – (0) | Delaware | 42 | $230 | 495 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 34 | ↑ (1) | Oklahoma | 42 | $307 | 405 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 35 | ↓ (-1) | Georgia | 41 | $197 | 472 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 36 | ↑ (1) | New York | 41 | $275 | 275 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 37 | ↓ (-1) | Wisconsin | 42 | $258 | 197 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 38 | ↑ (1) | Illinois | 41 | $281 | 234 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| 39 | ↓ (-1) | Ohio | 40 | $145 | 269 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 40 | – (0) | Kentucky | 38 | $281 | 404 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 41 | ↑ (1) | Texas | 38 | $264 | 329 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 42 | ↓ (-1) | New Hampshire | 37 | $209 | 326 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 43 | ↑ (1) | Indiana | 37 | $162 | 306 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 44 | ↑ (1) | Minnesota | 35 | $243 | 266 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 45 | ↑ (1) | Kansas | 35 | $160 | 199 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 46 | ↑ (1) | Colorado | 34 | $355 | 257 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 47 | ↓ (-4) | Missouri | 33 | $192 | 281 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 48 | – (0) | Montana | 32 | $316 | 295 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 49 | – (0) | South Dakota | 32 | $244 | 281 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| 50 | – (0) | Vermont | 31 | $194 | 266 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 51 | – (0) | Wyoming | 26 | $373 | 259 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
↑ Increase since 2017 ↓ Decrease since 2017