Data-Driven Career Research

Market Saturation Index
How Crowded Is Your Profession?

Before you invest months getting licensed, know how competitive your target market actually is. This index shows how many licensed professionals exist per resident in every state — so you can find the states with the most opportunity.

Did you know?

For every home inspector in the US, there are 15 CDL truck drivers — making trucking the most saturated trade and home inspection the least.

How We Measure Saturation

We use BLS payroll employment data (OEWS May 2024) as our primary data source — covering 10 professions including electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, CDL drivers, home inspectors, cosmetologists, barbers, CPAs, insurance agents, and surveyors. This is based on the latest BLS employment data.

For professions with very high self-employment rates where BLS data is unreliable (real estate agents, general contractors), we collect active license counts directly from state licensing boards — because BLS data significantly undercounts these workers.

Saturation ratio: Population ÷ Employment. A ratio of 1:300 means one professional for every 300 residents — more competitive than 1:600.

Professions with Full Data

Sorted by national saturation — most crowded professions first.

Profession	National Employment	National Ratio	Most Saturated	Most Opportunity
CDL Truck Drivers	2,070,390	1 per 164	North Dakota	District Of Columbia	All States →
Electricians	742,710	1 per 458	Wyoming	South Carolina	All States →
Plumbers	456,180	1 per 746	Massachusetts	Georgia	All States →
HVAC Technicians	396,760	1 per 857	Idaho	District Of Columbia	All States →
Home Inspectors	137,140	1 per 2,480	New Jersey	Vermont	All States →

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 · US Census Vintage 2024 Population Estimates

Licensing Roadmap

Found a low-saturation state? Join the Roadmap waitlist.

A complete step-by-step playbook for getting licensed.

Once you know which state has the most opportunity, the next step is getting licensed there. The Licensing Roadmap is a state-by-profession playbook with every step, fee, and deadline mapped out — currently in pilot for 10 professions.

Join the Waitlist

Launching soon at $20.

Data Collection In Progress

These professions have been registered with their BLS SOC codes. We're currently populating state-level employment data — check back soon for full saturation rankings.

CosmetologistData Pending

BLS SOC: 39-5012 — State-level employment numbers are being collected.

BarberData Pending

BLS SOC: 39-5011 — State-level employment numbers are being collected.

CPAData Pending

BLS SOC: 13-2011 — State-level employment numbers are being collected.

Insurance AgentData Pending

BLS SOC: 41-3021 — State-level employment numbers are being collected.

SurveyorData Pending

BLS SOC: 17-1022 — State-level employment numbers are being collected.

Coming Soon — State Board License Data

These professions have high self-employment rates, making BLS payroll data unreliable. We're collecting active license counts directly from state licensing boards.

Real Estate AgentComing Soon

High self-employment rate — BLS data undercounts independent agents. Collecting active license counts from state boards.

General ContractorComing Soon

Most GCs are self-employed — BLS payroll data severely undercounts this profession. Collecting active license counts from state boards.