102 Lower-income Occupations
For its 2017 report License to Work, the Institute for Justice documented the requirements to get a license for 102 lower-income occupations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read more about the research methods.
State Profiles
For its 2017 report License to Work, the Institute for Justice documented the requirements to get a license for 102 lower-income occupations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read more about the research methods.
Select A State
What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Interpreter, Sign Language
License required in 22 states
7th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
55th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Sign language interpreters translate or transliterate sign language into another language or vice versa.[c]Adapted from Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 309.300.[/c]Licensing
Twenty-two states license sign language interpreters. On average, these laws require aspiring sign language interpreters to pay $661 in fees, demonstrate almost three years (1,088 days) of education and experience, and pass two exams—the seventh most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. However, because sign language interpreters are licensed by less than half of states, the occupation ranks as the 55th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements are somewhat consistent across states. All licensed states require two exams, and nearly all (20) set a minimum age of 18. Sixteen also require a bachelor’s degree and 40 hours of interpreter education. Arkansas and Mississippi, however, require only payment of a fee ($170 and $225, respectively) in addition to the two exams.
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2017.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensom
Based on data released in November 2017| Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 22 | $1,016 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 2 | Illinois | 22 | $900 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 3 | Arizona | 22 | $820 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 4 | Nevada | 22 | $675 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 5 | North Carolina | 22 | $938 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 22 | $875 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 7 | Kentucky | 22 | $850 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 8 | Iowa | 22 | $795 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 22 | $750 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 10 | New Mexico | 22 | $740 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 11 | Indiana | 22 | $725 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 11 | South Dakota | 22 | $725 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 13 | West Virginia | 22 | $720 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 22 | $700 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 15 | Connecticut | 22 | $675 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 15 | North Dakota | 22 | $675 | 1469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 17 | Missouri | 22 | $438 | 420 | 60 credit hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 18 | Alabama | 22 | $580 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 18 | ||
| 19 | Nebraska | 22 | $345 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 18 | ||
| 20 | Utah | 22 | $210 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 21 | Mississippi | 22 | $225 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 22 | Arkansas | 22 | $170 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |