Side-by-Side Comparison
Boilermakers leads 5–0| Metric | Boilermakers | Machinists |
|---|---|---|
| Risk Score | 16.1% | 36.8% |
| Risk Tier | Low Risk | Medium Risk |
| Risk Percentile | 2th | 71th |
| Tasks at Risk (>50%) | 3 / 15 | 9 / 15 |
| Median Salary | $73,340 | $56,150 |
| Employment | 10K | 299K |
Skill Comparison
|
Sorted by largest difference
Performing General Physical Activities
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Developing Objectives and Strategies
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Handling and Moving Objects
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Developing and Building Teams
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Design
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
Scheduling Work and Activities
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Protective Factors
Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement
Boilermakers
30%
total discount
Machinists
26%
total discount
Task Risk Comparison
Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable
Boilermakers
3 of 15 at risk55%Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
51%Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
51%Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
43%Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
39%Locate and mark reference points for columns or plates on boiler foundations, following blueprints and using straightedges, squares, transits, or measuring instruments.
Machinists
9 of 15 at risk86%Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools.
84%Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, or engineering information to determine methods or sequences of operations needed to fabricate products.
70%Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
63%Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
57%Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
Wage Comparison
Machinists earns -$17,190(-23%) vs Boilermakers
BoilermakersMachinists
10th
$48,390$38,100
25th
$62,230$46,250
Median
$73,340$56,150
75th
$93,520$64,910
90th
$107,600$78,760
Premium Head-to-Head Analysis
Displacement Timeline Comparison
Boilermakers2028–2035
Machinists2028–2035
20242030203520402045
Boilermakers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Machinists.
Risk-Adjusted Salary
Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)
Boilermakers
$61,554
from $73,340
Machinists
$35,492
from $56,150
After adjusting for AI risk, Boilermakers offers $26,062 more in risk-adjusted pay.
Transition Feasibility
1%
Skill Overlap
Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition
0
Unique to Boilermakers
0
Unique to Machinists
Combined Protection Strategy
Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors
Fine Manipulation
Decision Complexity
Social Intelligence
Regulatory Barriers
BoilermakersMachinists