Side-by-Side Comparison
Boilermakers leads 4–0| Metric | Boilermakers | Pipelayers |
|---|---|---|
| Risk Score | 16.1% | 21.6% |
| Risk Tier | Low Risk | Low Risk |
| Risk Percentile | 2th | 10th |
| Tasks at Risk (>50%) | 3 / 15 | 3 / 14 |
| Median Salary | $73,340 | $48,710 |
| Employment | 10K | 34K |
Skill Comparison
|
Sorted by largest difference
Developing Objectives and Strategies
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Design
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Production and Processing
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
Scheduling Work and Activities
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Developing and Building Teams
Protective Factors
Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement
Boilermakers
30%
total discount
Pipelayers
28%
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.
Pipelayers
3 of 14 at risk84%Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
74%Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
74%Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.
49%Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
49%Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
Wage Comparison
Pipelayers earns -$24,630(-34%) vs Boilermakers
BoilermakersPipelayers
10th
$48,390$36,840
25th
$62,230$42,320
Median
$73,340$48,710
75th
$93,520$60,980
90th
$107,600$80,710
Premium Head-to-Head Analysis
Displacement Timeline Comparison
Boilermakers2028–2035
Pipelayers2028–2035
20242030203520402045
Boilermakers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Pipelayers.
Risk-Adjusted Salary
Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)
Boilermakers
$61,554
from $73,340
Pipelayers
$38,189
from $48,710
After adjusting for AI risk, Boilermakers offers $23,366 more in risk-adjusted pay.
Transition Feasibility
1%
Skill Overlap
Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition
0
Unique to Boilermakers
0
Unique to Pipelayers
Combined Protection Strategy
Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors
Creativity
Decision Complexity
Fine Manipulation
Regulatory Barriers
BoilermakersPipelayers