Takeover Tracker
24%low risk
Crane and Tower Operators
vs

59 shared · 12 different

core competencies

18%low risk
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricCrane and Tower OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Risk Score23.8%18.1%
Risk TierLow RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile16th4th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)5 / 120 / 15
Median Salary$66,370$51,650
Employment42K46K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Far Vision
Performing General Physical Activities
Depth Perception
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Public Safety and Security
Developing and Building Teams
Rate Control
Control Precision
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Building and Construction

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Crane and Tower Operators

26%

total discount

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

25%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Crane and Tower Operators

5 of 12 at risk
88%Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
88%Weigh bundles, using floor scales, and record weights for company records.
86%Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
84%Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements and remove and batch packaging tickets.
57%Load or unload bundles from trucks or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

0 of 15 at risk
45%Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates.
41%Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
39%Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
39%Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
37%Shovel blacktop.

Wage Comparison

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators earns -$14,720(-22%) vs Crane and Tower Operators
Crane and Tower OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
10th
$41,670$38,030
25th
$50,970$44,740
Median
$66,370$51,650
75th
$81,630$66,060
90th
$102,400$90,110

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Crane and Tower Operators2028–2035
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Crane and Tower Operators.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Crane and Tower Operators

$50,567

from $66,370

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

$42,301

from $51,650

After adjusting for AI risk, Crane and Tower Operators offers $8,266 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Crane

0

Unique to Paving,

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity
Decision Complexity
Fine Manipulation
Regulatory Barriers
Crane and Tower OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Find transitions from Crane and Tower OperatorsFind transitions from Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators