Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Machinists AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

57 shared · 2 different

core competencies

medium risk

Machinists

Side-by-Side Comparison

Machinists leads 4–1

Metric	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	Machinists
Risk Score	40.8%	36.8%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	83th	71th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	7 / 15	9 / 15
Median Salary	$46,630	$56,150
Employment	5K	299K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Interacting With Computers

Training and Teaching Others

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

26%

total discount

Machinists

26%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

7 of 15 at risk

87%Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.

84%Lay out reference lines and machining locations on work, using layout tools, and applying knowledge of shop math and layout techniques.

72%Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.

63%Observe drilling or boring machine operations to detect any problems.

61%Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.

Machinists

9 of 15 at risk

86%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 +$9,520(+20%) vs Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticMachinists

10th

$35,360$38,100

25th

$41,100$46,250

Median

$46,630$56,150

75th

$56,820$64,910

90th

$65,200$78,760

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic2028–2035

Machinists2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Machinists has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$27,596

from $46,630

Machinists

$35,492

from $56,150

After adjusting for AI risk, Machinists offers $7,897 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Drilling

Unique to Machinists

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Creativity

Social Intelligence

Regulatory Barriers

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticMachinists

Find transitions from Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Find transitions from Machinists