Takeover Tracker
32%medium risk
Materials Engineers
vs

59 shared · 27 different

core competencies

30%medium risk
Mechanical Engineers

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMaterials EngineersMechanical Engineers
Risk Score31.7%30.3%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile49th41th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)6 / 155 / 15
Median Salary$108,310$102,320
Employment23K287K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Chemistry
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Design
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Mechanical
Getting Information
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Production and Processing
Scheduling Work and Activities
Analyzing Data or Information

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Materials Engineers

31%

total discount

Mechanical Engineers

31%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Materials Engineers

6 of 15 at risk
86%Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
84%Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.
76%Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
53%Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
51%Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Mechanical Engineers

5 of 15 at risk
55%Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
53%Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
51%Recommend the use of utility or energy services that minimize carbon footprints.
51%Assist drafters in developing the structural design of products, using drafting tools or computer-assisted drafting equipment or software.
51%Evaluate mechanical designs or prototypes for energy performance or environmental impact.

Wage Comparison

Mechanical Engineers earns -$5,990(-6%) vs Materials Engineers
Materials EngineersMechanical Engineers
10th
$68,040$68,740
25th
$85,820$81,800
Median
$108,310$102,320
75th
$138,370$130,290
90th
$172,000$161,240

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Materials Engineers2028–2035
Mechanical Engineers2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Mechanical Engineers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Materials Engineers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Materials Engineers

$73,987

from $108,310

Mechanical Engineers

$71,297

from $102,320

After adjusting for AI risk, Materials Engineers offers $2,690 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Materials

0

Unique to Mechanical

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation
Regulatory Barriers
Creativity
Social Intelligence
Materials EngineersMechanical Engineers
Find transitions from Materials EngineersFind transitions from Mechanical Engineers