Takeover Tracker
23%low risk
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
vs

56 shared · 9 different

core competencies

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Risk Score23.0%18.1%
Risk TierLow RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile14th4th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)6 / 150 / 15
Median Salary$58,710$51,650
Employment469K46K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Performing General Physical Activities
Transportation
Controlling Machines and Processes
Depth Perception
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Documenting/Recording Information
Trunk Strength
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

25%

total discount

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

25%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

6 of 15 at risk
87%Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
86%Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
85%Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
84%Learn and follow safety regulations.
84%Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.

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 -$7,060(-12%) vs Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
10th
$40,080$38,030
25th
$47,780$44,740
Median
$58,710$51,650
75th
$75,750$66,060
90th
$100,690$90,110

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment 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 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

$45,195

from $58,710

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

$42,301

from $51,650

After adjusting for AI risk, Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators offers $2,894 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Operating

0

Unique to Paving,

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Creativity
Social Intelligence
Fine Manipulation
Regulatory Barriers
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Find transitions from Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsFind transitions from Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators