Takeover Tracker
35%medium risk
Opticians, Dispensing
vs

51 shared · 23 different

core competencies

21%low risk
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricOpticians, DispensingHairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Risk Score34.7%21.5%
Risk TierMedium RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile65th10th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)9 / 155 / 15
Median Salary$46,560$35,250
Employment80K295K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
Processing Information
Monitoring and Controlling Resources
Written Expression
English Language
Getting Information
Thinking Creatively
Clerical
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Production and Processing

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Opticians, Dispensing

31%

total discount

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

33%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Opticians, Dispensing

9 of 15 at risk
88%Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
88%Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
88%Order and purchase frames and lenses.
84%Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
78%Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

5 of 15 at risk
86%Operate cash registers to receive payments from patrons.
84%Order, display, and maintain supplies.
65%Schedule client appointments.
61%Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
53%Analyze patrons' hair and other physical features to determine and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles.

Wage Comparison

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earns -$11,310(-24%) vs Opticians, Dispensing
Opticians, DispensingHairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
10th
$34,470$24,580
25th
$37,900$29,060
Median
$46,560$35,250
75th
$59,680$48,300
90th
$73,240$70,220

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Opticians, Dispensing2028–2035
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Opticians, Dispensing.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Opticians, Dispensing

$30,408

from $46,560

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

$27,675

from $35,250

After adjusting for AI risk, Opticians, Dispensing offers $2,734 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Opticians,

0

Unique to Hairdressers,

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation
Creativity
Regulatory Barriers
Decision Complexity
Opticians, DispensingHairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Find transitions from Opticians, DispensingFind transitions from Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists