Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters vs Machinists AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters

57 shared · 12 different

core competencies

medium risk

Machinists

Side-by-Side Comparison

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters leads 5–0

Metric	Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters	Machinists
Risk Score	17.8%	36.8%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	3th	71th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	3 / 15	9 / 15
Median Salary	$62,970	$56,150
Employment	456K	299K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Performing General Physical Activities

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others

Design

Handling and Moving Objects

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Gross Body Equilibrium

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment

Production and Processing

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters

29%

total discount

Machinists

26%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters

3 of 15 at risk

86%Select pipe sizes, types, or related materials, such as supports, hangers, or hydraulic cylinders, according to specifications.

55%Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints.

51%Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications.

43%Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness.

39%Inspect, examine, or test installed systems or pipe lines, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation, or other methods.

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 -$6,820(-11%) vs Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters

Pipe Fitters and SteamfittersMachinists

10th

$40,670$38,100

25th

$48,860$46,250

Median

$62,970$56,150

75th

$81,900$64,910

90th

$105,150$78,760

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters2028–2035

Machinists2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Machinists.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters

$51,774

from $62,970

Machinists

$35,492

from $56,150

After adjusting for AI risk, Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters offers $16,282 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Pipe

Unique to Machinists

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Creativity

Regulatory Barriers

Social Intelligence

Pipe Fitters and SteamfittersMachinists

Find transitions from Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters Find transitions from Machinists