Takeover Tracker
22%low risk
Pipelayers
vs

45 shared · 13 different

core competencies

20%low risk
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricPipelayersRefractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
Risk Score21.6%20.1%
Risk TierLow RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile10th7th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)3 / 142 / 15
Median Salary$48,710$58,540
Employment34K1K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Building and Construction
Controlling Machines and Processes
MathematicsAI-Vulnerable
Public Safety and Security
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Administration and Management
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Training and Teaching Others
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Performing General Physical Activities
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
Mechanical

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Pipelayers

28%

total discount

Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons

25%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Pipelayers

3 of 14 at risk
84%Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
74%Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
74%Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.
49%Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
49%Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.

Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons

2 of 15 at risk
53%Transfer clay structures to curing ovens, melting tanks, and drawing kilns, using forklifts.
51%Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, mortar powder, and water to form refractory clay or mortar, using shovels or mixing machines.
49%Fasten stopper heads to rods with metal pins to assemble refractory stoppers used to plug pouring nozzles of steel ladles.
49%Dump and tamp clay in molds, using tamping tools.
47%Measure furnace walls to determine dimensions and cut required number of sheets from plastic block, using saws.

Wage Comparison

Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons earns +$9,830(+20%) vs Pipelayers
PipelayersRefractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
10th
$36,840$37,050
25th
$42,320$48,380
Median
$48,710$58,540
75th
$60,980$73,940
90th
$80,710$81,440

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Pipelayers2028–2035
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Pipelayers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Pipelayers

$38,189

from $48,710

Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons

$46,768

from $58,540

After adjusting for AI risk, Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons offers $8,579 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Pipelayers

0

Unique to Refractory

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Regulatory Barriers
Social Intelligence
Fine Manipulation
Creativity
PipelayersRefractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
Find transitions from PipelayersFind transitions from Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons