Takeover Tracker
22%low risk
Pipelayers
vs

59 shared · 21 different

core competencies

25%medium risk
Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricPipelayersSolar Photovoltaic Installers
Risk Score21.6%25.2%
Risk TierLow RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile10th20th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)3 / 146 / 15
Median Salary$48,710$51,860
Employment34K28K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Controlling Machines and Processes
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Public Safety and Security
English Language
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Training and Teaching Others
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
Production and Processing
Processing Information
Visual Color Discrimination

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Pipelayers

28%

total discount

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

29%

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.

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

6 of 15 at risk
86%Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit.
86%Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
84%Program, adjust, or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes.
74%Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.
55%Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.

Wage Comparison

Solar Photovoltaic Installers earns +$3,150(+6%) vs Pipelayers
PipelayersSolar Photovoltaic Installers
10th
$36,840$39,070
25th
$42,320$46,040
Median
$48,710$51,860
75th
$60,980$63,020
90th
$80,710$80,150

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Pipelayers2028–2035
Solar Photovoltaic Installers2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Pipelayers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Solar Photovoltaic Installers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Pipelayers

$38,189

from $48,710

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

$38,791

from $51,860

After adjusting for AI risk, Solar Photovoltaic Installers offers $603 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Pipelayers

0

Unique to Solar

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Creativity
Decision Complexity
Regulatory Barriers
Social Intelligence
PipelayersSolar Photovoltaic Installers
Find transitions from PipelayersFind transitions from Solar Photovoltaic Installers