Postal Service Clerks vs Cooks, Fast Food AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Postal Service Clerks

41 shared · 16 different

core competencies

medium risk

Cooks, Fast Food

Side-by-Side Comparison

Cooks, Fast Food leads 3–2

Metric	Postal Service Clerks	Cooks, Fast Food
Risk Score	48.3%	46.3%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	96th	93th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	10 / 15	12 / 15
Median Salary	$61,630	$30,160
Employment	78K	668K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Computers and Electronics

Interacting With Computers

Oral Expression

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Handling and Moving Objects

English Language

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Customer and Personal Service

Number Facility

Documenting/Recording Information

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Postal Service Clerks

27%

total discount

Cooks, Fast Food

23%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Postal Service Clerks

10 of 15 at risk

86%Register, certify, and insure letters and parcels.

86%Complete forms regarding changes of address, or theft or loss of mail, or for special services such as registered or priority mail.

84%Sell and collect payment for products such as stamps, prepaid mail envelopes, and money orders.

82%Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage.

82%Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions.

Cooks, Fast Food

12 of 15 at risk

88%Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.

76%Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.

75%Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.

61%Prepare and serve beverages, such as coffee or fountain drinks.

59%Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.

Wage Comparison

Cooks, Fast Food earns -$31,470(-51%) vs Postal Service Clerks

Postal Service ClerksCooks, Fast Food

10th

$42,600$22,370

25th

$55,410$26,540

Median

$61,630$30,160

75th

$74,050$35,710

90th

$74,050$38,980

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Postal Service Clerks2028–2035

Cooks, Fast Food2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Cooks, Fast Food has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Postal Service Clerks.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Postal Service Clerks

$31,838

from $61,630

Cooks, Fast Food

$16,211

from $30,160

After adjusting for AI risk, Postal Service Clerks offers $15,627 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Postal

Unique to Cooks,

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Decision Complexity

Creativity

Social Intelligence

Postal Service ClerksCooks, Fast Food

Find transitions from Postal Service Clerks Find transitions from Cooks, Fast Food