Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers vs Power Plant Operators AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

62 shared · 11 different

core competencies

medium risk

Power Plant Operators

Side-by-Side Comparison

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers leads 4–1

Metric	Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers	Power Plant Operators
Risk Score	43.5%	46.3%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	89th	94th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	6 / 14	11 / 15
Median Salary	$60,020	$99,670
Employment	13K	31K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Mechanical

Public Safety and Security

Production and Processing

Computers and Electronics

Handling and Moving Objects

Controlling Machines and Processes

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Static Strength

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

English Language

Oral Expression

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

28%

total discount

Power Plant Operators

28%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

6 of 14 at risk

88%Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.

86%Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.

86%Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.

78%Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.

77%Test materials and solutions, using testing equipment.

Power Plant Operators

11 of 15 at risk

86%Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.

82%Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.

80%Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.

80%Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.

78%Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.

Wage Comparison

Power Plant Operators earns +$39,650(+66%) vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersPower Plant Operators

10th

$37,850$59,930

25th

$47,270$77,400

Median

$60,020$99,670

75th

$75,160$111,980

90th

$89,660$128,760

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers2028–2035

Power Plant Operators2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Power Plant Operators.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

$33,893

from $60,020

Power Plant Operators

$53,483

from $99,670

After adjusting for AI risk, Power Plant Operators offers $19,590 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Pump

Unique to Power

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Regulatory Barriers

Creativity

Fine Manipulation

Decision Complexity

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersPower Plant Operators

Find transitions from Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Find transitions from Power Plant Operators