Community Sentiment
Do you agree?
Do you agree with the AI automation risk score calculated for this occupation?
AI Automation Index
Will AI Replace Meter Readers, Utilities?
Task-level automation exposure for Meter Readers, Utilities: 15 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.
E-E-A-T Verified
Developed & audited by Gini Loh Automation Exposure
48%
weighted task index
15 of 15 tasks scored
Median Salary
$48,150 / year
BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation
Employment Level
Low
19,430 people hold this job — size, not growth
Projected 2025–35
-10.5%
employment change
1,400 openings a year · BLS line item
Pay by state
BLS OEWS publishes 40 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.
$30,440 – $79,040
Highest medians
California $79,040
Pennsylvania $78,450
Nevada $76,120
Minnesota $73,930
Colorado $66,550
Lowest medians
Puerto Rico $30,440
Mississippi $37,120
Arkansas $37,340
Louisiana $37,570
Oklahoma $39,480
State figures come from the 43-5041 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.
What the score is made of
Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.
Automation potential 48%
Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.
Physical work 34%
Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.
Judgment & influence 15%
Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.
Routine administration 17%
Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.
Rewritten by O*NET 0%
Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.
Consequence of error 7/100
Low
O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.
Constituent Task Mix
15 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.
High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 48%
7 tasks
Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 18%
3 tasks
Low exposure (below 35%) 34%
5 tasks
How would you survive?
Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.
Simulate Upskilling →Constituent Tasks
#11309 · Core · 85% automatable
Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
data analysis — Data entry into systems automatable
Enter information into databases or software programs.
#11311 · Core · 85% automatable
Upload into office computers all information collected on hand-held computers during meter rounds, or return route books or hand-held computers to business offices so that data can be compiled.
data analysis — Data entry into systems automatable
Enter information into databases or software programs.
#11310 · Core · 5% automatable
Walk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials.
physical manipulation — Hands-on vehicle and equipment operation
Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
#11312 · Core · 83% automatable
Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations.
data analysis — Data accuracy verification is rule-based and reliable
Verify accuracy of data. Record service or repair activities.
#24046 · Core · 8% automatable
Install new or replace broken meters.
physical manipulation — Hands-on removal and fitting of worn components
Install machine or equipment replacement parts. Install metering equipment. Replace worn equipment components. Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
#11313 · Core · 42% automatable
Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals.
visual inspection — Sensor/vision monitoring possible, but physical verification and accountability remain human
Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
#20904 · Core · 15% automatable
Perform preventative maintenance or minor repairs on meters.
physical manipulation — Basic equipment maintenance requires hands-on work
Perform basic equipment maintenance.
#11315 · Core · 63% automatable
Answer customers' questions about services and charges, or direct them to customer service centers.
decision support — Routing referrals from criteria; human confirms fit
Discuss account status or activity with customers or patrons. Refer customers to appropriate personnel.
#11314 · Core · 65% automatable
Report to service departments any problems, such as meter irregularities, damaged equipment, or impediments to meter access, including dogs.
text generation — Reporting maintenance problems is routine messaging
Report maintenance or equipment problems to appropriate personnel.
#11317 · Core · 55% automatable
Leave messages to arrange different times to read meters in cases in which meters are not accessible.
interpersonal — Account discussions need human relationship and judgment
Discuss account status or activity with customers or patrons.
#24047 · Core · 4% automatable
Dig dirt away from meters to take readings.
physical manipulation — Hands-on cleaning of work areas
Clean work areas. Shovel materials.
#11320 · Core · 65% automatable
Report lost or broken keys.
text generation — Notifying maintenance needs is routine messaging
Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
#11318 · Supplemental · 10% automatable
Connect and disconnect utility services at specific locations.
physical manipulation — Physical power supply connection work
Control power supply connections.
#11316 · Supplemental · 80% automatable
Update client address and meter location information.
data analysis — Maintain financial records; human reconciles exceptions
Maintain financial or account records.
#11319 · Supplemental · 53% automatable
Collect past-due bills.
data analysis — Billing and payment processing largely automated
Process customer bills or payments. Collect deposits, payments or fees.
Embed this calculator on your site ↓
Bloggers & authors: Embed this interactive calculator directly in your articles or comparison guides. It loads dynamically via a responsive iframe (auto-resizing to prevent double scrollbars) and provides a direct, high-value tool for your audience.
<div class="giniloh-calculator-embed" data-calculator="meter-readers-utilities"></div>
<script src="https://giniloh.com/embed.js" async></script> Method
How this was scored
- 1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
- 2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
- 3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
- 4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.
Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.
Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast
See the full method →Related Article
Best AI Proof Jobs in a Changing Market
Worried robots are coming for your paycheck? You’re not alone—but the real story is far more hopeful. This guide cuts through the scare headlines to reveal exactly where smart, sustainable career opportunities exist right now. We’ve curated a list of true ai proof jobs—roles in healthcare, skilled trades, and cybersecurity that not only survive automation but thrive because of human judgment and empathy. You’ll get specific, money-making data on projected growth (the BLS says wind turbine technicians, for instance, will grow 44% by 2032), real salary ranges from active job listings, and a simple self-assessment quiz to identify your own most resilient path. Plus, we name companies hiring today and the niche job boards they use. Stop worrying and start planning—your secure career is closer than you think.
Read Article ->