Community Sentiment
Do you agree?
Do you agree with the AI automation risk score calculated for this occupation?
AI Automation Index
Will AI Replace Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines?
Task-level automation exposure for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines: 20 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.
E-E-A-T Verified
Developed & audited by Gini Loh Automation Exposure
24%
weighted task index
20 of 20 tasks scored
Median Salary
$65,510 / year
BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation
Employment Level
High
176,600 people hold this job — size, not growth
Projected 2025–35
+6.7%
employment change
15,000 openings a year · BLS line item
Pay by state
BLS OEWS publishes 53 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.
$43,510 – $82,670
Highest medians
Alaska $82,670
Nevada $79,860
Minnesota $79,370
Hawaii $79,170
Washington $78,620
Lowest medians
Puerto Rico $43,510
Guam $45,280
West Virginia $56,810
Oklahoma $58,130
Mississippi $58,180
State figures come from the 49-3042 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 24%
Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.
Physical work 65%
Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.
Judgment & influence 14%
Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.
Routine administration 5%
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 43/100
Moderate
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
20 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) 15%
3 tasks
Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 5%
1 tasks
Low exposure (below 35%) 80%
16 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
#3001 · Core · 10% automatable
Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
physical manipulation — Manual replacement of mechanical parts
Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts. Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
#3000 · Core · 22% automatable
Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
visual inspection — Completed-work function check is physical
Inspect completed work to ensure proper functioning.
#3002 · Core · 12% automatable
Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
visual inspection — Locating wear and damage requires physical inspection
Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear. Operate transportation equipment to demonstrate function or malfunction.
#3008 · Core · 78% automatable
Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
information retrieval — Technical reading for maintenance well handled
Read technical information needed to perform maintenance or repairs.
#3004 · Core · 5% automatable
Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
physical manipulation — Reassembly after repair requires hands-on fitting
Reassemble equipment after repair. Dismantle heavy equipment or machinery.
#3009 · Core · 19% automatable
Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
physical manipulation — Hands-on mechanical testing in physical environment
Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning. Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
#3014 · Core · 12% automatable
Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
physical manipulation — Hands-on equipment adjustment for performance
Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance. Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts. Maintain work equipment or machinery.
#18583 · Core · 14% automatable
Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
physical manipulation — Physical component-level repair work
Rewire electrical or electronic systems. Repair electrical components.
#3003 · Core · 45% automatable
Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
decision support — Troubleshooting aided; hands-on diagnosis human
Troubleshoot equipment or systems operation problems.
#3006 · Core · 18% automatable
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
visual inspection — Mechanical component inspection requires hands-on access
Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
#3012 · Core · 8% automatable
Weld or solder broken parts and structural members, using electric or gas welders and soldering tools.
physical manipulation — Soldering connections needs precise manual work
Solder parts or connections between parts. Operate welding equipment.
#18584 · Core · 73% automatable
Research, order, and maintain parts inventory for services and repairs.
decision support — Ordering via systems automatable; human approves spend
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products. Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
#3011 · Core · 10% automatable
Fit bearings to adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment.
physical manipulation — Manual repair of worn mechanical parts
Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
#3007 · Core · 73% automatable
Schedule maintenance for industrial machines and equipment, and keep equipment service records.
text generation — Log maintenance and repair records from data
Schedule repair, installation or maintenance activities. Maintain repair or maintenance records.
#3005 · Core · 11% automatable
Clean, lubricate, and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles.
physical manipulation — Physical lubrication task requiring hands and access
Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order. Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
#3010 · Core · 6% automatable
Assemble gear systems, and align frames and gears.
physical manipulation — Physical alignment of machinery requires hands
Assemble mechanical components or machine parts. Align equipment or machinery.
#3013 · Core · 10% automatable
Clean parts by spraying them with grease solvent or immersing them in tanks of solvent.
physical manipulation — Cleaning parts for repair needs hands-on dexterity
Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
#3015 · Core · 13% automatable
Adjust and maintain industrial machinery, using control and regulating devices.
physical manipulation — Hands-on equipment adjustment for performance
Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance. Maintain work equipment or machinery.
#3016 · Core · 10% automatable
Fabricate needed parts or items from sheet metal.
physical manipulation — Part fabrication requires physical machining and handling
Fabricate parts or components.
#3017 · Core · 30% automatable
Direct workers who are assembling or disassembling equipment or cleaning parts.
interpersonal — Employee supervision is accountability-bearing human work
Supervise employees.
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="mobile-heavy-equipment-mechanics-except-engines"></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 ->