Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
SOC Code: 17-3029
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other carries a 43% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $77,390 and +1.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 67,300 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 43% AI exposure, Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other sits 6 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 76% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
47/100
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage B $77,390
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth D +1.5%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 43% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Slow growth (245/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
43% Higher than most higher than 76% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 17-3029) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing.
- 2. Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures.
- 3. Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques.
- 4. Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact.
- 5. Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results.
- 6. Select, calibrate, or operate equipment used in the non-destructive testing of products or materials.
- 7. Visually examine materials, structures, or components for signs of corrosion, metal fatigue, cracks, or other flaws, using tools and equipment such as endoscopes, closed-circuit television systems, and fiber optics.
- 8. Examine structures or vehicles such as aircraft, trains, nuclear reactors, bridges, dams, and pipelines, using non-destructive testing techniques.
- 9. Document non-destructive testing methods, processes, or results.
- 10. Produce images of objects on film, using radiographic techniques.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Equipment Maintenance
- Writing
- Speaking
Knowledge Areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Physics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Administrative
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other?
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other has an AI exposure score of 43%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other is projected to grow by 1.5% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 67,300 workers.
What skills are needed for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other?
Key skills for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other earn?
The median annual wage for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other is $77,390, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other?
The typical entry-level education for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other?
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (43% here).
- Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors · AI exposure 43%
- Chief executives · AI exposure 43%
- Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers · AI exposure 43%
- Correctional officers and jailers · AI exposure 43%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+1.5% here).
- Agricultural inspectors · growth +1.5%
- Educational instruction and library workers, all other · growth +1.5%
- Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand · growth +1.5%
- Automotive body and related repairers · growth +1.6%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 15 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other's numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).