Industrial machinery mechanics
SOC Code: 49-9041
Industrial machinery mechanics carries a 33% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $63,760 and +16.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 439,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 33% AI exposure, Industrial machinery mechanics sits 4 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 41% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
72/100
Industrial machinery mechanics, 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 C $63,760
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A+ +16.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) C 33% 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 Industrial machinery mechanics in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Industrial machinery mechanics keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Much faster (31 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Industrial machinery mechanics sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Industrial machinery mechanics sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
33% Lower than most lower than 59% 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.
Industrial machinery mechanics vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Industrial machinery mechanics 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
Industrial machinery mechanics's Medium 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 below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
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 49-9041) 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 Industrial machinery mechanics 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 Industrial machinery mechanics. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
- 2. Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
- 3. Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
- 4. Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
- 5. Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
- 6. Examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear.
- 7. Record repairs and maintenance performed.
- 8. Operate newly repaired machinery or equipment to verify the adequacy of repairs.
- 9. Record parts or materials used and order or requisition new parts or materials, as necessary.
- 10. Observe and test the operation of machinery or equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using voltmeters or other testing devices.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Quality Control Analysis
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Physics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Industrial machinery mechanics?
Industrial machinery mechanics has an AI exposure score of 33%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Industrial machinery mechanics?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Industrial machinery mechanics is projected to grow by 16.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 439,600 workers.
What skills are needed for Industrial machinery mechanics?
Key skills for Industrial machinery mechanics include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Industrial machinery mechanics earn?
The median annual wage for Industrial machinery mechanics is $63,760, 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 Industrial machinery mechanics?
The typical entry-level education for Industrial machinery mechanics is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Long-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Industrial machinery mechanics?
Industrial machinery mechanics 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
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Industrial machinery mechanics: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (33% here).
- Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary · AI exposure 33%
- Audio and video technicians · AI exposure 33%
- Bailiffs · AI exposure 33%
- Commercial and industrial designers · AI exposure 33%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+16.1% here).
- Epidemiologists · growth +16.2%
- Software developers · growth +15.8%
- Logisticians · growth +16.7%
- Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary · growth +16.8%
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 35 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Industrial machinery mechanics' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Industrial machinery mechanics 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).