Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
SOC Code: 19-4099
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other carries a 69% AI exposure score (Very High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $60,130 and +3.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 83,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 69% AI exposure, Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other sits 32 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 97% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
40/100
Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 C- $60,130
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth C+ +3.5%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 69% 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other in the Very 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 Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
69% Higher than most higher than 97% 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.
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other's Very 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 19-4099) 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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. Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
- 2. Conduct routine and non-routine analyses of in-process materials, raw materials, environmental samples, finished goods, or stability samples.
- 3. Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications and control limits, and make recommendations on appropriateness of data for release.
- 4. Calibrate, validate, or maintain laboratory equipment.
- 5. Ensure that lab cleanliness and safety standards are maintained.
- 6. Perform visual inspections of finished products.
- 7. Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- 8. Complete documentation needed to support testing procedures, including data capture forms, equipment logbooks, or inventory forms.
- 9. Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses.
- 10. Identify and troubleshoot equipment problems.
Key Skills Required
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Systems Analysis
- Writing
- Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge Areas
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Design
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other?
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other has an AI exposure score of 69%, indicating a very 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other is projected to grow by 3.5% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 83,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other?
Key skills for Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other earn?
The median annual wage for Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other is $60,130, 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other?
The typical entry-level education for Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other?
Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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
Very High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A majority of tasks in this occupation are susceptible to AI automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 (69% here).
- Compliance officers · AI exposure 69%
- Insurance claims and policy processing clerks · AI exposure 69%
- Loan officers · AI exposure 69%
- Production, planning, and expediting clerks · AI exposure 69%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+3.5% here).
- Biological technicians · growth +3.5%
- Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors · growth +3.5%
- Healthcare support workers, all other · growth +3.5%
- Landscape architects · growth +3.5%
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 49 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other's numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Life, physical, and social science technicians, 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).