Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
SOC Code: 49-3042
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines carries a 29% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $63,980 and +5.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 188,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 29% AI exposure, Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines sits 8 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 26% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
72/100
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines, 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+ $63,980
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A- +5.8%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) B 29% 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
29% Lower than most lower than 74% 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.
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines'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 49-3042) 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines. 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 and replace damaged or worn parts.
- 2. Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
- 3. Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
- 4. Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
- 5. Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
- 6. Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
- 7. Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
- 8. Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
- 9. Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
- 10. Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
Key Skills Required
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Equipment Maintenance
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Equipment Selection
- Quality Control Analysis
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Public Safety and Security
- Building and Construction
- English Language
- Transportation
- Engineering and Technology
- Physics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines has an AI exposure score of 29%, 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines is projected to grow by 5.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 188,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
Key skills for Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines include Troubleshooting, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines earn?
The median annual wage for Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines is $63,980, 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
The typical entry-level education for Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (29% here).
- Biochemists and biophysicists · AI exposure 29%
- Construction managers · AI exposure 29%
- Crane and tower operators · AI exposure 29%
- Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay · AI exposure 29%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+5.8% here).
- Biochemists and biophysicists · growth +5.8%
- Buyers and purchasing agents · growth +5.8%
- Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers · growth +5.8%
- Training and development managers · growth +5.8%
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 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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).