Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
SOC Code: 47-4071
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners carries a 25% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $49,140 and +7.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 30,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 25% AI exposure, Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners sits 12 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 15% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
69/100
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners, 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 F $49,140
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A +7.6%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A 25% 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
25% Among the lowest lower than 85% 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.
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners 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
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners'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 47-4071) 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones.
- 2. Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment.
- 3. Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
- 4. Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
- 5. Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
- 6. Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
- 7. Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging.
- 8. Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
- 9. Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
- 10. Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
Key Skills Required
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Quality Control Analysis
- Time Management
- Monitoring
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Transportation
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Building and Construction
- Law and Government
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners has an AI exposure score of 25%, 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners is projected to grow by 7.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 30,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Key skills for Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners earn?
The median annual wage for Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners is $49,140, 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
The typical entry-level education for Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners 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 Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (25% here).
- Dermatologists · AI exposure 25%
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors · AI exposure 25%
- Firefighters · AI exposure 25%
- Funeral attendants · AI exposure 25%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+7.6% here).
- Web developers · growth +7.5%
- Agricultural equipment operators · growth +7.7%
- Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling · growth +7.7%
- Healthcare social workers · growth +7.7%
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 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners 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).