Compare Occupations

SUMMARY
75%
High Risk
33%
Low Risk
19%
Minimal Risk
36%
Low Risk
45%
Moderate Risk
24%
Low Risk
JOB SCORE 1.6/10 5.5/10 5.8/10 4.1/10 3.7/10 7.0/10
POLLING
76%
(High Risk, Based on 17 votes)
37%
(Low Risk, Based on 197 votes)
40%
(Low Risk, Based on 36 votes)
60%
(High Risk, Based on 20 votes)
69%
(High Risk, Based on 18 votes)
47%
(Moderate Risk, Based on 98 votes)
GROWTH
by year 2034
-3.3%
0.5%
-1.7%
1.7%
3.7%
6.1%
WAGES
$58,490
or $28.12 per hour
$85,540
or $41.12 per hour
$100,340
or $48.24 per hour
$85,750
or $41.22 per hour
$58,480
or $28.11 per hour
$102,010
or $49.04 per hour
VOLUME
as of 2024
2,720
35,390
36,970
23,320
7,580
213,000
SNOWFLAKE [?] The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes. Snowflake diagram for Bridge and Lock Tenders Snowflake diagram for Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Snowflake diagram for Transportation Planners Snowflake diagram for Transportation Inspectors Snowflake diagram for Traffic Technicians Snowflake diagram for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
DESCRIPTION Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock operators, and slip bridge operators. Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard. Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations. Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified. Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer. Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.

Compare Occupations Side by Side

Curious how automation and AI could affect your career? Our comparison tool lets you view two or more jobs side by side, helping you quickly spot differences in risk level, pay, growth, and popularity. All of this is based on a mix of academic research, user polling, and official labour data.

Automation Risk

Each occupation shows a probability of automation. A higher score means machines and algorithms are more likely to take over the role in the future.

Job Score

A quick summary of how a job performs overall — factoring in wages, growth, volume, and automation risk. It’s a handy way to see the bigger picture at a glance.

Polling Data

Thousands of visitors cast their votes on how “automatable” each job feels. These community insights are shown alongside the calculated probabilities.

Growth & Wages

See how fast each occupation is projected to grow and what people earn on average. High wages don’t always mean high security — automation risk still matters.

Volume of Workers

Explore how many people currently work in each occupation and in which year the data was recorded. Popularity can affect how disruptive automation will be for the wider economy.

The Snowflake Diagram

Each snowflake visualises the balance between automation risk, wages, growth, and job volume. Bigger and greener areas mean stronger performance in that dimension.

Use this comparison page to research careers, guide students, or simply explore the future of work. All data is regularly updated to keep the results relevant.