Compare Occupations

	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	Tool and Die Makers	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	Machinists	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SUMMARY	61% High Risk	55% Moderate Risk	62% High Risk	66% High Risk	69% High Risk
JOB SCORE	2.8/10	2.9/10	4.8/10	3.5/10	1.8/10
POLLING	65% (High Risk, Based on 27 votes)	50% (Moderate Risk, Based on 95 votes)	61% (High Risk, Based on 28 votes)	54% (Moderate Risk, Based on 203 votes)	52% (Moderate Risk, Based on 16 votes)
GROWTH by year 2034	-0.5%	-10.8%	12.8%	0.0%	-13.6%
WAGES	$46,060 or $22.14 per hour	$63,180 or $30.37 per hour	$65,670 or $31.57 per hour	$56,150 or $26.99 per hour	$48,620 or $23.37 per hour
VOLUME as of 2024	129,850	55,130	28,230	298,790	18,970
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.
DESCRIPTION	Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.	Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.	Develop programs to control machining or processing of materials by automatic machine tools, equipment, or systems. May also set up, operate, or maintain equipment.	Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.	Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

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.