Compare Occupations

SUMMARY
74%
High Risk
28%
Low Risk
35%
Low Risk
53%
Moderate Risk
68%
High Risk
65%
High Risk
JOB SCORE 2.4/10 3.8/10 5.4/10 5.5/10 4.3/10 4.0/10
POLLING
69%
(High Risk, Based on 71 votes)
58%
(Moderate Risk, Based on 16 votes)
There hasn't been enough votes on this occupation yet
34%
(Low Risk, Based on 22 votes)
62%
(High Risk, Based on 660 votes)
62%
(High Risk, Based on 164 votes)
GROWTH
by year 2034
0.9%
1.0%
3.7%
7.6%
4.0%
7.3%
WAGES
$48,350
or $23.24 per hour
$48,490
or $23.31 per hour
$61,890
or $29.75 per hour
$49,140
or $23.62 per hour
$57,440
or $27.61 per hour
$44,140
or $21.22 per hour
VOLUME
as of 2024
139,180
50,570
605,510
29,050
2,070,480
994,410
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 Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Snowflake diagram for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Snowflake diagram for Recycling Coordinators Snowflake diagram for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners Snowflake diagram for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Snowflake diagram for Light Truck Drivers
DESCRIPTION Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck. Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks. Supervise curbside and drop-off recycling programs for municipal governments or private firms. Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping. Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers. Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.

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.