Employment data isn't available specifically for this occupation from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so we are using the data from Mechanical Engineers.

SUMMARY

What does this snowflake show?

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.

JOB SCORE

7.2/10

What's this?

Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?

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.

JOB SCORE

7.2/10

What's this?

Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

13% (Minimal Risk)

Minimal Risk (0-20%): This occupation appears difficult to replace end-to-end with current or near-future automation, including AI software and robotics. Roles in this range usually depend on human judgement, creativity, care, leadership, specialist expertise, or adapting to messy real-world situations. AI and machines may still change parts of the work, but the occupation is likely to remain a distinct human role.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Decision-making and problem solving

Very important

Why this matters

Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.

Jobs that also use this strength

Thinking creatively

Quite important

Why this matters

Coming up with original ideas and designs—creating new concepts, products, systems, or artistic work. This kind of open-ended invention and taste-based judgment is harder to automate end-to-end than routine, rule-based tasks.

Jobs that also use this strength

Coaching and developing others

Quite important

Why this matters

Helps people learn and improve through coaching, mentoring, and feedback. This relies on trust, motivation, and adapting guidance to each person—work that’s hard to replace end-to-end with automation.

Jobs that also use this strength

Coordinating others’ work

Quite important

Why this matters

Bringing people together, assigning tasks, and keeping a group aligned so work gets done.

Jobs that also use this strength

Developing objectives and strategies

Quite important

Why this matters

Sets long-term goals and chooses strategies and actions to reach them, weighing tradeoffs and adapting plans as conditions change.

Jobs that also use this strength

Show 3 more strengths

Communicating with people outside the organization

Quite important

Why this matters

Represents the organization to customers, the public, or government—handling questions, concerns, and relationship-building through conversations, writing, calls, or email.

Jobs that also use this strength

Active learning

Quite important

Why this matters

Keeps learning from new information and applying it to make better decisions now and in the future, especially when situations change.

Jobs that also use this strength

Operations analysis

Quite important

Why this matters

Figure out what people need and what a product must do, then translate those requirements into a workable design.

Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 2 votes

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Fuel Cell Engineers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Highly likely

Moderate

Uncertain

Low

No chance

Pay & outlook

Wages

Very high paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers was $102,320 ($49 per hour).

The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers was 106.7% higher than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Mechanical Engineers' job openings is expected to rise 9.1% by 2034

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 286,760 people employed as 'Mechanical Engineers' within the United States.

This represents around 0.19% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 537 people are employed as 'Mechanical Engineers'.

Fuel Cell Engineers

Alternative careers

At a glance

Occupation snapshot

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

Human strengths important in this job

Decision-making and problem solving

Thinking creatively

Coaching and developing others

Coordinating others’ work

Developing objectives and strategies

Communicating with people outside the organization

Active learning

Operations analysis

What users think

What do you think the risk of automation is?

Pay & outlook

Wages

Growth

Volume

People also viewed

What people are saying (0)

Job description