Engineering & Architecture · SOC 17-2141
Designs mechanical systems and products.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Augmented — AI accelerates design/simulation; judgment and testing remain.
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$95,000 median pay
$70,760 median pay
$77,390 median pay
$93,000 median pay
$79,830 median pay
$65,040 median pay
AI job-risk card
Mechanical Engineer is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Mechanical Engineer is 23/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
23 out of 100. It blends a Frey & Osborne automation probability of 1% with an estimated LLM task-exposure of 50%.
Most exposed: CAD drafting, Simulation setup, Documentation. Harder to automate: Novel design, Physical testing and tradeoffs.
Lean into First-principles design, Generative/AI CAD, Systems thinking. Consider roles such as R&D engineer or Engineering manager.
AI Fear Score blends Frey & Osborne (2013) automation probability with an LLM task-exposure estimate (after Eloundou et al., 2023). Pay/employment are approximate BLS figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.