Career Explorer Engineering and architecture
Human edge, steady
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
All engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, not listed separately.
In the middle of the pack: more resilient than 46% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +2.8% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $78,350
- Job growth to 2035
- +2.8%
- Openings a year
- 5,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 62,400
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Document technical designs, procedures, or activities
- Analyze performance of systems or equipment
- Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assemble equipment or components
- Test characteristics of materials or products
- Operate industrial processing or production equipment
What the work looks like
- Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing.
- Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures.
- Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques.
- Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact.
- Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Chemical techniciansGrows with AI, Index 51, +4.9%
- Biological techniciansGrows with AI, Index 65, +7.4%
- Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and techniciansGrows with AI, Index 77, +11.9%
- Avionics techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +9.4%
Also known as: NDE Technician (Non-Destructive Evaluation Technician), NDT Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Specialist), NDT Technical Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Technical Specialist), NDT Technician (Non-Destructive Testing Technician), Fiber Optics Instructor, Laser Technician (Laser Tech), Optics Technician (Optics Tech), Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.