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Will AI replace drafters and engineering technicians?

17 jobs scored. On average 54% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 73 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

73
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? A little.
17
Jobs scored in this family
54%
Average share of that still needs a person
798k
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Drafters and Engineering Technicians

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
7%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
1%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
70% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
1%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
98% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 6.8% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)7%2026: 93.2% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)93%Today2030: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2030: 71.1% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)71%2030: 28.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)28%20302035: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2035: 12.3% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)12%2035: 40.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)40%2035: 40.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)40%2035: 6.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)7%20352040: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2040: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2040: 16.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)17%2040: 33.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)34%2040: 47.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)47%20402045: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2045: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2045: 3.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)2045: 24.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)24%2045: 70.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)70%20452050: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2050: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2050: 9.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)9%2050: 88.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)88%20502055: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2055: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2055: 97.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)98%20552060: 0.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)2060: 1.6% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)2060: 97.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)98%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%0.0%93.2%6.8%
20300.0%0.0%28.2%71.1%0.7%
20356.9%40.0%40.2%12.3%0.7%
204047.0%33.9%16.7%1.6%0.7%
204570.0%24.3%3.3%1.6%0.7%
205088.3%9.4%0.0%1.6%0.7%
205597.7%0.0%0.0%1.6%0.7%
206097.7%0.0%0.0%1.6%0.7%

Every job in Drafters and Engineering Technicians, ranked

How to read a row: the number is the Still needs a human score, out of 100, higher is safer; “AI replace?” is our answer to “Will AI replace this job?”; the bar is the task split: white AI does it, grey AI helps, amber needs a human.

Electrical and Electronics DraftersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3012
66↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 10%AI helps 56%Needs a human 34%
20402036–2049
18k
$76,870
Mechanical DraftersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3013
68↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 76%Needs a human 24%
20412036–2050
40k
$71,550
Architectural and Civil DraftersArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3011
69↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 83%Needs a human 17%
20412037–2051
104k
$66,150
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3027
70↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 13%AI helps 47%Needs a human 40%
20422037–2055
36k
$74,510
Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3022
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 8%AI helps 52%Needs a human 40%
20422037–2053
69k
$64,950
Surveying and Mapping TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3031
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 69%Needs a human 31%
20422037–2053
58k
$54,240
Automotive Engineering TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3027.01
71↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 15%AI helps 25%Needs a human 60%
20432037–2059
36k
$74,510
Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3026
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 51%Needs a human 49%
20432037–2055
76k
$66,120
Environmental Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3025
72↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 51%Needs a human 49%
20442038–2059
12k
$59,920
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3023
73↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 2%AI helps 46%Needs a human 52%
20442038–2059
95k
$78,190
Calibration Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3028
74↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 42%Needs a human 58%
20442038–2060+
17k
$67,820
Non-Destructive Testing SpecialistsArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3029.01
76↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 29%Needs a human 71%
20452038–2060+
60k
$78,350
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3024
77↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 30%Needs a human 70%
20462038–2060+
16k
$73,900
Robotics TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3024.01
77↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 27%Needs a human 73%
20462038–2060+
16k
$73,900
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3026.01
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 22%Needs a human 78%
20472038–2060+
76k
$66,120
Photonics TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3029.08
80↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 18%Needs a human 82%
20472038–2060+
60k
$78,350
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansArchitecture and Engineering · 17-3021
80↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 10%Needs a human 90%
20472038–2060+
11k
$82,890