As of August 2026, Pile Driver Operators has an AI-exposure score of 45/100 (Moderate exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Score inputs for this role: This role starts from O*NET 29.1 occupational descriptors and is empirically grounded by Penn/OpenAI GPTs are GPTs study, Felten, Raj and Seamans AIOE index. BLS labor-market figures are separate context, not score inputs.

AI Exposure Score for

Pile Driver Operators

45/100
Moderate exposure
LowModerateElevatedHighVery High

More exposed than 18% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$73,300. About 300 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 - growth plus replacement).

Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) - your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.

Will AI replace Pile Driver Operators?

No exposure score can predict whether AI will replace this role. The 45/100 score means our current model estimates moderate task exposure from the sources listed on this page. It does not predict an employer decision, headcount, or an individual outcome. The task map below shows the work assessed and where human judgment remains important.

Early-career context (study ages 22-25)

This role is in our Moderate exposure band, not our highest-exposure bands. The study's 16% finding should not be applied directly to this role.

The November 2025 revision reports a 16% relative employment decline for workers ages 22-25 in the most AI-exposed U.S. occupations, after firm-level controls, relative to workers in less-exposed fields and more experienced workers in the same occupations.

Use the task map to identify durable work and the skills worth building early.

Stanford Digital Economy Lab, Canaries in the Coal Mine - November 2025 revision

This is group-level U.S. payroll evidence, not a personal forecast. The authors do not claim that AI alone caused the change, and this context does not alter the exposure score.

How this role compares to similar Construction roles

Pile Driver Operators (this role)
45
Helpers--Extraction Workers
45
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
45
Highway Maintenance Workers
46
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
44
Carpenters
46
See all roles by exposure →
Data sources, not endorsements: O*NET and curated role data; empirical AI signals where matched; BLS employment, pay, and demand as separate context.Methodology Data sources
Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.

Common titles
Pile DriverPile Driver OperatorPile Driving Operator
O*NET job-zone preparation
Job Zone 2 · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge
Operation and ControlMonitoringCoordinationCritical ThinkingBuilding and ConstructionMechanical
Work context
Frequent contact with othersConsequence of errorDecision latitudeRepeating tasks

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Pile Driver Operators, SOC 47-2072.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

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Pile Driver Operators tasks, by AI exposure

Automatable
  • Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
Augmentable
  • Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
2 more augmentable tasks locked in the report.
Durable

No durable tasks identified for this role - its individually-assessed tasks split 60% augmentable / 40% automatable.

We analyzed all 5 Pile Driver Operators tasks - 2 automatable and 3 augmentable. The full task map - every task with exactly what to do about each - is in your Career Report.

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Full task map

Every task scored with what to automate, augment, or protect.

Adjacent path comparison

Related roles with exposure deltas, salary, demand, and reachability. Lower-exposure options appear only when the data supports them.

30/60/90 plan + PDF

A keepable roadmap plus resume and LinkedIn repositioning.

Grounded in O*NET-linked or curated role data, with Penn, Anthropic Economic Index, and AIOE signals where matched. BLS labor-market context is separate - not generic advice.

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Adjacent career paths

This role is already among lower-exposure work. The adjacent paths below are shown for opportunity and skill transfer, not as lower-exposure alternatives.

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
80% skills overlap; 2 points lower - similar exposure within the 5-point model resolution; Moderate band; ~US$59,850
View path
43
7 more adjacent paths with exposure deltas, salary, demand, and reachability in your Career Report.
Agent Reality Check (on-site workflow preview)

Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.

Check what deployed AI agents can attempt on tasks like this using dated capability evidence. You review the real task before any analysis runs.
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Your AI-Safe Career Report

Every task scored with what to do about it; adjacent paths with honest exposure deltas, salary, demand, and reachability; a skill-gap map; a 30/60/90-day roadmap; Agent Reality Check; plus a résumé and LinkedIn rewrite and professional PDF.
Grounded in O*NET-linked or curated role data, with Penn, Anthropic Economic Index, and AIOE signals where matched. BLS labor-market context is separate.

Workers with AI skills earn a roughly 62% wage premium - adapting pays. - PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, 2026

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Important: This is an estimate of AI exposure, not a prediction that your job will disappear. It is designed to help you understand how your role may change and improve your career resilience.

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Pile Driver Operators - median pay by US state (BLS OEWS, USD)

California: US$110,340Texas: US$66,140Florida: US$51,830

Median annual wage, in USD. US national: US$73,300. More states are being added.

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