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Job Exposure Index list

AI-proof jobs that pay well

Jobs with low or moderate AI exposure (a score under 40) and median pay of at least $80,000 a year, highest pay first.

#JobExposureLevelUS workersMedian pay
1Pediatric SurgeonsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical36Moderate1,190$559,030
2CardiologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical35Moderate17,290$496,010
3AnesthesiologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical25Moderate38,760$391,490
4Orthopedic Surgeons, Except PediatricHealthcare Practitioners and Technical33Moderate14,100$358,550
5Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical4Low4,910$352,220
6DermatologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical38Moderate11,370$328,730
7ProsthodontistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical5Low870$311,180
8Obstetricians and GynecologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical39Moderate21,260$292,910
9OrthodontistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical30Moderate6,210$289,140
10Sports Medicine PhysiciansHealthcare Practitioners and Technical39Moderate342,720$265,930
11UrologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical36Moderate342,720$265,930
12Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PhysiciansHealthcare Practitioners and Technical27Moderate342,720$265,930
13Nurse AnesthetistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical17Low51,840$236,590
14Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersTransportation and Material Moving35Moderate103,560$232,140
15Dentists, GeneralHealthcare Practitioners and Technical25Moderate124,390$170,950
16PodiatristsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical29Moderate9,680$160,300
17Air Traffic ControllersTransportation and Material Moving34Moderate22,510$148,080
18OptometristsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical30Moderate42,790$136,570
19Physician AssistantsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical38Moderate162,150$135,880
20Anesthesiologist AssistantsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical17Low162,150$135,880
21Nurse MidwivesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical39Moderate7,920$134,040
22VeterinariansHealthcare Practitioners and Technical27Moderate83,900$130,100
23Hydroelectric Production ManagersManagement34Moderate246,250$126,060
24Biomass Power Plant ManagersManagement33Moderate246,250$126,060
25Biofuels Production ManagersManagement29Moderate246,250$126,060
26Commercial PilotsTransportation and Material Moving24Moderate47,630$123,220
27Nuclear Power Reactor OperatorsProduction32Moderate5,150$122,890
28Administrative Services ManagersManagement39Moderate263,960$114,130
29Nuclear Monitoring TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science23Moderate6,470$110,240
30Nuclear TechniciansLife, Physical, and Social Science14Low6,470$110,240
31Elevator and Escalator Installers and RepairersConstruction and Extraction18Low23,790$109,910
32Ship EngineersTransportation and Material Moving17Low8,400$109,530
33Power Distributors and DispatchersProduction38Moderate8,520$106,730
34Facilities ManagersManagement32Moderate156,180$106,660
35First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesProtective Service33Moderate154,610$106,040
36Radiation TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical28Moderate17,070$105,310
37Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelayInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair34Moderate20,720$103,020
38Physical TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical19Low267,330$102,760
39Power Plant OperatorsProduction23Moderate29,320$102,040
40Biomass Plant TechniciansProduction13Low29,320$102,040
41Hydroelectric Plant TechniciansProduction10Low29,320$102,040
42Nuclear Medicine TechnologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical29Moderate17,080$101,370
43Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science37Moderate75,990$100,580
44Occupational TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical30Moderate162,450$100,330
45Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical28Moderate162,450$100,330
46Dental HygienistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical19Low222,740$98,100
47Critical Care NursesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical34Moderate3,379,720$97,550
48Registered NursesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical33Moderate3,379,720$97,550
49Acute Care NursesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical31Moderate3,379,720$97,550
50Makeup Artists, Theatrical and PerformancePersonal Care and Service34Moderate2,340$97,150

US workers and median pay: BLS, May 2025. Exposure scores: how they work.

Questions

AI-proof jobs that pay well: which come first?

Pediatric Surgeons (36/100), Cardiologists (35/100), Anesthesiologists (25/100). The full list has 50 jobs.

How is AI exposure measured?

Each job's tasks, from the US Department of Labor's O*NET database, are rated on whether AI could do them at least twice as fast at the same quality. The score is the share of tasks AI can speed up, from 0 to 100.

Does a low score mean the job is safe forever?

No. It means today's AI can speed up little of the work. Tools around the job can still change, so it pays to keep learning.

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