Headline risk
16%
Moderate RiskMotorboat mechanics and service technicians
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 54,950
Employment 2024
26.2K
Projected Change (2024–34)
6.0%
Openings (2024–34)
2.6K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of small engine mechanics is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Start motors and monitor performance for signs of malfunctioning, such as smoke, excessive vibration, or misfiring. AI use: 0%
- 2. Mount motors to boats, and operate boats at various speeds on waterways to conduct operational tests. AI use: 0%
- 3. Repair engine mechanical equipment, such as power tilts, bilge pumps, or power take-offs. AI use: 0%
- 4. Perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats, such as changing oil and filters. AI use: 0%
- 5. Document inspection and test results and work performed or to be performed. AI use: 0%
- 6. Replace parts, such as gears, magneto points, piston rings, or spark plugs, and reassemble engines. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 40.3 · 901K employed
Under 25: 16% · 25–54: 66% · 55+: 18%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Small engine mechanics inspect, service, and repair motorized power equipment.
Small engine mechanics generally work in well-ventilated but noisy repair shops. They sometimes make onsite repair calls, which may require working in poor weather conditions. Although most work full time, seasonal workers often see their hours fluctuate. Workers frequently are busiest during the spring and summer, when equipment use is the highest.
Small engine mechanics typically enter the occupation with a high school diploma or postsecondary nondegree award and learn their trade through on-the-job training.
The median annual wage for small engine mechanics was $48,240 in May 2024.
Overall employment of small engine mechanics is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.