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Meter Readers, Utilities
Office and Administrative Support · SOC 43-5041
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$48,150
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
2,800
Proj. Annual Openings
19,430
Employment (OEWS 2025)
-7.2%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 43-5041 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 34/100
- Low friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $48,150
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 2,800
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -12.0%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- —
- FY— certified LCAs; 3,065 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingService Orientation
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure33.9%
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
28.1%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI43.8%
AI ability · AIOE40.4%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne85%
AI could do ~43.8% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
1.Reading Comprehension
2.Active Listening
3.Speaking
4.Critical Thinking
5.Service Orientation
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.
Common titles: Field Technician, Fieldman, Meter Reader, Meter Reader Inspector, Meter Reading Clerk, Meter Technician
Representative Tasks
- •Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
- •Upload into office computers all information collected on hand-held computers during meter rounds, or return route books or hand-held computers to business offices so that data can be compiled.
- •Walk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials.
- •Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals.
- •Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Enter information into databases or software programs.
- •Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
- •Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- •Record service or repair activities.
- •Verify accuracy of data.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Office software · hotMicrosoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotMicrosoft PowerPoint · hotGeographic information system GIS systems
Related Occupations
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorElectrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay · BrightPower Distributors and DispatchersElectrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentElectrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment · Bright
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
27.0%
Avg AI Exposure
8
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Multi-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 43-5041: 2019 — employment: 30,450, median wage: $42,280; 2020 — employment: 26,490, median wage: $41,940; 2021 — employment: 24,000, median wage: $45,720; 2022 — employment: 20,460, median wage: $44,760; 2023 — employment: 19,900, median wage: $47,720; 2025 — employment: 19,430, median wage: $48,150.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 33.9% |
| Outlook | Average | 22% Bright |
| Median Salary | $48,150 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |