AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-9194.00

Will AI replace Etchers and Engravers?

Etchers and Engravers: AI can already handle 1 of 26 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 26 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Etchers and Engravers, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required. 80 Estimated Standard 4.2
Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Use computer software to design patterns for engraving. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.5
Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Guide stylus over template, causing cutting tool to duplicate design or letters on workpiece. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Determine machine settings, and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Position and clamp workpieces, plates, or rollers in holding fixtures. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Clean and polish engraved areas. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions. 15 Estimated No tier 3.3

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 26 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 26 of 26. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 35% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 43% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 57% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
7,750
Median annual wage
$43,310
Middle half of earners
$37,400 to $53,050
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-0.7%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Etchers and Engravers and AI

Will AI replace Etchers and Engravers?

AI already handles 1 of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 30 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -0.7% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Etchers and Engravers?

30 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 26 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 26 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Etchers and Engravers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 35% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 57% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Etchers and Engravers, and what do they earn?

7,750 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $43,310 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -0.7% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Etchers and Engravers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/etchers-and-engravers

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