AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-4031.00
Will AI replace Fence Erectors?
Fence Erectors: AI can already handle 1 of 20 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 20 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Fence Erectors, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Construct and repair barriers, retaining walls, trellises, and other types of fences, walls, and gates. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Mix and pour concrete around bases of posts, or tamp soil into postholes to embed posts. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Make rails for fences, by sawing lumber or by cutting metal tubing to required lengths. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Nail top and bottom rails to fence posts, or insert them in slots on posts. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Discuss fencing needs with customers, and estimate and quote prices. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Stretch wire, wire mesh, or chain link fencing between posts, and attach fencing to frames. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Complete top fence rails of metal fences by connecting tube sections, using metal sleeves. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Erect alternate panel, basket weave, and louvered fences. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Insert metal tubing through rail supports. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Nail pointed slats to rails to construct picket fences. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Blast rock formations and rocky areas with dynamite to facilitate posthole digging. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Weld metal parts together, using portable gas welding equipment. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 20 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 20 of 20. 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 10% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 10% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 90% 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
- 24,480
- Median annual wage
- $47,980
- Middle half of earners
- $40,400 to $58,610
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +4.6%
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.
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers 60% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure19
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure18
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers 57% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure20
- Electricians 56% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure23
- Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers 56% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure24
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Fence Erectors and AI
Will AI replace Fence Erectors?
AI already handles 1 of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 18 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 +4.6% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Fence Erectors?
18 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 20 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 20 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Fence Erectors tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels. 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 10% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 90% 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 Fence Erectors, and what do they earn?
24,480 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $47,980 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.6% 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: Fence Erectors. 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/fence-erectors
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