Meter Readers, Utilities
Also called: Meter Reader, Meter Technician (Meter Tech), Water Meter Reader, Water Use InspectorRead meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.
On a phone, press and hold a picture to save it to Photos.
opens your phone's share sheet, where you can save both to Photos
What the data says: AI could halve the time on 8 of its 13 rated tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 10.5% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.6% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 49% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $45,710 | $37,740 to $60,040 | 470 |
| Alaska | $62,690 | $30,520 to $90,550 | 40 |
| Arizona | $44,760 | $38,750 to $51,940 | 360 |
| Arkansas | $37,340 | $30,060 to $46,780 | 230 |
| California | $79,040 | $62,540 to $99,180 | 810 |
| Colorado | $66,550 | $59,630 to $84,450 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $64,180 | $59,830 to $96,000 | 140 |
| Delaware | $58,240 | $45,020 to $77,280 | 30 |
| Florida | $40,610 | $38,150 to $50,040 | not published |
| Georgia | $43,140 | $38,800 to $51,360 | 670 |
| Hawaii | $51,910 | $40,910 to $65,700 | 50 |
| Idaho | not published | not published | 70 |
| Illinois | $60,690 | $35,530 to $80,830 | 570 |
| Indiana | $49,200 | $40,960 to $77,320 | 330 |
| Iowa | $60,940 | $50,380 to $71,090 | 120 |
| Kansas | $49,870 | $37,300 to $56,180 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $44,450 | $37,940 to $50,760 | 690 |
| Louisiana | $37,570 | $30,540 to $45,050 | 500 |
| Maryland | not published | not published | 320 |
| Massachusetts | $54,150 | $47,000 to $72,780 | 300 |
| Michigan | $60,870 | $53,130 to $63,940 | 270 |
| Minnesota | $73,930 | $57,550 to $83,990 | 120 |
| Mississippi | $37,120 | $29,780 to $47,840 | 600 |
| Missouri | $49,150 | $37,650 to $61,830 | 330 |
| Nebraska | not published | not published | 90 |
| Nevada | $76,120 | $48,920 to $95,730 | 160 |
| New Hampshire | not published | not published | 40 |
| New Jersey | $63,030 | $52,290 to $83,870 | 870 |
| New Mexico | $48,530 | $41,490 to $59,590 | 350 |
| New York | $56,960 | $46,960 to $66,030 | 930 |
| North Carolina | $41,830 | $37,380 to $47,220 | 640 |
| Ohio | $47,780 | $44,640 to $63,300 | 1,070 |
| Oklahoma | $39,480 | $35,940 to $48,900 | 390 |
| Oregon | $63,660 | $50,220 to $74,690 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,450 | $47,740 to $83,350 | 860 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,440 | $24,250 to $37,360 | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $56,830 | $53,600 to $58,740 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $47,850 | $39,110 to $58,280 | 410 |
| Tennessee | $45,210 | $38,820 to $61,000 | 860 |
| Texas | $43,030 | $37,570 to $48,690 | 1,360 |
| Utah | not published | not published | 280 |
| Virginia | $44,020 | $35,560 to $50,810 | 630 |
| Washington | $65,900 | $59,990 to $78,970 | 390 |
| West Virginia | $59,430 | $42,120 to $73,680 | 280 |
| Wisconsin | not published | not published | 410 |
| Wyoming | $61,470 | $58,330 to $68,970 | 50 |
Nationally: $48,150. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 8 of its 13 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers. | Not published |
| Not much | Walk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals. | Not published |
| AI + software | Report to service departments any problems, such as meter irregularities, damaged equipment, or impediments to meter access, including dogs. | Not published |
| AI alone | Answer customers' questions about services and charges, or direct them to customer service centers. | Not published |
See all 15 tasks
| AI + software | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform preventative maintenance or minor repairs on meters. | Not published |
| Not rated | Install new or replace broken meters. | Not published |
| Not rated | Dig dirt away from meters to take readings. | Not published |
| AI + software | Leave messages to arrange different times to read meters in cases in which meters are not accessible. | Not published |
| AI + software | Report lost or broken keys. | Not published |
| Not much | Connect and disconnect utility services at specific locations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Update client address and meter location information. | Not published |
| Not much | Collect past-due bills. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 15 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 15 tasks fall under 18 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #11 Provide information to guests, clients, or customers
- #24 Assist others to access additional services or resources
- #35 Process digital or online data
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provide information to guests, clients, or customers | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources | |||
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Maintain facilities or equipment |
Show all 18 activities
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Repair tools or equipment | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Maintain sales or financial records | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Collect fares or payments | |||
| Install commercial or production equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation51%
- An explanation or answer27%
- Math or a calculation5%
- An analysis or summary4%
- Data or a spreadsheet3%
How they worked with Claude
23% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for meter readers, utilities specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 3,201 moves out
- 1 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 7%
- 2 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Very high +2.9% 4%
- 4 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators High -2.9% 4%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
Where people moved in from
of 2,966 moves in
- 1 Receptionists and Information Clerks Very high -1.7% 7%
- 2 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators High -2.9% 4%
- 3 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Very high +2.9% 4%
- 4 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 12% less than high school
- 40% high school
- 29% some college
- 12% associate's
- 6% bachelor's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 151 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/43-5041.00