Fence Erectors
Also called: Fence Builder, Fence Erector, Fence Installer, Fence LaborerErect and repair fences and fence gates, using hand and power tools.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 1 of its 20 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 5.6% 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, 5.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 12.8 hires for every 10 job openings in construction, which employs about 89% 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.12.8 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 | $39,820 | $38,390 to $48,640 | not published |
| Alaska | $64,600 | $46,780 to $81,300 | 40 |
| Arizona | $46,270 | $44,540 to $57,120 | not published |
| Arkansas | $46,150 | $38,380 to $47,930 | 270 |
| California | $56,060 | $46,740 to $69,690 | 3,150 |
| Colorado | $48,380 | $45,050 to $54,830 | 270 |
| Connecticut | $53,180 | $42,800 to $68,300 | 300 |
| Delaware | $50,630 | $45,760 to $59,330 | not published |
| Florida | $45,550 | $37,810 to $54,820 | 2,020 |
| Georgia | $36,990 | $30,800 to $47,090 | 500 |
| Illinois | $50,710 | $42,050 to $61,450 | 690 |
| Indiana | $47,520 | $42,780 to $59,700 | 540 |
| Iowa | $52,510 | $47,370 to $56,610 | 290 |
| Kansas | $47,130 | $40,100 to $55,690 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $51,770 | $19,050 to $56,950 | 120 |
| Maine | $45,310 | $36,870 to $51,050 | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 | $47,690 to $61,380 | not published |
| Michigan | $45,800 | $40,360 to $48,350 | 460 |
| Minnesota | $57,260 | $48,000 to $59,900 | not published |
| Mississippi | $38,700 | $37,260 to $43,150 | 150 |
| Missouri | $43,290 | $37,060 to $46,000 | 640 |
| Montana | $55,720 | $44,800 to $61,450 | 680 |
| Nebraska | $50,120 | $48,560 to $60,620 | 190 |
| Nevada | $46,940 | $46,430 to $48,620 | 210 |
| New Hampshire | $50,850 | $47,100 to $60,150 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $56,690 | $49,640 to $60,860 | 910 |
| New Mexico | $44,450 | $38,900 to $46,670 | 270 |
| New York | $48,000 | $34,780 to $58,480 | 1,010 |
| North Carolina | $39,100 | $36,390 to $47,270 | 670 |
| North Dakota | $49,310 | $46,630 to $49,410 | 190 |
| Ohio | $47,870 | $45,680 to $58,980 | 950 |
| Oklahoma | $37,870 | $30,100 to $46,030 | 250 |
| Oregon | $44,580 | $42,210 to $47,220 | not published |
| Pennsylvania | $58,600 | $47,050 to $72,670 | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $46,450 | $45,960 to $53,870 | not published |
| South Carolina | $37,960 | $35,140 to $41,380 | not published |
| South Dakota | $48,380 | $42,810 to $56,780 | 170 |
| Tennessee | $45,330 | $38,200 to $47,230 | 550 |
| Texas | $37,270 | $34,140 to $45,780 | 1,800 |
| Utah | $48,720 | $45,440 to $62,200 | 440 |
| Virginia | $40,050 | $35,180 to $47,800 | not published |
| Washington | $51,860 | $47,930 to $59,610 | 1,450 |
| West Virginia | $45,040 | $36,500 to $81,480 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $51,410 | $47,430 to $86,410 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $39,750 | $34,290 to $51,700 | not published |
Nationally: $47,980. 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 1 of its 20 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area. | Not published |
| Not much | Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes. | Not published |
| Not much | Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications. | Not published |
| Not much | Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels. | Not published |
| Not much | Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames. | Not published |
| Not much | Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools. | Not published |
See all 20 tasks
| Not much | Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers. | Not published |
| Not much | Make rails for fences, by sawing lumber or by cutting metal tubing to required lengths. | Not published |
| Not much | Mix and pour concrete around bases of posts, or tamp soil into postholes to embed posts. | Not published |
| Not much | Attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers. | Not published |
| Not much | Nail top and bottom rails to fence posts, or insert them in slots on posts. | Not published |
| Not much | Stretch wire, wire mesh, or chain link fencing between posts, and attach fencing to frames. | Not published |
| Not much | Complete top fence rails of metal fences by connecting tube sections, using metal sleeves. | Not published |
| Not much | Erect alternate panel, basket weave, and louvered fences. | Not published |
| Not much | Nail pointed slats to rails to construct picket fences. | Not published |
| Not much | Insert metal tubing through rail supports. | Not published |
| Not much | Construct and repair barriers, retaining walls, trellises, and other types of fences, walls, and gates. | Not published |
| AI + software | Discuss fencing needs with customers, and estimate and quote prices. | Not published |
| Not much | Weld metal parts together, using portable gas welding equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Blast rock formations and rocky areas with dynamite to facilitate posthole digging. | 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 20 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 20 tasks fall under 11 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.
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build structures | |||
| Position materials or components for assembly | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Determine operational methods or procedures | |||
| Prepare mixtures or solutions | |||
| Assess characteristics of land or property | |||
| Inspect completed work or finished products |
Show all 11 activities
| Cut materials | |||
| Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques | |||
| Operate construction or excavation equipment |
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 fence erectors 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 685 moves out
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 32%
- 2 Concierges Very high +2.6% 5%
- 3 Food Service Managers Moderate +5.8% 5%
- 4 Sales Managers High +4.5% 4%
- 5 Insurance Sales Agents Very high +3.3% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 380 moves in
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 9%
- 2 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 9%
- 3 Concierges Very high +2.6% 5%
- 4 Food Service Managers Moderate +5.8% 5%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 29% less than high school
- 48% high school
- 1% postsecondary certificate
- 22% not published
O*NET marks 22% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 30% less than high school
- 49% high school
- 13% some college
- 3% associate's
- 5% bachelor's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 333 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
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
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (FENCE ERECTOR). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Fence Erectors” there.
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
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