- Nurses are among the safest careers, offering rapid job growth, strong salaries, and low risk of AI automation.
- Low 10% AI automation risk makes occupational therapy a standout, with strong career sustainability and a steady demand trajectory.
- Healthcare careers dominate the safest paths, contrasting sharply with fields more vulnerable to automation pressures and slower growth.
With the U.S. unemployment rate rising to 4.2% in March 2025, Yijin Hardware conducted a study to identify career paths that offer strong growth prospects and low vulnerability to AI automation. The analysis evaluated professions across three metrics: Job Outlook (2023–2033), Median Salary, and AI Automation Risk. These factors were combined into a Career Safety Score normalized on a 1–100 scale, where higher scores reflect greater long-term career security. Data sources included labor market reports and automation risk research.
10 Safest Career Choices
| Job | Job Outlook (2023–2033) | Median Salary (Yearly) | AI Automation Risk | Career Safety Score | Education Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse | 40% | $132,050 | 12% | 100 | Master’s degree |
| Surgeon | 4% | $239,200 | 15% | 83.6 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Dentist | 5% | $179,210 | 11% | 76 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physical Therapists | 14% | $101,020 | 12% | 70.7 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Occupational Therapist | 11% | $98,340 | 10% | 68.3 | Master’s degree |
| Lawyer | 5% | $151,160 | 30% | 63 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Logistician | 19% | $80,880 | 41% | 59.4 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Social Worker | 7% | $61,330 | 16% | 55.7 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Architect | 5% | $79,660 | 19% | 55.7 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Teacher | 8% | $83,980 | 29% | 54.9 | Ph.D. or other doctoral degree |
The full research is available here.
Nursing
Nursing secures the top position with a score of 100 as the new “safe” career path in an unstable economy. It has a 40% job growth forecast and a solid median salary of $132,050. With only a 12% risk of AI automation, nursing clearly outpaces other professions in both demand and security.
Surgeons
Surgeons rank second with a Career Safety Score of 83.6. Their 4% projected job growth is not much, but a median salary of $239,200, nearly double that of nurses, compensates for it. Surgeons also show a slightly higher 15% automation risk compared to nurses, which shows the specialized, manual skills that remain difficult for technology to replicate.
Dentists
Dentists claim the third spot with a score of 76, following surgeons but maintaining a lower 11% automation risk. Though their 5% job growth projection is similar to surgeons, dentists earn a lower salary of $179,210 but benefit from slightly greater job security relative to automation.
Physical Therapist
Ranking fourth with a score of 70.7, physical therapists show a 14% projected job growth, far outpacing dentists and surgeons alike. A median salary of $101,020 keeps physical therapy financially rewarding, while a 12% automation risk places it close to nursing in terms of future safety, despite the profession offering lower wages than dentistry and surgery.
Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists secure fifth place with a career safety score of 68.3. Their 11% projected growth is slightly below that of physical therapists but still well above the slower-expanding dental and surgical fields. With a median salary of $98,340 and the lowest AI automation risk so far at 10%, occupational therapy edges closer to nursing’s security profile.
Lawyers
Lawyers sit in sixth with a score of 63, falling behind healthcare roles in both job growth (5%) and AI resilience with 30% automation risk. Nevertheless, a high median salary of $151,160 keeps law a profitable field.
Logisticians
Logisticians rank seventh with a career safety score of 59.4. The profession stands out with a great 19% job outlook, the highest growth rate since nurses, but a 41% automation risk tempers their long-term safety.
Social Workers
Social workers tie for eighth with a career safety score of 55.7, matching architects but through different strengths. A 7% job outlook and median salary of $61,330 position social work behind logisticians in financial terms. Still, their 16% automation risk is significantly lower than the 41% faced by logisticians, making social work a safer bet against AI.
Architects
Architects also earn a career safety score of 55.7, but unlike social workers, they benefit from a higher median salary of $79,660. Despite similar 5% job growth projections, architects face a slightly higher 19% automation risk compared to social workers.
Teachers
Teachers round out the top ten with a score of 54.9. A projected 8% growth rate is higher than that of architects and social workers, while a median salary of $83,980 surpasses both. However, a 29% automation risk places teaching in a less secure position compared to social work and architecture, despite offering better financial prospects.
Gavin Yi, a CEO of Yijin Hardware commented on the study: “While no profession is completely future-proof, our findings show that careers centered around human care, creativity, and complex decision-making are among the safest bets right now,” said a spokesperson from. “In an environment where automation and AI are reshaping industries rapidly, roles that require emotional intelligence, hands-on skills, and critical thinking are proving remarkably resilient.”
Back to Top: The 10 Careers AI Won’t Kill – Safest Career Choices of 2025
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