Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.
SOC 47-2161
Plasterers and Stucco Masons AI displacement risk
Plasterers and stucco masons apply coats of plaster and stucco to walls and ceilings, mixing materials and finishing by trowel and spray. Spray equipment speeds application, but the finish — texture, flatness, curing judgment — comes off the trowel in real conditions.
Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.
The trade persists because surfaces vary: every substrate, weather day, and repair job differs. Skilled finishers for restoration and high-end work command premiums that volume spraying does not touch.
Distribution
Where Plasterers and Stucco Masons sits across 620 tracked roles
Displacement pressure 12 — higher than 2% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.
Score version
This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-15. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.
15 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 47-2161. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.
Median wage context: $57,660 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 47-2161.
Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.
2030 economic stress test
How Anthropic's scenarios classify Plasterers and Stucco Masons
SOC 47-2161 places this role in the paper's all-other occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 12/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.
+1.1% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.
+5.9% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.
+33.6% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.
Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.
Official task evidence
O*NET task matches for Plasterers and Stucco Masons
The current evidence import matched 15 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.
Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks15
SOC47-2161
- Core task / ID 20789
Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
- Core task / ID 9878
Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
- Core task / ID 9883
Clean and prepare surfaces for applications of plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials, such as by drywall taping.
- Core task / ID 9880
Create decorative textures in finish coat, using brushes or trowels, sand, pebbles, or stones.
- Core task / ID 9879
Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
- Core task / ID 20790
Clean job sites.
Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.
Task profile
Where AI changes the work
Apply coats of plaster or stucco to surfaces
Exposure 16, automation 6%, augmentation 32%.
O*NET evidence: Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using ... (ID 9878)
Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency
Exposure 22, automation 9%, augmentation 38%.
O*NET evidence: Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing. (ID 9879)
Apply weatherproof and decorative exterior coverings
Exposure 16, automation 6%, augmentation 32%.
O*NET evidence: Apply weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces of buildings, such as by ... (ID 9885)
Determine materials needed and place orders
Exposure 40, automation 20%, augmentation 48%.
O*NET evidence: Determine materials needed to complete the job and place orders accordingly. (ID 20792)
TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Apply coats of plaster or stucco to surfaces166%32%
Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency229%38%
Apply weatherproof and decorative exterior coverings166%32%
Determine materials needed and place orders4020%48%
Transition pathways
Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills
credentialed transition
LowPlastering Contractor
Training horizon: 12-24 months. Skill overlap 64. Wage preservation signal 132.
- Earn contractor licensing
- Bid stucco and EIFS work
- Build a crew
role redesign
LowEIFS and Restoration Specialist
Training horizon: 6-12 months. Skill overlap 60. Wage preservation signal 118.
- Master exterior systems
- Learn moisture diagnostics
- Serve restoration projects
Comparison guides
Compare the next move before you commit
12-24 months
Plasterers and Stucco Masons to Plastering Contractor
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Plasterers and Stucco Masons into Plastering Contractor.
6-12 months
Plasterers and Stucco Masons to EIFS and Restoration Specialist
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Plasterers and Stucco Masons into EIFS and Restoration Specialist.
What the AI risk score means for Plasterers and Stucco Masons
The displacement pressure score for Plasterers and Stucco Masons is 12. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.
For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Determine materials needed and place orders carries 20% automation pressure, while Determine materials needed and place orders carries 48% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.
Labor-market context and wage risk
Median wage: $57,660 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Trowel-finish trade on varied surfaces. Typical education: High school plus apprenticeship.
Wage vulnerability is 40, while transition feasibility is 56. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.
- Low displacement pressure
- Sprayers speed application, trowels finish
- Restoration work pays premiums
Upskilling priorities
Skills that make this role more resilient
The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Plasterers and Stucco Masons, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.
Trowel technique
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Plaster application technique
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Finish judgment
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Material estimating
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
90-day transition plan
The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.
- In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
- By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Plastering Contractor, such as earn contractor licensing.
- By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Plastering Contractor or EIFS and Restoration Specialist and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.
FAQ
Questions about AI and Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Will AI replace Plasterers and Stucco Masons?
Plasterers and stucco masons apply coats of plaster and stucco to walls and ceilings, mixing materials and finishing by trowel and spray. Spray equipment speeds application, but the finish — texture, flatness, curing judgment — comes off the trowel in real conditions. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.
Which parts of Plasterers and Stucco Masons work are most exposed to AI?
Determine materials needed and place orders and Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Determine materials needed and place orders and Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency are better treated as AI-augmented work.
What should Plasterers and Stucco Masons learn next?
Start with Trowel technique, Plaster application technique, Finish judgment. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Plastering Contractor and EIFS and Restoration Specialist.
How should this score be used?
Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.
Sources
Evidence trail
OECD / 11 July 2023OECD Employment Outlook 2023: Artificial Intelligence and the Labour MarketO*NET Resource Center / Database 31.0 (August 2026)Occupation, Task, Skill, and Work-Activity DataUS Bureau of Labor Statistics / May 2025 estimates (released 15 May 2026)Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics