AI Exposure in Postsecondary Education

The national reference on AI exposure in postsecondary education

The AI Exposure Index scores 1,786 academic programs and 772 occupations on how exposed their work is to AI, across three dimensions: digital intensity, human interaction, and physical work. Built from O*NET work characteristics and BLS employment data.

This is the national overview: how exposure is distributed across fields of study, which programs sit highest and lowest, and how it intersects with discipline, earnings, enrollment, and Workforce Pell eligibility.

See the breakdown by state →
The national picture

How AI exposure is distributed across postsecondary programs

Every one of the 1,786 scored academic programs receives a composite exposure score between 0 and 1. The national distribution is concentrated in the middle: most fields of study combine digital work that AI can reach with human or physical work that it cannot. The tails are where the signal is strongest.

0.560
median program exposure score (0–1 composite)
11%
of programs score high (≥0.65) on AI exposure
19%
score low (<0.45), anchored by human or physical work
11
0.2
139
0.3
381
0.4
665
0.5
534
0.6
52
0.7
4
0.8
Programs by composite exposure score (lower bound of each 0.1 band). 1,786 academic programs, CIP 2020.
See it by state
AI exposure of academic programs, mapped across all 50 states and DC
Open the map →
Exposure by discipline

Mean exposure by field of study

Programs grouped by their two-digit CIP family and averaged. Quantitative and analytic fields sit highest because their work is largely digital; trades, personal services, and hands-on health roles sit lowest because the work is physically anchored. Bars scaled to the highest-scoring discipline; count is the number of programs in each family.

Social Sciences
0.66
39
Engineering
0.66
58
Computer & Information Sciences
0.65
20
Mathematics & Statistics
0.64
18
Library Science
0.63
4
Legal Professions & Studies
0.63
30
English Language & Literature
0.62
13
Physical Sciences
0.62
45
Area, Ethnic & Gender Studies
0.62
50
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
0.62
61
Psychology
0.62
31
Philosophy & Religious Studies
0.61
16
Architecture
0.61
17
Communication & Journalism
0.61
23
Business & Management
0.60
95
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
0.60
92
History
0.58
9
Natural Resources & Conservation
0.58
19
Military Technologies
0.57
3
Communications Technologies
0.56
14
Public Administration & Social Service
0.56
13
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
0.56
83
Engineering Technologies
0.55
46
Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs
0.55
191
Education
0.55
98
Science Technologies
0.54
4
Family & Consumer Sciences
0.53
33
Theology & Religious Vocations
0.52
19
Agriculture & Related Sciences
0.52
83
Visual & Performing Arts
0.50
68
Homeland Security & Law Enforcement
0.50
34
Health Professions
0.49
197
Parks, Recreation & Fitness
0.44
10
Mechanic & Repair Technologies
0.44
35
Health Residency/Fellowship Programs
0.42
133
Precision Production
0.41
14
Transportation & Materials Moving
0.40
13
Construction Trades
0.38
23
Other / Unclassified
0.37
1
Culinary, Personal & Cosmetic Services
0.33
31
Highest exposure

The 100 highest-exposure academic programs

The programs whose graduates feed most heavily into AI-exposed work: economics and quantitative methods, finance and accounting, analytics, and marketing operations. Scroll the full ranking; open the Academic Program index to sort and filter all 1,786 programs.

#CIPAcademic programScore
145.0102Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods0.828
252.1906Tourism Promotion Operations0.808
352.1908Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations0.808
445.0602Applied Economics0.802
552.1905Tourism and Travel Services Marketing Operations0.795
630.7102Business Analytics0.774
752.0305Accounting and Business/Management0.771
852.0806International Finance0.771
952.0807Investments and Securities0.771
1052.0304Accounting and Finance0.768
1152.0808Public Finance0.768
1245.0603Econometrics and Quantitative Economics0.764
1345.0103Survey Research/Methodology0.760
1452.1910Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations0.753
1519.0905Apparel and Textile Marketing Management0.753
1630.7104Financial Analytics0.749
1752.1402Marketing Research0.747
1852.1403International Marketing0.747
1952.1404Digital Marketing0.747
2052.1499Marketing, Other0.747
2113.0608Institutional Research0.742
2230.7101Data Analytics, General0.742
2330.7199Data Analytics, Other0.742
2427.0305Financial Mathematics0.741
2530.7103Data Visualization0.739
2652.0601Business/Managerial Economics0.739
2713.0603Educational Statistics and Research Methods0.736
2813.0604Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement0.736
2913.0699Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other0.736
3052.1907Vehicle and Vehicle Parts and Accessories Marketing Operations0.734
3113.0601Educational Evaluation and Research0.732
3245.0605International Economics0.731
3345.0699Economics, Other0.731
3430.2001International/Globalization Studies0.729
3527.0601Applied Statistics, General0.725
3645.0701Geography0.725
3745.0799Geography, Other0.725
3842.2708Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology0.723
3952.1304Actuarial Science0.722
4003.0204Environmental/Natural Resource Economics0.721
4145.0604Development Economics and International Development0.721
4227.0502Mathematical Statistics and Probability0.719
4345.1004Political Economy0.718
4444.0501Public Policy Analysis, General0.711
4544.0504International Policy Analysis0.711
4645.0901International Relations and Affairs0.708
4745.0902National Security Policy Studies0.708
4845.0999International Relations and National Security Studies, Other0.708
4952.1401Marketing/Marketing Management, General0.706
5025.0101Library and Information Science0.704
5125.0102Children and Youth Library Services0.704
5245.1101Sociology, General0.702
5345.1102Applied/Public Sociology0.702
5443.0121Suspension and Debarment Investigation0.702
5514.1801Materials Engineering0.701
5614.3701Operations Research0.701
5701.0103Agricultural Economics0.699
5852.0213Organizational Leadership0.698
5943.0405Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation0.693
6051.0708Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist0.691
6114.1001Electrical and Electronics Engineering0.690
6230.5101Philosophy, Politics, and Economics0.689
6314.1901Mechanical Engineering0.688
6452.0303Auditing0.686
6545.1501Geography and Anthropology0.685
6630.3901Economics and Computer Science0.684
6714.0201Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General0.683
6851.3204Medical/Health Humanities0.683
6911.0103Information Technology0.683
7011.1001Network and System Administration/Administrator0.683
7111.1002System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager0.683
7211.1003Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance0.683
7311.1005Information Technology Project Management0.683
7422.0302Legal Assistant/Paralegal0.683
7511.0101Computer and Information Sciences, General0.682
7611.0401Information Science/Studies0.682
7711.0701Computer Science0.682
7811.0901Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications0.682
7930.3101Human Computer Interaction0.682
8052.1201Management Information Systems, General0.682
8152.1206Information Resources Management0.682
8252.1207Knowledge Management0.682
8352.1299Management Information Systems and Services, Other0.682
8452.1904Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations0.682
8511.0601Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications, General0.682
8614.0202Astronautical Engineering0.682
8730.4901Mathematical Economics0.681
8830.7001Data Science, General0.681
8914.4701Electrical and Computer Engineering0.680
9045.0501Demography and Population Studies0.680
9145.0502Applied Demography0.680
9245.0599Demography, Other0.680
9345.1103Rural Sociology0.680
9445.1199Sociology, Other0.680
9530.4601History and Political Science0.680
9622.0000Legal Studies0.679
9752.2101Telecommunications Management0.679
9830.1601Accounting and Computer Science0.679
9914.0901Computer Engineering, General0.678
10014.0902Computer Hardware Engineering0.678
Lowest exposure

The lowest-exposure academic programs

Fields whose work resists software-only substitution because it happens with bodies, tools, and people in real places: cosmetology and personal services, transportation, construction and repair trades, and hands-on clinical training.

#CIPAcademic programScore
149.0106Airline Flight Attendant0.231
212.0402Barbering/Barber0.247
312.0407Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design0.262
412.0412Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager0.262
512.0413Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor0.262
612.0404Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician0.263
712.0499Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other0.263
812.0406Make-Up Artist/Specialist0.264
912.0411Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup and Tattooing0.264
1012.0401Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General0.293
1147.0610Bicycle Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician0.298
1212.0408Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist0.305
1312.0409Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist0.305
1412.0414Master Aesthetician/Esthetician0.305
1546.0399Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Other0.312
1651.0811Pathology/Pathologist Assistant0.313
1760.0108Prosthodontics Residency Program0.314
1860.0110Implantology Fellowship Program0.314
1912.0506Meat Cutting/Meat Cutter0.316
2060.0101Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program0.318
2146.0411Metal Building Assembly/Assembler0.319
2251.2605Physical Therapy Technician/Aide0.319
2312.0507Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/Manager0.321
2451.2604Rehabilitation Aide0.321
2549.0207Flagging and Traffic Control0.321
2612.0504Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager0.324
2701.0504Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming0.325
2801.0509Farrier Science0.325
2943.0202Fire Services Administration0.328
3051.3602Yoga Teacher Training/Yoga Therapy0.329
3112.0508Institutional Food Workers0.330
3212.0505Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant0.330
3319.0505Foodservice Systems Administration/Management0.332
3449.0304Diver, Professional and Instructor0.332
3531.0507Physical Fitness Technician0.333
3615.0901Mining Technology/Technician0.335
3712.0510Wine Steward/Sommelier0.336
3852.0910Brewery/Brewpub Operations/Management0.336
3931.0302Golf Course Operation and Grounds Management0.338
4051.2311Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist0.338
4101.0603Ornamental Horticulture0.340
4201.0604Greenhouse Operations and Management0.340
4346.0401Building/Property Maintenance0.340
4401.0605Landscaping and Groundskeeping0.341
4501.0607Turf and Turfgrass Management0.341
4601.0606Plant Nursery Operations and Management0.341
4701.0601Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General0.342
4860.0301Veterinary Anesthesiology Residency Program0.342
4960.0302Veterinary Dentistry Residency Program0.342
5060.0303Veterinary Dermatology Residency Program0.342
The full index

Sections

The AI Exposure Index is the reference source on how postsecondary programs and the work they feed into stand against AI. Sections marked live are published; the cross-cut analyses are in development.

Live
National overview
The distribution of exposure across all 1,786 scored programs, with median and high/low bands.
 Live
Exposure by discipline
Mean exposure for all 40 two-digit CIP families, ranked.
 Live
Top 100 highest-exposure
The programs feeding most heavily into AI-exposed work.
 Live
Lowest-exposure programs
Fields anchored by human and physical work.
 Live
Academic Program index
Sort and filter all 1,786 programs across the three dimensions.
 Live
Occupation index
772 occupations, 122.6 million workers, scored on the same dimensions.
 Live
AI exposure by state
A map of completion-weighted AI exposure for all 50 states and DC, from IPEDS 2023 completions.
In development
Exposure × earnings
Program exposure against Census PSEO post-graduation earnings.
In development
Exposure × enrollment
Exposure weighted by IPEDS completions: where students actually are.
In development
Exposure × Workforce Pell
How exposure lines up with short-term programs entering Workforce Pell eligibility.
Live
Methodology & annual updates
Variable selection, weighting, crosswalk logic, limits, and the annual refresh schedule.

The three dimensions

Most "AI exposure" measures collapse to a single number. This index keeps three dimensions visible, because the same job can be highly digital and also heavily human-facing, and that combination matters for what AI can and cannot do.

Digital intensity

How much of the work happens through computers, structured data, and digital tools. Higher scores mean more of the task surface is reachable by software.

Human interaction shield

How much the role depends on real-time interaction with other people: care, persuasion, coordination, judgment in social context. Higher scores mean a stronger buffer against pure automation.

Physical anchor

How much the work is tied to physical objects, places, and bodies. Higher scores mean the work resists software-only substitution because something has to happen in the world.

Why this exists

Being grounded in data is essential. In a labor market changing this fast, the decisions institutions, workforce boards, policymakers, and individuals make today carry long horizons. A program built, a training investment funded, a credential pursued: each plays out over years, into work that may not look the way the data describes it now.

The AI Exposure Index is a structured way to look ahead. It scores where work sits along three measurable dimensions, built from public O*NET data and weighted by BLS employment counts, so program decisions made today can be informed by where the work is heading rather than only where it has been.

The goal is not to predict which jobs disappear. It is to give institutions, advisors, and policymakers a frame for asking which programs prepare students for work that will keep its shape, which programs feed into work being reshaped, and where the answer depends on which dimension you weigh most.

For the full construction, including variable selection, weighting, and limitations, see the methodology.

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