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Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan vs Meter Readers, Utilities: what changes?

Consider Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan if you want to interview persons by telephone, mail, in person, or by other means for the purpose of completing forms, applications, or questionnaires. Consider Meter Readers, Utilities if you would rather read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan and Meter Readers, Utilities. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan

National median pay (2025)
$45,920
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Ask questions in accordance with instructions to obtain various specified information, such as person's name, address, age, religious preference, or state of residency.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
13,200
Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 10.4% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan brief

Meter Readers, Utilities

National median pay (2025)
$48,150
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,400
Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 10.5% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Meter Readers, Utilities brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan has the edge on annual openings

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan is at 13,200 annual openings, compared with 1,400 annual openings for Meter Readers, Utilities.

2

Typical preparation differs.

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Meter Readers, Utilities: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

3

Meter Readers, Utilities has the edge on median pay

Meter Readers, Utilities is at $48,150, compared with $45,920 for Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan.

4

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan has the edge on projected growth

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan is at -10.4% projected growth, compared with -10.5% projected growth for Meter Readers, Utilities.

35.9/ 100

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan

vs
29.1/ 100

Meter Readers, Utilities

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan vs Meter Readers, Utilities

DimensionInterviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanMeter Readers, Utilities
Median pay (2025)$45,920$48,150
Pay percentile20 percentile27.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)-10.4%-10.5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)13,2001,400
2025 employment153,60019,700
How you qualifyHigh school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensingHigh school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 2
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingOne month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.