Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers: Career Profile
Install, set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers' property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.
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What Tasks Do Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers cover:
- Demonstrate equipment to customers and explain its use, responding to any inquiries or complaints.
- Test circuits and components of malfunctioning telecommunications equipment to isolate sources of malfunctions, using test meters, circuit diagrams, polarity probes, and other hand tools.
- Test repaired, newly installed, or updated equipment to ensure that it functions properly and conforms to specifications, using test equipment and observation.
- Climb poles and ladders, use truck-mounted booms, and enter areas such as manholes and cable vaults to install, maintain, or inspect equipment.
- Assemble and install communication equipment such as data and telephone communication lines, wiring, switching equipment, wiring frames, power apparatus, computer systems, and networks.
- Run wires between components and to outside cable systems, connecting them to wires from telephone poles or underground cable accesses.
- Test connections to ensure that power supplies are adequate and that communications links function.
- Note differences in wire and cable colors so that work can be performed correctly.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Antenna Installer
- Automatic Equipment Technician
- Break Fix Technician (Break Fix Tech)
- Broadband Installer
- Broadband Specialist
- Broadband Technician
- Cable TV Tech (Cable Television Technician)
- Cable Technician
Job Outlook
There are about 571,963 telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $38,332 |
| Hourly median | $18.43 |
| 10th percentile | $22,529 |
| 25th percentile | $30,430 |
| 75th percentile | $46,234 |
| 90th percentile | $54,135 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $111,540 |
| Alaska | $98,850 |
| North Dakota | $88,690 |
| New Hampshire | $84,340 |
| Vermont | $80,400 |
| Massachusetts | $79,870 |
| Hawaii | $79,060 |
| New Jersey | $77,660 |
| Montana | $77,210 |
| Connecticut | $76,390 |
| California | $74,580 |
| Washington | $73,140 |
| Oregon | $72,110 |
| District of Columbia | $71,270 |
| Louisiana | $71,200 |
| Nevada | $70,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,230 |
| West Virginia | $67,140 |
| Minnesota | $66,430 |
| Colorado | $66,410 |
| Virginia | $65,750 |
| Delaware | $64,950 |
| Illinois | $64,770 |
| Maine | $64,480 |
| Idaho | $63,850 |
| Utah | $62,380 |
| Iowa | $62,260 |
| Ohio | $62,010 |
| Indiana | $61,920 |
| Maryland | $61,860 |
| North Carolina | $61,830 |
| Arizona | $61,790 |
| Missouri | $61,510 |
| Florida | $61,430 |
| Michigan | $59,990 |
| South Dakota | $59,700 |
| Wisconsin | $59,630 |
| Wyoming | $59,610 |
| Kansas | $59,380 |
| South Carolina | $59,360 |
| Mississippi | $59,250 |
| Tennessee | $58,960 |
| New York | $58,760 |
| Georgia | $58,600 |
| Alabama | $57,870 |
| Texas | $57,390 |
| Kentucky | $55,780 |
| New Mexico | $55,020 |
| Nebraska | $54,450 |
| Oklahoma | $51,680 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,860 |
| Arkansas | $47,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,120 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $77,534 | 1.9% | 0.93 |
| Far Western US | $74,891 | 15.4% | 0.95 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,539 | 5.2% | 1.30 |
| Middle Atlantic | $64,378 | 12.6% | 0.82 |
| Plains States | $62,641 | 7.1% | 1.05 |
| Great Lakes | $62,071 | 13.5% | 0.98 |
| Southeast | $60,745 | 29.0% | 1.21 |
| Southwest | $57,300 | 14.7% | 1.18 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $98,850 | 600 |
| Elmira, NY | NY | $96,960 | 30 |
| Yuba City, CA | CA | $93,620 | 90 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $93,590 | 50 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | CA | $92,290 | 40 |
| Ithaca, NY | NY | $89,380 | 30 |
| Spartanburg, SC | SC | $87,940 | 70 |
| Cleveland, TN | TN | $85,960 | 70 |
Which Industries Hire Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Most telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 105,420 | $64,320 |
| Construction | 20,360 | $56,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8,100 | $62,970 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5,040 | $61,830 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4,820 | $48,600 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4,290 | $45,500 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 760 | $78,310 |
| Educational Services | 690 | $64,650 |
Below are examples of industries where telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers work:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers reflects the following characteristics:
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Telephone Conversations
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Contact With Others
How to Become Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Entry-level telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Architects (Supplemental)
- Telecommunications Engineering Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators (Supplemental)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Broadcast Technicians (Supplemental)
- Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers commonly pursue programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-2022.00 (Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers).