Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,240 | $21.27 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $63,890 | $30.72 |
| Mean (average) | $68,500 | $32.93 |
| 90th percentile | $96,730 | $46.51 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,770 | $43,750 | $91,790 | 3,200 | 1.67 |
| Alaska | $95,850 | $56,150 | $103,280 | 520 | 1.75 |
| Arizona | $72,710 | $38,580 | $93,720 | 3,320 | 1.13 |
| Arkansas | $49,740 | $34,620 | $68,580 | 1,320 | 1.11 |
| California | $76,630 | $56,410 | $113,240 | 14,040 | 0.85 |
| Colorado | $76,410 | $51,030 | $88,660 | 3,180 | 1.22 |
| Connecticut | $75,200 | $47,380 | $99,460 | 1,910 | 1.24 |
| Delaware | $66,670 | $49,530 | $85,200 | 440 | 1 |
| District of Columbia | $73,130 | $51,710 | $131,140 | 300 | 0.47 |
| Florida | $61,030 | $45,910 | $92,550 | 11,820 | 1.31 |
| Georgia | $64,900 | $41,900 | $96,960 | 6,640 | 1.5 |
| Guam | $36,600 | $28,430 | $87,920 | 190 | 3.22 |
| Hawaii | $79,250 | $51,530 | $96,970 | 760 | 1.34 |
| Idaho | $62,440 | $41,630 | $83,990 | 1,080 | 1.39 |
| Illinois | $64,630 | $42,700 | $100,140 | 5,760 | 1.04 |
| Indiana | $61,030 | $46,020 | $77,120 | 2,050 | 0.71 |
| Iowa | $65,710 | $45,600 | $83,620 | 1,780 | 1.26 |
| Kansas | $58,690 | $44,140 | $80,960 | 1,480 | 1.13 |
| Kentucky | $59,700 | $38,870 | $88,320 | 2,210 | 1.22 |
| Louisiana | $80,210 | $50,930 | $94,800 | 3,060 | 1.74 |
| Maine | $61,720 | $48,780 | $91,310 | 400 | 0.68 |
| Maryland | $63,050 | $44,120 | $99,230 | 2,520 | 1.01 |
| Massachusetts | $76,500 | $39,610 | $106,400 | 2,890 | 0.88 |
| Michigan | $61,700 | $44,650 | $85,090 | 3,940 | 0.99 |
| Minnesota | $75,150 | $45,040 | $89,630 | 1,900 | 0.71 |
| Mississippi | $61,250 | $38,330 | $91,610 | 1,500 | 1.42 |
| Missouri | $57,610 | $36,590 | $86,790 | 2,260 | 0.85 |
| Montana | $73,970 | $50,450 | $92,410 | 630 | 1.35 |
| Nebraska | $60,520 | $41,290 | $82,950 | 1,430 | 1.55 |
| Nevada | $62,800 | $46,060 | $78,820 | 890 | 0.63 |
| New Hampshire | $85,240 | $61,960 | $96,610 | 550 | 0.89 |
| New Jersey | $78,000 | $51,590 | $104,770 | 2,690 | 0.69 |
| New Mexico | $63,600 | $43,550 | $85,690 | 1,100 | 1.4 |
| New York | $67,710 | $48,220 | $102,180 | 6,240 | 0.71 |
| North Carolina | $63,970 | $48,400 | $94,480 | 3,540 | 0.79 |
| North Dakota | $90,890 | $58,280 | $103,150 | 470 | 1.2 |
| Ohio | $61,680 | $43,680 | $99,550 | 3,560 | 0.71 |
| Oklahoma | $50,350 | $37,020 | $77,040 | 1,660 | 1.07 |
| Oregon | $75,270 | $47,750 | $103,380 | 1,710 | 0.96 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,960 | $41,510 | $97,800 | 5,220 | 0.95 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,760 | $25,320 | $50,220 | 480 | 0.57 |
| Rhode Island | $66,960 | $57,300 | $95,950 | 150 | 0.34 |
| South Carolina | $61,480 | $43,900 | $92,910 | 2,130 | 1.02 |
| South Dakota | $62,000 | $42,630 | $88,000 | 520 | 1.25 |
| Tennessee | $61,220 | $45,880 | $92,780 | 2,480 | 0.83 |
| Texas | $59,370 | $39,140 | $89,120 | 13,440 | 1.05 |
| Utah | $65,650 | $47,110 | $89,180 | 2,160 | 1.37 |
| Vermont | $81,800 | $49,910 | $90,820 | 310 | 1.12 |
| Virgin Islands | $55,960 | $37,650 | $70,940 | 60 | 2.01 |
| Virginia | $61,340 | $44,030 | $90,290 | 3,310 | 0.89 |
| Washington | $77,610 | $50,200 | $101,630 | 3,210 | 1 |
| West Virginia | $63,560 | $41,970 | $96,960 | 820 | 1.29 |
| Wisconsin | $60,770 | $48,780 | $81,960 | 2,120 | 0.79 |
| Wyoming | $60,250 | $46,860 | $83,480 | 310 | 1.22 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 11,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Note differences in wire and cable colors so that work can be performed correctly.
- Test circuits and components of malfunctioning telecommunications equipment to isolate sources of malfunctions, using test meters, circuit diagrams, polarity probes, and other hand tools.
- Drive crew trucks to and from work areas.
- 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.
- Inspect equipment on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning.
- Collaborate with other workers to locate and correct malfunctions.
- Climb poles and ladders, use truck-mounted booms, and enter areas such as manholes and cable vaults to install, maintain, or inspect equipment.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Apache Struts
- Cisco IOS
- Firewall software
- Fluke ClearSight Analyzer
- Fluke Networks Fluke TechEXPERT
- Fluke Networks TechAdvisor Field Access System
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- IBM Domino
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software
Transferable skills for career changers: Troubleshooting, Repairing, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Installation, Equipment Maintenance.
Common job titles: Broadband Technician (Broadband Tech), Combination Technician (Combination Tech), Customer Service Technician (CST), Installer, Network Technician (Network Tech), Outside Plant Technician (Outside Plant Tech), Repair Technician (Repair Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech), Telecommunications Technician (Telecommunications Tech), Telephone Technician (Phone Tech).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers make?
The national median annual wage for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers was $63,890 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,240 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $96,730. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers to change -3.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 11,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($95,850), North Dakota ($90,890), New Hampshire ($85,240). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.