Telecommunications line installers and repairers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,310 | $21.79 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $74,330 | $35.73 |
| Mean (average) | $73,940 | $35.55 |
| 90th percentile | $103,680 | $49.85 |
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 line installers and repairers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,890 | $46,320 | $90,530 | 1,530 | 1.15 |
| Alaska | $97,450 | $58,530 | $108,140 | 390 | 1.93 |
| Arizona | $58,600 | $39,730 | $80,410 | 790 | 0.39 |
| Arkansas | $60,840 | $36,160 | $99,150 | 1,690 | 2.06 |
| California | $97,980 | $60,260 | $106,230 | 8,810 | 0.77 |
| Colorado | $66,020 | $46,490 | $93,930 | 1,630 | 0.9 |
| Connecticut | $97,140 | $76,960 | $117,740 | 500 | 0.47 |
| Delaware | $93,850 | $38,370 | $98,580 | 310 | 1.02 |
| District of Columbia | $97,600 | $47,330 | $99,120 | 500 | 1.13 |
| Florida | $61,740 | $37,510 | $80,620 | 5,760 | 0.92 |
| Georgia | $58,760 | $41,040 | $80,960 | 3,530 | 1.15 |
| Guam | $30,770 | $28,330 | $71,180 | 50 | 1.15 |
| Hawaii | $79,880 | $60,630 | $119,240 | 680 | 1.73 |
| Idaho | $56,340 | $45,070 | $77,170 | 300 | 0.55 |
| Illinois | $70,700 | $33,810 | $100,140 | 2,460 | 0.64 |
| Indiana | $58,920 | $41,600 | $80,440 | 1,580 | 0.79 |
| Iowa | $60,890 | $40,410 | $85,760 | 820 | 0.83 |
| Kansas | $63,560 | $38,840 | $100,400 | 530 | 0.58 |
| Kentucky | $64,010 | $42,450 | $91,420 | 1,870 | 1.49 |
| Louisiana | $48,770 | $38,070 | $91,920 | 960 | 0.79 |
| Maine | $92,120 | $65,170 | $97,390 | 680 | 1.69 |
| Maryland | $82,380 | $51,160 | $102,290 | 2,400 | 1.38 |
| Massachusetts | $103,410 | $56,640 | $108,790 | 2,230 | 0.97 |
| Michigan | $74,360 | $47,440 | $84,450 | 2,780 | 1 |
| Minnesota | $73,710 | $49,580 | $96,020 | 1,130 | 0.61 |
| Mississippi | $49,360 | $30,760 | $79,680 | 700 | 0.95 |
| Missouri | $59,080 | $43,050 | $96,050 | 2,710 | 1.47 |
| Montana | $75,720 | $48,110 | $94,680 | 530 | 1.66 |
| Nebraska | $50,070 | $41,420 | $80,780 | 390 | 0.6 |
| Nevada | $72,230 | $46,600 | $96,110 | 730 | 0.75 |
| New Hampshire | $86,370 | $58,210 | $100,960 | 540 | 1.25 |
| New Jersey | $102,090 | $58,690 | $115,000 | 2,540 | 0.94 |
| New Mexico | $58,130 | $40,280 | $78,330 | 350 | 0.64 |
| New York | $100,960 | $50,470 | $120,090 | 8,530 | 1.4 |
| North Carolina | $56,680 | $38,630 | $81,490 | 2,610 | 0.84 |
| North Dakota | $59,280 | $45,460 | $96,440 | 300 | 1.11 |
| Ohio | $62,860 | $47,110 | $91,550 | 3,920 | 1.12 |
| Oklahoma | $48,900 | $35,230 | $96,050 | 1,410 | 1.32 |
| Oregon | $60,330 | $44,900 | $83,370 | 920 | 0.74 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,020 | $46,280 | $100,200 | 3,890 | 1.02 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,770 | $21,840 | $46,490 | 1,010 | 1.71 |
| Rhode Island | $103,810 | $81,260 | $105,930 | 490 | 1.54 |
| South Carolina | $59,790 | $39,230 | $81,710 | 1,310 | 0.9 |
| South Dakota | $49,560 | $35,370 | $74,800 | 590 | 2.06 |
| Tennessee | $63,510 | $45,720 | $83,820 | 2,620 | 1.27 |
| Texas | $75,740 | $46,540 | $102,500 | 9,700 | 1.1 |
| Utah | $60,090 | $41,630 | $78,120 | 800 | 0.73 |
| Vermont | $61,970 | $50,070 | $85,170 | 310 | 1.61 |
| Virginia | $79,090 | $45,220 | $102,470 | 4,120 | 1.59 |
| Washington | $76,070 | $49,320 | $103,360 | 1,510 | 0.68 |
| West Virginia | $89,690 | $60,640 | $93,340 | 1,270 | 2.88 |
| Wisconsin | $63,560 | $47,710 | $91,080 | 950 | 0.51 |
| Wyoming | $63,660 | $38,580 | $91,240 | 160 | 0.89 |
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 line installers and repairers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 8,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.9%.
- 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 line installers and repairers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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
- Splice cables, using hand tools, epoxy, or mechanical equipment.
- Inspect or test lines or cables, recording and analyzing test results, to assess transmission characteristics and locate faults or malfunctions.
- Clean or maintain tools or test equipment.
- Set up service for customers, installing, connecting, testing, or adjusting equipment, such as digital subscriber line modems.
- Access specific areas to string lines, or install terminal boxes, auxiliary equipment, or appliances, using bucket trucks, climbing poles or ladders, or entering tunnels, trenches, or crawl spaces.
- Lay underground cable directly in trenches, or string it through conduits running through trenches.
- Pull cable through ducts by hand or with winches.
- Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Slack (hot technology)
- Cisco IOS
- Email software
- Mapcom systems M4
- Ping tools
- Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software
- Web browser software
- Workforce management system software
Transferable skills for career changers: Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Installation, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance.
Common job titles: Cable Splicer, Cable Tech (Cable Technician), Cable TV Tech (Cable Television Technician), Combination Technician (Combination Tech), Fiber Optic Splicer, Field Service Technician, I and R Technician (Installation and Repair Technician), Installer, Outside Plant Technician (Outside Plant Tech), Telecommunications Technician (Telecommunications 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 line installers and repairers make?
The national median annual wage for telecommunications line installers and repairers was $74,330 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $45,310 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $103,680. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do telecommunications line installers and repairers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is telecommunications line installers and repairers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of telecommunications line installers and repairers to change -3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 8,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay telecommunications line installers and repairers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Rhode Island ($103,810), Massachusetts ($103,410), New Jersey ($102,090). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.