Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
SOC 49-2022BLS OEWS May 2025
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. Excludes “Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers” (49-9052).
National median · BLS
$63,890
▲ +2.01%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$68,500
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
140,920
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$44,240
25th
$51,830
Median (50th)
$63,890
75th
$81,690
90th — top pay
$96,730
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Weekly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
BLS projects employment of telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers to decline 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 11,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
143,100 → 138,400
-4,700 jobs
Projected change
-3.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
11,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
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Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Repairing3.9
Troubleshooting3.9
Critical Thinking3.8
Operations Monitoring3.8
Quality Control Analysis3.8
Installation3.6
Active Listening3.5
Monitoring3.5
Reading Comprehension3.5
Equipment Maintenance3.4
Top knowledge areas
Telecommunications4.5
Computers and Electronics3.9
Customer and Personal Service3.7
English Language3.3
Public Safety and Security3.3
Engineering and Technology3.2
Communications and Media3.1
Administration and Management3.0
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareAutodesk AutoCADMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordApache StrutsCisco IOSFirewall softwareFluke ClearSight AnalyzerFluke Networks Fluke TechEXPERTFluke Networks TechAdvisor Field Access SystemGeographic information system GIS systemsIBM DominoSupervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareVoice over internet protocol VoIP system software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $63,890.
