# Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

> Repair, install, or maintain mobile or stationary radio transmitting, broadcasting, and receiving equipment, and two-way radio communications systems used in cellular telecommunications, mobile broadband, ship-to-shore, aircraft-to-ground communications, and radio equipment in service and emergency vehicles. May test and analyze network coverage.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/radio-cellular-and-tower-equipment-installers-and-repairers
- SOC code: 49-2021.00
- Career family: Installation and repair
- Median annual pay: $63,520 (10th percentile $44,460, 90th percentile $103,990)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.2%
- Openings a year: 1,000
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 96 |
| Investigative (I) | 41 |
| Artistic (A) | 1 |
| Social (S) | 6 |
| Enterprising (E) | 6 |
| Conventional (C) | 59 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 90/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 87/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 87/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 84/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 80/100)
- Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment (importance 80/100)
- Processing Information (importance 79/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 78/100)

## Skills

Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Installation, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis

## Knowledge

Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical, Administration and Management, Engineering and Technology, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Communications and Media, Mathematics

## Also called

Avionics Repair Technician (Avionics Repair Tech), Broadcasting Equipment Mechanic, Cell Tower Technician (Cell Tower Tech), Cellular Equipment Installer (Cell Equipment Installer), Cellular Equipment Repairer (Cell Equipment Repairer), Cellular Tower Climber (Cell Tower Climber), Certified Tower Climber, Communications Security Repairer, Communications Systems Technician, Communications Technician

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4701) (CIP 4701, 301 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Bunker Hill Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bunker-hill-community-college-334) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $126,485 | $136,013 | not reported |
| [Western Wyoming Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-wyoming-community-college-3244) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $85,961 | $120,646 | not reported |
| [New River Community College-Virginia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-river-community-college-virginia-1859) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $74,804 | $84,571 | not reported |
| [Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/thaddeus-stevens-college-of-technology-2715) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $67,236 | $80,864 | $11,000 |
| [Ranken Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ranken-technical-college-2188) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $59,880 | $77,127 | $12,000 |
| [Shelton State Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/shelton-state-community-college-2408) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $84,004 | $74,695 | not reported |
| [Lurleen B Wallace Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lurleen-b-wallace-community-college-1556) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $47,234 | $71,895 | not reported |
| [Northwest Iowa Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwest-iowa-community-college-1948) | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $66,319 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telecommunications-equipment-installers-and-repairers-except-line-installers): $63,890 median pay
- [Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telecommunications-line-installers-and-repairers): $74,330 median pay
- [Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/audiovisual-equipment-installers-and-repairers): $52,600 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronics-repairers-commercial-and-industrial-equipment): $74,090 median pay
- [Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/radio-frequency-identification-device-specialists): $130,220 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronics-installers-and-repairers-transportation-equipment): $84,890 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.