SOC 49-9052.00

    Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

    Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

    Median pay
    $74,330
    Growth
    -3.4%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    8,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $45,310
    Median
    $74,330
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $103,680
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    97,720 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Telecommunications line installers and repairers set up and fix communication cables, including fiber optics. They earn a median annual salary of $74,330, with opportunities available nationwide.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What telecommunications line installers and repairers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career focus on hands-on, practical tasks, which aligns with a realistic interest area. On a daily basis, they install and repair the cables that keep communication networks running. This involves operating specialized vehicles and mechanized equipment, inspecting structures and materials, and performing physically demanding tasks. Workers must carefully monitor their surroundings to maintain public safety and security.

    Success in this role requires strong skills in critical thinking, equipment maintenance, and quality control analysis. Installers must make sound decisions, solve technical problems, and communicate clearly with supervisors, colleagues, and the public. Key knowledge areas include telecommunications, engineering, computers, and customer service. To handle the challenges of working outdoors and on active job sites, workers rely on work styles such as dependability, cautiousness, attention to detail, and stress tolerance.

    How to get there

    To enter this field, candidates typically need a high school diploma. This occupation falls under a preparation level that requires some prior experience or on-the-job training. Students interested in this path often major in electrical or electronics maintenance and repair technologies.

    While starting out, workers can build their credentials through industry certifications. Available options include the BICSI Installer 1, BICSI Technician, Broadband-Voice over Internet Protocol, Business Class Services Specialist, Cable Splicing Certification, and Data Cabling Installer. Additionally, some states list licensing requirements for individuals performing this type of work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these installers and repairers is $74,330. The lowest 10% of earners make less than $45,310, while the highest 10% earn more than $103,680.

    There are 97,720 people employed in this field. Between the years 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to decline by -3.4%. Despite this projected decrease in total jobs, the field will still see about 8,000 openings each year to replace workers who leave the occupation.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    91 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    25 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    10 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    17 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    53 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    81
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    79
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    78
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    78
    Performing General Physical Activities
    77
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    76
    Getting Information
    76
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    71
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    71
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Speaking
    • Active Listening
    • Coordination
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Installation
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Operation and Control

    Knowledge

    • Telecommunications
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Building and Construction
    • Production and Processing
    • English Language
    • Design
    • Transportation

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Trunk Strength
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Adaptability
    • Integrity
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Broadband Cable Installer · Cable Installer · Cable Repairer · Cable Splicer · Cable Systems Installer · Cable Tech (Cable Technician) · Cable TV Installer (Cable Television Installer) · Cable TV Tech (Cable Television Technician) · Cable Wirer · CCTV Technician (Closed-circuit Television Technician)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to telecommunications line installers and repairers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$74,330 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Bunker Hill Community College

      Boston, MA · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $126,485
      4 yrs after
      $136,013
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Western Wyoming Community College logo
      Western Wyoming Community College

      Rock Springs, WY · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $85,961
      4 yrs after
      $120,646
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3
      New River Community College-Virginia

      Dublin, VA · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $74,804
      4 yrs after
      $84,571
      Median debt
      Not reported
    4. 4Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology logo
      Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

      Lancaster, PA · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $67,236
      4 yrs after
      $80,864
      Median debt
      $11,000
    5. 5Ranken Technical College logo
      Ranken Technical College

      Saint Louis, MO · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $59,880
      4 yrs after
      $77,127
      Median debt
      $12,000
    6. 6
      Shelton State Community College

      Tuscaloosa, AL · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $84,004
      4 yrs after
      $74,695
      Median debt
      Not reported
    7. 7Lurleen B Wallace Community College logo
      Lurleen B Wallace Community College

      Andalusia, AL · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $47,234
      4 yrs after
      $71,895
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8Northwest Iowa Community College logo
      Northwest Iowa Community College

      Sheldon, IA · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $66,319
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What telecommunications line installers and repairers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    1 state lists a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about telecommunications line installers and repairers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for this career?

    Workers in this field are also known as broadband cable installers, cable splicers, cable technicians, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) technicians.

    What level of education is typically required to start?

    A high school diploma is the typical education needed to enter this line of work. Most preparation happens through on-the-job training and practical experience.

    Are there professional certifications available for cable installers?

    Yes, workers can earn certifications such as the BICSI Technician, Data Cabling Installer, or Business Class Services Specialist. Some states also list specific licensing guidelines for this profession.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.