Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
Telecommunications line installers and repairers install, maintain, and repair cables that carry phone, internet, and television signals to homes and businesses. This includes fiber optic cables and traditional copper lines. Work takes place outdoors and on poles, underground, or inside buildings, depending on the infrastructure being installed or serviced.
Four short assessments and your background, scored against telecommunications line installers and repairers and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
A day in the work
A typical week involves climbing poles and ladders to string new lines, splicing cables together, and testing connections with specialized equipment to ensure signals transmit properly. Installers may dig trenches for underground cable, pull lines through conduits, and troubleshoot problems when service fails. Much of the work is done outside in varying weather, often in scheduled shifts that may include early mornings or emergency repair calls.
Who this work suits
Holland code RCI. Realistic work is hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. Aptly’s interest assessment scores you on the same six scales.
You tend to prefer working with concrete, hands-on tasks and following established procedures and systems. You're comfortable with physical work at heights, enjoy seeing practical results from your efforts, and appreciate work that follows clear standards and technical specifications.
What it takes
Preparation: Some preparation (usually high school; some on-the-job training).
Skills that matter most
Knowledge areas
Openings right now
- Bowling Equipment Repairer · Air Force Materiel Command · Robins AFB, Georgia · $22.56–$26.31
- SMALL ARMS REPAIRER · Army National Guard Units · Havre de Grace, Maryland · $24.5–$38.41
- SURFACE MAINTENANCE REPAIRER (TITLE 32) · Army National Guard Units · Harrisonville, Missouri · $33.04–$38.55
- Heavy Mobile Equipment Repairer · Defense Logistics Agency · New Cumberland Defense Logistics Center, Pennsylvania · $28.06–$32.72
- Electrical Equipment Repairer-Wheelchair Technician · Veterans Health Administration · Aurora, Colorado · $30.48–$35.53
- Surface Maintenance Repairer (Title 32) (Permanent) · Army National Guard Units · Troutville, Virginia · $24.44–$31.73
- Utility Systems Repairer-Operator Supervisor (Utility Systems Repairer-Operator Foreman) · Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System · Milan, Michigan · $45.13–$52.7
- SMALL ARMS REPAIRER (T32) · Army National Guard Units · Montgomery, Alabama · $25.49–$29.74
Openings are read from employers’ own career pages and public job boards and change daily. Search all openings (free account) to filter by distance, pay and how well you qualify.
Pay by state
| State | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $96,250 | $103,810 | $104,270 | 490 |
| Massachusetts | $78,800 | $103,410 | $106,610 | 2,230 |
| New Jersey | $95,400 | $102,090 | $103,650 | 2,540 |
| New York | $65,590 | $100,960 | $109,220 | 8,530 |
| California | $81,130 | $97,980 | $102,540 | 8,810 |
| District of Columbia | $80,070 | $97,600 | $98,740 | 500 |
| Alaska | $71,740 | $97,450 | $100,420 | 390 |
| Connecticut | $81,650 | $97,140 | $100,950 | 500 |
| Delaware | $60,610 | $93,850 | $98,140 | 310 |
| Maine | $80,330 | $92,120 | $95,370 | 680 |
| West Virginia | $71,820 | $89,690 | $92,120 | 1,270 |
| New Hampshire | $65,380 | $86,370 | $96,870 | 540 |
All 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Certifications people in this field hold
- Data Cabling Installer (DCI) — ETA International
- Fiber Optics Installer (FOIC) — ETA International
- BICSI Installer 1 — Building Industry Consulting Service International
- BICSI Installer 2, Optical Fiber — Building Industry Consulting Service International
- BICSI Installer 2, Copper — Building Industry Consulting Service International
- ARINC Fiber Optics Installer (AFI) — ETA International
Training
Aptly members see WIOA-approved programs, colleges and certificates near them, with completion and earnings data, on every Path plan.
Job titles in this occupation
Related occupations
Four short assessments and your background, scored against telecommunications line installers and repairers and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
O*NET-SOC 49-9052.00 · O*NET OnLine. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, annual, U.S. Employment counts are national.