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The differences between cable technicians and tower technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cable technician has an average salary of $47,289, which is higher than the $37,471 average annual salary of a tower technician.
The top three skills for a cable technician include broadband, customer service and ladders. The most important skills for a tower technician are OSHA, CPR, and RF.
| Cable Technician | Tower Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $47,289 | $37,471 |
| Hourly rate | $22.74 | $18.01 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 120,249 | 92,566 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cable technician is responsible for managing cable systems, installing cable equipment, upgrading network systems, and troubleshooting cable issues. Cable technicians' duties include replacing defective cabling, running diagnostic tests on newly-installed cable systems, inspecting cable towers and ground cables, providing cable instructions to the customer, responding to customer's cable inquiries and requests, and ensuring the safety of cable structures. A cable technician must have a strong understanding of electrical systems and cable technology, following the established procedures and environmental policies.
A tower technician is responsible for maintaining the performance stability of line towers to provide the best network services for the customers. Tower technicians are often out in the field to conduct repairs and installations for the customers, inspecting the area's condition, and reporting structural inconsistencies and defects. They should have excellent mechanical and electrical knowledge to resolve issues immediately and create resolution manuals to prevent reoccurrence and ensure the safeness and security of line towers.
Cable technicians and tower technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cable Technician | Tower Technician | |
| Average salary | $47,289 | $37,471 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $64,000 | Between $29,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jackson, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | SPX |
| Best paying industry | Media | Construction |
There are a few differences between a cable technician and a tower technician in terms of educational background:
| Cable Technician | Tower Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between cable technicians' and tower technicians' demographics:
| Cable Technician | Tower Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |