Data communications technician vs technician

The differences between data communications technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a data communications technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a data communications technician has an average salary of $51,843, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.

The top three skills for a data communications technician include POS, computer screens and RF. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Data communications technician vs technician overview

	Data Communications Technician	Technician
Yearly salary	$51,843	$38,045
Hourly rate	$24.92	$18.29
Growth rate	7%	1%
Number of jobs	111,703	596,842
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	38	40
Years of experience	12	2

Data communications technician vs technician salary

Data communications technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Communications Technician	Technician
Average salary	$51,843	$38,045
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $82,000	Between $24,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Microsoft
Best paying industry	-	Telecommunication

Differences between data communications technician and technician education

There are a few differences between a data communications technician and a technician in terms of educational background:

	Data Communications Technician	Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Business
Most common college	Northeastern University	-

Data communications technician vs technician demographics

Here are the differences between data communications technicians' and technicians' demographics:

	Data Communications Technician	Technician
Average age	38	40
Gender ratio	Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1%	Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	2%

Differences between data communications technician and technician duties and responsibilities

Data communications technician example responsibilities.

Manage DSL service to remote users through NAS.
Manage the day-to-day operations of telecommunication services utilize by DuPont.
Run cable, terminate cat5, cat6 and voice cable.
Install and label network cabling from cat5e, Cat6, fiber cable, and coaxial cabling (DS3).
Introduce BGP for connectivity to the corporate network.
Wire pots lines and T1 lines to main distribution frame.

Technician example responsibilities.

Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.

Data communications technician vs technician skills

Common data communications technician skills

POS, 12%
Computer Screens, 12%
RF, 11%
Test Equipment, 10%
Phone System, 10%
Technical Manuals, 9%

Common technician skills

Patients, 16%
Customer Service, 14%
Patient Care, 8%
Hand Tools, 6%
Diagnosis, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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Data Communications Technician
Data Communications Technician vs Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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