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The differences between fiber optic technicians and cable splicers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cable splicer has an average salary of $46,998, which is higher than the $40,661 average annual salary of a fiber optic technician.
The top three skills for a fiber optic technician include fiber optic cables, ladders and power meters. The most important skills for a cable splicer are hand tools, CDL, and bucket truck.
| Fiber Optic Technician | Cable Splicer | |
| Yearly salary | $40,661 | $46,998 |
| Hourly rate | $19.55 | $22.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 103,364 | 23,159 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A fiber optic technician is someone who works with the optical cables and fibers used in communications data transmission. Fiber optic technicians fuse fibers together, install fiber cables, and splice fibers in buildings and beneath the ground. They take responsibility for fiber optic network installation and maintenance in schools, homes, businesses, and any other organizations. They identify the solutions to issues or problems to prevent fiber optic systems from their optimal performance.
Cable splicers are skilled employees who are responsible for installing, splicing, testing, and repairing high-voltage overhead, underground, or submarine cables or wires. To reach the location of these high-voltage cables, cable splicers are required to climb utility poles, utilize truck-mounted lift buck, and descend into underground manholes. They must use a variety of specialized test equipment, including handheld electric and non-electric hand tools when making repairs or performing cable wiring. Cable splicers must also work with other teams on splicing telephone cables.
Fiber optic technicians and cable splicers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fiber Optic Technician | Cable Splicer | |
| Average salary | $40,661 | $46,998 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $30,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a fiber optic technician and a cable splicer in terms of educational background:
| Fiber Optic Technician | Cable Splicer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between fiber optic technicians' and cable splicers' demographics:
| Fiber Optic Technician | Cable Splicer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 3.3% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |