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The differences between fiber optic technicians and installation technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fiber optic technician has an average salary of $40,661, which is higher than the $38,043 average annual salary of an installation technician.
The top three skills for a fiber optic technician include fiber optic cables, ladders and power meters. The most important skills for an installation technician are customer service, ladders, and hand tools.
| Fiber Optic Technician | Installation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,661 | $38,043 |
| Hourly rate | $19.55 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 103,364 | 129,534 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| 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.
Installation technicians are responsible for handling and installing all types of electronic systems and equipment. An installation technician should be well-knowledgeable about the equipment complexity to conduct troubleshooting for system malfunction or provide necessary instructions for the customers. In some cases, installation technicians are required to conduct regular checks and maintenance to ensure that the system functions properly, upgrading, or replacing equipment for improvement. Installation technicians usually handle customer queries for the system and are expected to resolve issues through remote work or area visit.
Fiber optic technicians and installation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fiber Optic Technician | Installation Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,661 | $38,043 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Pella |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a fiber optic technician and an installation technician in terms of educational background:
| Fiber Optic Technician | Installation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | New York University |
Here are the differences between fiber optic technicians' and installation technicians' demographics:
| Fiber Optic Technician | Installation Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| 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, 12.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |