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Installation and repair technician vs cable technician

The differences between installation and repair technicians and cable 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 $40,984 average annual salary of an installation and repair technician.

The top three skills for an installation and repair technician include ladders, test equipment and crawl spaces. The most important skills for a cable technician are broadband, customer service, and ladders.

Installation and repair technician vs cable technician overview

Installation And Repair TechnicianCable Technician
Yearly salary$40,984$47,289
Hourly rate$19.70$22.74
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs119,695120,249
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 34%High School Diploma, 39%
Average age4545
Years of experience--

What does an installation and repair technician do?

An Installation and Repair Technician specializes in installing and repairing equipment and systems in establishments and homes. It is their responsibility to communicate and meet with clients to identify their needs, assess installation areas, implement tests, inspect damages or defects, troubleshoot problems, and perform corrective measures as needed. They may also recommend practices, provide instructions, maintain the cleanliness of work areas, and refer clients to other services should the case require. They must also keep records of transactions and maintain an active communication line with co-workers for an efficient workflow.

What does a cable technician do?

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.

Installation and repair technician vs cable technician salary

Installation and repair technicians and cable technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Installation And Repair TechnicianCable Technician
Average salary$40,984$47,289
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $66,000Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCJackson, NJ
Highest paying stateConnecticutNew Jersey
Best paying companyFlorida Power & LightBaker Hughes
Best paying industryUtilitiesMedia

Differences between installation and repair technician and cable technician education

There are a few differences between an installation and repair technician and a cable technician in terms of educational background:

Installation And Repair TechnicianCable Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 34%High School Diploma, 39%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeNew York UniversityNew York University

Installation and repair technician vs cable technician demographics

Here are the differences between installation and repair technicians' and cable technicians' demographics:

Installation And Repair TechnicianCable Technician
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 95.9% Female, 4.1%Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between installation and repair technician and cable technician duties and responsibilities

Installation and repair technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Attend and run disaster recovery tests.
  • Repair and service customer voice/data systems, VoIP phone systems, and backbone networks.
  • Install the ONT hardware, run coax cable and terminate all connections at the customer premise.
  • Climb ladders to install, replace, or remove hardware on roof tops in all types of weather conditions.
  • Assist with the configuration, testing and display of the VoIP system to the senior leaders of the military.
  • Show more

Cable technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage projects wiring computer networks and phone systems, using Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and fiber optics.
  • Replace every existing cat-5 data and voice drop with cat-6 cabling and corresponding material.
  • Install cable boxes for cable and modems for computer Internet along with coax cable and CAT5 for phone lines.
  • Conduct on-site installations, correction and repair of clients' broadband service, equipment troubleshooting, and customer service and education
  • Climb ladders and gaff high utility poles to a height of approximately 25 feet, lifting and moving 80 pound ladders.
  • Install cat5 and cat6 for telecommunications
  • Show more

Installation and repair technician vs cable technician skills

Common installation and repair technician skills
  • Ladders, 21%
  • Test Equipment, 15%
  • Crawl Spaces, 15%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • DSL, 9%
  • Little Supervision, 4%
Common cable technician skills
  • Broadband, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Ladders, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 6%
  • Structured Cabling, 5%
  • TV, 5%

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