How To Become An Installation Contractor: What It Is and Career Path

What is an installation contractor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

An installation contractor specializes in installing systems or equipment in buildings or homes. They work with HVAC systems, electrical wiring, plumbing, and audio/visual equipment. Installation contractors ensure safe, efficient, and accurate configurations. They must have an understanding of blueprints, building codes, and safety regulations. Additionally, they may perform maintenance and repairs for systems after installation. Overall, installation contractors ensure that buildings and structures have the systems necessary to function properly.

ScoreInstallation ContractorUS Average

Salary

6.2

Avg. Salary $79,421

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.08%

Asian 1.43%

Black or African American 5.61%

Hispanic or Latino 21.57%

Unknown 3.89%

White 66.41%

Gender

female 5.85%

male 94.15%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.1

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an installation contractor?

Pros

High earning potential
Flexibility in work schedule
Chance to work independently
Potential for self-employment
Ability to see tangible results from your work

Cons

Inconsistent workload and income
Risk of injury on the job site
Client demands can be difficult to manage
Limited benefits and no guaranteed job security
Potential for long hours and irregular work schedule

Key steps to become an installation contractor

Explore installation contractor education requirements

Most common installation contractor degrees

Associate

29.7 %

High School Diploma

29.1 %

Bachelor's

28.5 %

Start to develop specific installation contractor skills

Skills	Percentages
Demolition	24.92%
Commercial Buildings	14.22%
Windows	7.10%
TV	5.66%
Telephone Systems	4.53%

Complete relevant installation contractor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New installation contractors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an installation contractor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real installation contractor resumes.

Research installation contractor duties and responsibilities

Manage application servers, VPN, email servers and development/QA lab.
Manage and decide all remodel activities.
Establish T1, RF and power connectivity to the RBS cabinets.
Perform onsite network UNIX to LINUX upgrades for a large corporate database management system.

Prepare your installation contractor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your installation contractor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an installation contractor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable installation contractor resume templates

Build a professional installation contractor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your installation contractor resume.