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The differences between installation 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 $38,043 average annual salary of an installation technician.
The top three skills for an installation technician include customer service, ladders and hand tools. The most important skills for a cable technician are broadband, customer service, and ladders.
| Installation Technician | Cable Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,043 | $47,289 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $22.74 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 129,534 | 120,249 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
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 technicians and cable technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Installation Technician | Cable Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,043 | $47,289 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $34,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Jackson, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Pella | Baker Hughes |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Media |
There are a few differences between an installation technician and a cable technician in terms of educational background:
| Installation Technician | Cable Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between installation technicians' and cable technicians' demographics:
| Installation Technician | Cable Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 Percentage | 6% | 6% |