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Installation technician vs satellite technician

The differences between installation technicians and satellite technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an installation technician has an average salary of $38,043, which is higher than the $36,473 average annual salary of a satellite technician.

The top three skills for an installation technician include customer service, ladders and hand tools. The most important skills for a satellite technician are work ethic, broadband, and strong customer service.

Installation technician vs satellite technician overview

Installation TechnicianSatellite Technician
Yearly salary$38,043$36,473
Hourly rate$18.29$17.54
Growth rate8%10%
Number of jobs129,53491,117
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age4542
Years of experience-2

What does an installation technician do?

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.

What does a satellite technician do?

Satellite technicians are responsible for giving installation and repair solutions for satellite dishes, which generally deliver TV or internet signals. Primary tasks include installing, upgrading, and maintaining residential satellite products and optimizing the service they give. The technicians' duties may also include placing the dish, routing the cable where it needs to go, and making sure that the service is online and attached to the customer's devices. Additionally, they may engage in remote troubleshooting when a customer calls with a problem. These technicians can work as an independent contractor or directly for a company.

Installation technician vs satellite technician salary

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

Installation TechnicianSatellite Technician
Average salary$38,043$36,473
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $49,000Between $29,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAConcord, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonMaryland
Best paying companyPellaGLOBALTECH HOLDINGS
Best paying industryFinanceEnergy

Differences between installation technician and satellite technician education

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

Installation TechnicianSatellite Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringBusiness
Most common collegeNew York UniversityNew York University

Installation technician vs satellite technician demographics

Here are the differences between installation technicians' and satellite technicians' demographics:

Installation TechnicianSatellite Technician
Average age4542
Gender ratioMale, 95.6% Female, 4.4%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.8% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 5.0% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage6%5%

Differences between installation technician and satellite technician duties and responsibilities

Installation technician example responsibilities.

  • Project manage the complete installation of power and floor space of Nortel wireless switches.
  • Install, manage, and troubleshoot CAT3, CAT5, CAT6, and fiber optic infrastructures throughout the greater Tulsa area.
  • Train to build and verify customer routers, TCP/IP addresses ad gateways.
  • Inspect buildings, interpret blueprints, and laid out cable lines for telephone, internet, and cable TV.
  • Install telecommunications equipment including fire-suppression systems, switches, routers, multiplexers and cable trays.
  • Switch include 25 DMS bays , 2 PDC's and all associate cables.
  • Show more

Satellite technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, manage, and troubleshoot CAT3, CAT5, CAT6, and fiber optic infrastructures throughout the greater Tulsa area.
  • Install phone lines, satellite dishes, and run coax cable.
  • Insure signal strength are to standard and run cabling to appropriate rooms for receiver installation.
  • Clean tools, utensils and dishes using dishwashers.
  • Develop an easy to use web interface for field technicians to configure customers' static IP information.
  • Utilize volt meters, wiring diagrams and schematics to locate faulty relays, capacitors, and controls.
  • Show more

Installation technician vs satellite technician skills

Common installation technician skills
  • Customer Service, 19%
  • Ladders, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Work Ethic, 7%
  • Broadband, 5%
  • GPS, 5%
Common satellite technician skills
  • Work Ethic, 44%
  • Broadband, 17%
  • Strong Customer Service, 11%
  • Site Surveys, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Service Calls, 1%

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