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The differences between locators and cable splicers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cable splicer has an average salary of $46,998, which is higher than the $36,634 average annual salary of a locator.
The top three skills for a locator include necessary paperwork, working independently and TV. The most important skills for a cable splicer are hand tools, CDL, and bucket truck.
| Locator | Cable Splicer | |
| Yearly salary | $36,634 | $46,998 |
| Hourly rate | $17.61 | $22.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,069 | 23,159 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A locator or utility locator is an individual who is responsible for locating, identifying, and marking underground utilities before the start of construction or other projects in an area. Locators are required to read maps and blueprints to determine where utilities are located and protect those underground utilities from damage during excavation. They must be able to operate small or medium-sized vehicles and direct traffic away from the worksite.
Cable splicers are skilled employees who are responsible for installing, splicing, testing, and repairing high-voltage overhead, underground, or submarine cables or wires. To reach the location of these high-voltage cables, cable splicers are required to climb utility poles, utilize truck-mounted lift buck, and descend into underground manholes. They must use a variety of specialized test equipment, including handheld electric and non-electric hand tools when making repairs or performing cable wiring. Cable splicers must also work with other teams on splicing telephone cables.
Locators and cable splicers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Locator | Cable Splicer | |
| Average salary | $36,634 | $46,998 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $58,000 | Between $30,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a locator and a cable splicer in terms of educational background:
| Locator | Cable Splicer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between locators' and cable splicers' demographics:
| Locator | Cable Splicer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |