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The differences between telecommunications technicians and telecommunication engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a telecommunication engineer has an average salary of $80,789, which is higher than the $41,935 average annual salary of a telecommunications technician.
The top three skills for a telecommunications technician include broadband, customer service and fiber optic cables. The most important skills for a telecommunication engineer are telecommunication, voip, and RF.
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunication Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $41,935 | $80,789 |
| Hourly rate | $20.16 | $38.84 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 70,494 | 28,331 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A telecommunications technician is responsible for maintaining the company's telecommunication networks, including communication systems and installation of internet lines and cables. Telecommunications technicians inspect the efficiency of the organization's communication networks, ensuring its optimal performance to support the business' operations. They also upgrade the systems, run diagnostic tests for newly installed cables, and create detailed reports of preventive maintenance processes for reference. A telecommunications technician must have excellent knowledge of the technological industry, including the end-users' and clients' needs to determine the best procedures to maintain the reliability of existing systems.
A telecommunication engineer is responsible for installing, testing, and repairing telecommunication systems including mobile telephone networks and fiber optic and digital satellite systems. Your day-to-day duties include diagnosing and troubleshooting systems faults, installing static and mobile antennae on masts and buildings, and designing, developing, and testing telecommunications equipment and components. As a telecommunication engineer, you are also required to provide guidance and support to telecommunication installers to ensure quality. You are also responsible for providing recommendations to upgrade outdated equipment.
Telecommunications technicians and telecommunication engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunication Engineer | |
| Average salary | $41,935 | $80,789 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Nebraska Public Power District | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a telecommunications technician and a telecommunication engineer in terms of educational background:
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunication Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between telecommunications technicians' and telecommunication engineers' demographics:
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunication Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |