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The differences between telecommunications technicians and telecommunications specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a telecommunications specialist has an average salary of $52,712, 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 telecommunications specialist are telecommunication, switches, and communications systems.
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,935 | $52,712 |
| Hourly rate | $20.16 | $25.34 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 70,494 | 29,962 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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 telecommunications specialist is responsible for designing and implementing communication networks and computer systems in companies, ensuring quality and efficiency. It is their duty to develop installation plans, oversee networks and systems activities, study the feedbacks of clients and consumers, and develop systems according to the company's needs. They must also maintain logs and records, presenting progress reports regularly. Furthermore, as a telecommunications specialist, it is essential to keep an active communication line with the workforce for a smooth workflow.
Telecommunications technicians and telecommunications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,935 | $52,712 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $32,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Nebraska Public Power District | Burns & McDonnell |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a telecommunications technician and a telecommunications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between telecommunications technicians' and telecommunications specialists' demographics:
| Telecommunications Technician | Telecommunications Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 63.6% Female, 36.4% |
| 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, 9.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 10.3% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |