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Telephone technician vs communications technician

The differences between telephone technicians and communications technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a communications technician has an average salary of $52,222, which is higher than the $45,477 average annual salary of a telephone technician.

The top three skills for a telephone technician include fiber optic, phone system and PBX. The most important skills for a communications technician are customer service, rehabilitation, and hand tools.

Telephone technician vs communications technician overview

Telephone TechnicianCommunications Technician
Yearly salary$45,477$52,222
Hourly rate$21.86$25.11
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs45,522125,698
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 35%
Average age4545
Years of experience--

Telephone technician vs communications technician salary

Telephone technicians and communications technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Telephone TechnicianCommunications Technician
Average salary$45,477$52,222
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $59,000Between $29,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City-Tualatin, OR
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-Pacifi
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between telephone technician and communications technician education

There are a few differences between a telephone technician and a communications technician in terms of educational background:

Telephone TechnicianCommunications Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 35%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeInter American University of Puerto Rico BayamonStanford University

Telephone technician vs communications technician demographics

Here are the differences between telephone technicians' and communications technicians' demographics:

Telephone TechnicianCommunications Technician
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 88.2% Female, 11.8%Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 6.2% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between telephone technician and communications technician duties and responsibilities

Telephone technician example responsibilities.

  • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
  • Pull CAT5 cable from workstations to closets, and connect to patch panels.
  • Install and terminate CAT5, CAT6 and multi-pair cabling in businesses for new or retrofit data network.
  • Set up MDF s and IDF's to include racks and trays, terminate both copper and fiber.
  • Install equipment racks, ladder racks, cable management systems along with the electronic data switches and associate hardware.
  • Install trunks lines, T1's switches (small and large).
  • Show more

Communications technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain communications for users on FMC's IBM SNA network.
  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Complete installs and ensure that they are up to code base on current NEC, NESC, and OSHA regulations.
  • Install and configure Cisco routers.
  • Perform installations of Safeway POS systems.
  • Test cable lines and equipment to NEC standards.
  • Show more

Telephone technician vs communications technician skills

Common telephone technician skills
  • Fiber Optic, 10%
  • Phone System, 9%
  • PBX, 7%
  • System Installation, 5%
  • Telephone Lines, 5%
  • Avaya, 4%
Common communications technician skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Rehabilitation, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Fiber Optic, 9%
  • Patch Panels, 5%
  • Telephone Systems, 4%

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