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The differences between tower climbers 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 $41,248 average annual salary of a tower climber.
The top three skills for a tower climber include CPR, RF and OSHA. The most important skills for a communications technician are customer service, rehabilitation, and hand tools.
| Tower Climber | Communications Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,248 | $52,222 |
| Hourly rate | $19.83 | $25.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 18,165 | 125,698 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Tower Climbers are professionals who are responsible for performing comprehensive installations, inspections, and maintenance on cell towers, self-supporting towers, and other tower transmitter systems. These climbers are required to complete tower safety courses so that they can climb communication towers to assist crews in repairing and inspecting communication boxes. They must operate heavy equipment to prepare sites for the construction and erection of communication towers. Tower Climbers should also guarantee the safety of their crews during extreme weather conditions by following company policies and procedures.
A communications technician utilizes their expertise in electronics by diagnosing issues and repairing devices ranging from cellphones, laptops, tablets, and more. They are responsible for troubleshooting and discussing the extent of malfunction with clients. Technicians diagnose the root of the problem and determine which corrective measure to take. A communications technician may work independently or as a member of a company. Most of the time, they have to consult with the clients over the pricing and kind of repairs, and then offer replacement parts.
Tower climbers and communications technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tower Climber | Communications Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,248 | $52,222 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $59,000 | Between $29,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Tualatin, OR |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | General Dynamics Mission Systems | Pacifi |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Government |
There are a few differences between a tower climber and a communications technician in terms of educational background:
| Tower Climber | Communications Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between tower climbers' and communications technicians' demographics:
| Tower Climber | Communications Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.6% 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 Percentage | 6% | 6% |