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The differences between tracers and cable technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cable technician has an average salary of $47,289, which is higher than the $43,913 average annual salary of a tracer.
The top three skills for a tracer include government agencies, customer service and patient accounts. The most important skills for a cable technician are broadband, customer service, and ladders.
| Tracer | Cable Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,913 | $47,289 |
| Hourly rate | $21.11 | $22.74 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 4,824 | 120,249 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The duties of a tracer primarily depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In the healthcare industry, a tracer plays a vital role in minimizing the spread of contagious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Also known as a contact tracer, they are primarily in charge of identifying individuals who came in contact and were potentially exposed to a patient diagnosed with the contagious disease, reaching out to them in order to inform them about the situation, initiate isolation protocol, conduct interviews to learn any symptoms, and refer them for testing.
A cable technician is responsible for managing cable systems, installing cable equipment, upgrading network systems, and troubleshooting cable issues. Cable technicians' duties include replacing defective cabling, running diagnostic tests on newly-installed cable systems, inspecting cable towers and ground cables, providing cable instructions to the customer, responding to customer's cable inquiries and requests, and ensuring the safety of cable structures. A cable technician must have a strong understanding of electrical systems and cable technology, following the established procedures and environmental policies.
Tracers and cable technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tracer | Cable Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,913 | $47,289 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $66,000 | Between $34,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Jackson, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Chicago Public Schools | Baker Hughes |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Media |
There are a few differences between a tracer and a cable technician in terms of educational background:
| Tracer | Cable Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between tracers' and cable technicians' demographics:
| Tracer | Cable Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7% | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.9% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 13.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.2% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |