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Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronics communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on trains, watercraft, or other mobile equipment.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $84,890 Median per year · $40.81/hr Most earn $50,750–$116,810

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures, outlets, and equipment.
  • Reassemble and test equipment after repairs.
  • Refer to schematics and manufacturers' specifications that show connections and provide instructions on how to locate problems.
  • Maintain equipment service records.
  • Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures, outlets, and equipment.
  • Inspect and test electrical systems and equipment to locate and diagnose malfunctions, using visual inspections, testing devices, and computer software.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Rail transportation27.8%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals23.2%
  • Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance7.2%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service5.5%
  • Ship and boat building3.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not usually a straight-out-of-school job. Most people complete a certificate or apprenticeship in electronics and then work 2 to 4 years in a related technician role before reaching this career. Your path could take about 3 to 6 years after high school, depending on how quickly you build experience.

  1. Electronics certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    Learn circuits, wiring, troubleshooting, and how to read technical diagrams, often through a vocational school or an employer-sponsored apprenticeship. This gives you the core skills employers look for in a first technician job.

  2. Electronics Repairer

    1-2 years

    Work on electronic equipment in a shop or service setting, fixing and testing devices under supervision. This builds hands-on troubleshooting experience that transfers well to working on vessels, trains, and other vehicles.

  3. Marine Electronics Technician

    2-4 years total experience

    Install, adjust, and maintain communication, navigation, sonar, security, and surveillance systems on boats, ships, trains, or other mobile equipment. This is the career itself, reached after you have enough hands-on experience with mobile electronics.

Where it can lead

  1. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technician

    2-4 years of experience first

    You would move into more complex system design, testing, and documentation work, often with a wider range of equipment and more independence. It usually means building stronger technical knowledge and sometimes earning a higher-level certification.

  2. Lead Marine Electronics Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You would take charge of a small crew or job sites, plan installations, and train newer technicians. Strong communication, scheduling, and customer skills matter as much as technical skill here.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics, math, and any electronics or shop classesThese classes build the basic understanding of circuits, electricity, and measurements that you'll use every day in this work.
  • Join a robotics, engineering, or STEM clubBuilding and fixing things with a team helps you practice problem-solving and teamwork, and it looks good on applications.
  • Look for a summer job or volunteer at a repair shop or marinaSeeing real repair work up close, even as a helper, shows you what the job is like and gives you people to ask questions.
  • Ask a local electrician or marine technician for an informational interviewA short conversation can tell you what training they recommend and which programs local employers respect.

In college

  • Enroll in an electronics or electrical technology certificate programA formal certificate teaches circuits, wiring, and testing, which are the core skills employers expect for entry-level work in this career.
  • Take courses in digital electronics, communications, or networkingMobile communication, navigation, and security systems rely on these skills, so the coursework prepares you for the specific systems you'll install and maintain.
  • Find a part-time job or internship at an electronics repair shop, marina, or transit maintenance facilityReal experience on actual equipment counts toward the 2 to 4 years of prior work that employers usually want.
  • Join a student technical or maker clubHands-on projects with a group build practical troubleshooting skills and can help you connect with people in the field.
  • Consider an apprenticeship program through a union or trade associationApprenticeships pay you while you learn on the job, and they are a common way people enter this career.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with hands-on work early. Employers in this field value people who can wire, solder, and troubleshoot, not just explain theory.
  • Look for apprenticeships or entry-level technician jobs that let you train on the job. Many people start this way and learn the marine or transportation side from experienced workers.
  • Keep a simple log of the equipment and systems you work on. It helps you show concrete experience when you apply for jobs or advancement.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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