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Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

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.

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 $74,330 Median per year · $35.73/hr Most earn $45,310–$103,680

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Participate in the construction or removal of telecommunication towers or associated support structures.
  • Clean or maintain tools or test equipment.
  • Pull cable through ducts by hand or with winches.
  • Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks.
  • Inspect or test lines or cables, recording and analyzing test results, to assess transmission characteristics and locate faults or malfunctions.
  • Explain cable service to subscribers after installation, and collect any installation fees due.

Job outlook

United States
3% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 8,000 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

  • Telecommunications58.7%
  • Power and communication line and related structures construction14.0%
  • Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors13.3%
  • Self-employed (their own business)4.9%

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

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 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: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This career usually starts with a high school diploma plus about 1 to 2 years of hands-on work, often learned on the job as a helper. It is a good fit if you like working outdoors and with your hands, and a few years of practice is typical before you work on your own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a foundation in math, physical science, and shop or electronics classes, which are the skills you'll use on the job every day.

  2. Telecommunications Cable Installer Helper

    1-2 years

    Work alongside experienced installers to learn how to run, splice, and test cables safely, and how to read work orders and climb poles or work in manholes.

  3. Telecommunications Line Installer and Repairer

    Ongoing once hired

    Install and repair telephone, cable, and fiber optic lines on your own, using the skills you built as a helper.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Line Technician

    2-4 years of experience first

    You guide a small crew, check their work, and handle the trickier repairs, which means strong technical skills and clear communication.

  2. Field Operations Supervisor

    3-5 years of experience first

    You plan and schedule crews across several jobs, manage safety and quality, and report to managers, which takes experience plus good organization and people skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and physical science classesAlgebra, geometry, and physics help you understand electrical signals, measurements, and how cable systems work.
  • Join a shop, electronics, or robotics clubHands-on building and wiring projects show you what it feels like to work with tools and circuits.
  • Take a shop or electronics classLearning to use hand tools, read diagrams, and solder builds the practical skills employers look for in helpers.
  • Look for a summer job doing outdoor or manual workYard work, construction helping, or landscaping teaches you to work safely outside and to show up on time.
  • Volunteer for community tech or cleanup projectsHelping set up or repair equipment for a school or local group builds experience and shows reliability.

In college

  • Look for a certificate or associate degree in telecommunications or electronicsMany community colleges offer these programs, which teach cabling, fiber, and network basics that give you an edge when applying.
  • Take courses in electrical theory and networkingUnderstanding how signals travel through copper and fiber helps you troubleshoot faster once you are on the job.
  • Apply for a cable or telecom internship or co-opHands-on time with a working crew gives you experience that employers value and may lead to a job offer.
  • Get a campus or part-time job doing technical workJobs in IT help desks, campus facilities, or AV support show you can handle equipment and customer issues.
  • Earn safety and climbing certificationsBasic safety training, such as first aid and fall protection, is often required and shows employers you are ready for field work.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local telecom or cable company whether they hire helpers or trainees, and ask what safety certifications they expect; many employers teach the rest on the job.
  • Get comfortable with climbing, heights, and working in all kinds of weather, since this work is physical and often outdoors.
  • Keep a simple record of projects you help with, such as tools you used or lines you tested, so you can show concrete experience when you apply.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

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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