Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 49-2021

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

O*NET task statements lead this Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Signal and Track Switch Repairers, Watch and Clock Repairers, Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers, Commercial Divers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers: Signal and Track Switch Repairers ($92K) , Watch and Clock Repairers ($67K) , Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers ($74K) , Commercial Divers ($73K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 49-2021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or…
  2. 2. Climb towers to access components, using safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses
  3. 3. Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables
  4. 4. Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software
  5. 5. Install all necessary transmission equipment components, including antennas or antenna mounts, surge arrestors, transmission lines, conne…
  6. 6. Read work orders, blueprints, plans, datasheets or site drawings to determine work to be done
  7. 7. Climb communication towers to install, replace, or repair antennas or auxiliary equipment used to transmit and receive radio waves
  8. 8. Replace existing antennas with new antennas as directed
  9. 9. Lift equipment into position, using cranes and rigging tools or equipment, such as gin poles
  10. 10. Bolt equipment into place, using hand or power tools
  11. 11. Install, connect, or test underground or aboveground grounding systems
  12. 12. Perform maintenance or repair work on existing tower equipment, using hand or power tools

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers: O*NET ranks Repairing first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 49-2021 - lead skill Repairing at 3.5 ; lead knowledge Computers and Electronics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Repairing 3.5
  2. 2. Installation 3.4
  3. 3. Equipment Maintenance 3.4
  4. 4. Reading Comprehension 3.3
  5. 5. Active Listening 3.3
  6. 6. Speaking 3.3
  7. 7. Critical Thinking 3.3
  8. 8. Monitoring 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Computers and Electronics 4.1
  2. 2. Telecommunications 3.9
  3. 3. Customer and Personal Service 3.9
  4. 4. Mechanical 3.4
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.3
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 3.2
National median after O*NET task lead
$63,520
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or…
$64K
National median
↑ +9%
Growth 2024-2034
1,200
Annual openings
11,140
Estimated US jobs
Signal and Track Switch Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $92K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

1. Alaska $79,050
2. Idaho $107,250
3. Pennsylvania $103,010
4. Washington $79,020
5. Maryland $100,800
6. Connecticut $100,890
7. New York $81,070
8. Arizona $95,040
9. Nevada $79,380
10. South Carolina $78,250

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations titles

  1. 1. Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers $74,330
  2. 2. Commercial Divers $72,990
  3. 3. Signal and Track Switch Repairers $92,460
  4. 4. Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door $74,340
  5. 5. Avionics Technicians $82,280
  6. 6. Watch and Clock Repairers $67,230

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers (SOC 49-2021). The national OEWS median is $63,520 inside Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Signal and Track Switch Repairers, Watch and Clock Repairers, Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers, Commercial Divers. Lead published task: Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or….

Employment Projections expect +9% change between 2024 and 2034 (much faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,200 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Alaska at $79,050. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Signal and Track Switch Repairers at $92,460. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers pay-rank #20 in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers sits at pay-rank #20 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 49-2021 · national median $63,520 · middle third of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (#20/51). The day-to-day tasks above set this role apart from peers with a similar title.

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 49-2021

Alaska · top state for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

$79K published median

Idaho · #2 state pay

$107K · behind Alaska

Signal and Track Switch Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers · $92K

Watch and Clock Repairers

Lower-pay peer beside Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers · $67K

Compare Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers mid-table among Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #20 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers ($64K), Wind Turbine Service Technicians ($64K), Riggers ($63K), Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists ($62K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers. Leading ones include: Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or…; Climb towers to access components, using safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses; Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables; Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers? ▼
For SOC 49-2021, O*NET importance scores lead with Repairing (3.5), Installation (3.4), Equipment Maintenance (3.4), Reading Comprehension (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Customer and Personal Service. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $63,520 as the national median for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers. The published 10th-90th range is $44,460 to $103,990. Beside Signal and Track Switch Repairers ($92,460), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers is +9%. Projected annual openings: about 1,200. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers? ▼
Alaska ($79,050), Idaho ($107,250), Pennsylvania ($103,010) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 49-2021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics