Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Associate's degree
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers work in a specialized technical trade that combines mechanical ability, technology skills, and physical stamina. Nationally, about 12,000 people are employed in this occupation, with a median annual salary of $64,190. Employment is projected to grow 8.6%, and there are about 1,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing demand for new workers entering or advancing in the field. The work draws on mechanical, fine motor, and computers and information technology skills, as well as problem-solving strengths like detail orientation, project management, adaptability, and creativity and innovation. Physical strength and stamina are also important. The career typically requires an associate’s degree, providing a structured pathway for students and career changers who want to move into a technical role without pursuing a four-year degree. For individuals interested in hands-on, equipment-focused work with a clear technical skill set, this occupation offers a defined professional track and measurable labor-market indicators.
Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers earn a national median annual salary of $64,190. Pay varies by location. Among top states, New York shows a median salary of $81,070 and Washington $79,020, both notably higher than the national median, while Virginia is $67,790 and California $62,840. Colorado’s median of $56,110 is lower than these other highlighted states. At the metro level, some areas stand out even more. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro lists a median salary of $96,610, the highest among the featured metros, followed by Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue at $82,380 and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria at $76,070. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont has a median of $70,880, while Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim is $63,540. These differences show that earning potential can shift significantly by region, especially in certain metro areas.
This occupation has national employment of about 12,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 8.6%. There are approximately 1,000 annual openings, indicating that positions regularly become available for new entrants and experienced technicians. The consistent 8.6% growth figure appears across the highlighted states and metro areas, suggesting a broadly similar growth expectation in multiple regions rather than being limited to a single location. For someone planning a long-term career, this combination of current employment, projected growth, and annual openings provides a quantifiable view of labor-market prospects. It suggests that workers may see opportunities both in maintaining the existing workforce and in supporting expanding demand within the occupation. Students, career changers, and current technicians can use these metrics to gauge how this field fits into their career planning and their expectations for job availability over time.
Several states stand out based on a combination of salary, employment, growth, and opportunity score. California has the highest employment among the listed states at 1,030 and an opportunity score of 67.38, with a median salary of $62,840. New York offers a higher median salary of $81,070 but lower employment at 420; its opportunity score of 65.78 is also strong. Washington and Virginia show mid-range employment (240 and 660) with median salaries of $79,020 and $67,790, respectively, and opportunity scores in the mid-50s. Colorado has employment of 530 and a median salary of $56,110 with an opportunity score of 56.97. Looking at metro areas, the New York–Newark–Jersey City metro clearly stands out with the highest opportunity score of 77.27 and the highest median salary at $96,610. Other metros such as San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, and Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue also show solid opportunity scores and varying mixes of salary and employment levels, giving candidates multiple geographic options to consider.
The typical education level for radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers is an associate’s degree. This provides an accessible pathway for individuals who want to enter a technical field without completing a bachelor’s program. Within this occupation, employers value a blend of technical, physical, and problem-solving skills. Mechanical skills, fine motor abilities, and physical strength and stamina support the hands-on aspects of the work. Computers and information technology skills, along with mathematics, form the technical foundation. At the same time, success in this career also draws on being detail oriented and having project management and leadership abilities, which help in organizing and completing work effectively. Adaptability and creativity and innovation are also highlighted, indicating that workers in this field benefit from being able to adjust to changing conditions and think of new ways to approach tasks. Together, the associate’s degree and this skill mix define the preparation profile for this role.
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