What is the salary and career path for a broadband technician?
Broadband technician maps, on a broad basis, to Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers (SOC 49-9052), the BLS code covering communications-access installation and repair. OEWS May 2025 lists the median at $74,330 a year ($35.73 an hour), from $45,310 at the 10th percentile to $103,680 at the 90th, with multi-technology skill and DOCSIS troubleshooting lifting the top. Employment Projections show the line-installer code declining 3.1% across 2024–2034 — a shrinking occupation — even as broadband build-outs and subscriber churn keep roughly 8,900 jobs a year open. No license is required; SCTE broadband certification and hands-on access-network skill are the hiring bar.
- Broadband Technicians earn a national median $74,330/yr ($35.73/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9052); the top 10% clear $103,680.
- No license is required; SCTE broadband certification, ISP academy training and multi-technology skill are the hiring bar.
- BLS projects the line-installer code to decline 3.1% for 2024–34, though broadband builds keep about 8,900 jobs a year open.
- The ladder runs from installer through service tech and maintenance specialist to field supervisor near $103,680.
Career Path
How do you become a broadband technician?
Broadband Installer
Runs installs and learns access networks under a lead; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Broadband Technician
Installs and troubleshoots coax, fiber and fixed-wireless service — around the $74,330 median.
Senior / Maintenance Technician
Diagnoses access-network and DOCSIS/PON issues; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Field Supervisor / Network Ops Lead
Runs a maintenance area and crew; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays broadband technicians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9052. National median: $74,330. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does broadband technician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles broadband technicians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: broadband technicians rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected −3.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly broadband technicians clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9052 (broadband technicians) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do broadband technicians need?
Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers broadband credentials recognized across ISPs. See all state licences →
Provider training certifying you on their access networks, meters and provisioning tools.
Jobsite safety training and a clean driving record for a route-based field role.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do broadband technicians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 49-9052
Salary Levers
How do broadband technicians earn above the $74,330 BLS median?
Multi-technology skill
Working coax, fiber and fixed-wireless raises dispatch value and pay above the $45,310 entry tier.
DOCSIS / PON troubleshooting
Techs who clear complex access-network faults earn toward the $103,680 top decile.
Advancement to supervisor
Maintenance and field-supervisor roles reach toward the top decile of the range.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a broadband technician worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9052. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Broadband Technician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Broadband Technician career research journey
Do your homework, then let the network do the rest.Get the job, then keep rising
FreeSet your intent, matching jobs come to you. No applying.
A roadmap to your next licence tier and higher pay band.
Once placed, we cover all certification, licence & career-guide fees.
Hiring broadband technicians?
Get a verified shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates in 48 hours
GlobalCybers verifies active state licenses, trade certifications, Intent and right-to-work status before any candidate reaches your portal. Flat $2,999/mo RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), up to 3 concurrent roles, or a free trial (pay on hire). 90-day written guarantee.
Related · Broadband Technician
Everything for broadband technicians in one place
Salary data, licensing, interview prep, and hiring, all cross-linked so you (and search engines) can move through the full broadband technician cluster.