What is the salary and career path for a cable technician?
Cable technician is a close match to Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers (SOC 49-9052), the BLS code covering communications-cable installation and repair. The OEWS May 2025 median is $74,330 a year ($35.73 an hour), stretching from $45,310 at the 10th percentile to $103,680 at the 90th, with signal-level expertise and fiber cross-skilling lifting the top. Employment Projections have the line-installer code declining 3.1% across 2024–2034 — a shrinking occupation — though drop replacement, node splits and turnover still open about 8,900 jobs a year. No license is needed; SCTE certification and hands-on drop and signal-metering skill are what employers screen for.
- Cable 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 credentials, provider-academy training and signal-metering skill are what get cable techs hired.
- BLS projects the line-installer code to decline 3.1% for 2024–34, though drop and maintenance work still opens about 8,900 jobs a year.
- The ladder runs from installer apprentice through service tech and maintenance specialist to plant supervisor near $103,680.
Career Path
How do you become a cable technician?
Cable Installer Apprentice
Runs drops and learns signal metering under a lead; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Cable Technician
Installs and repairs coax and HFC lines and balances levels — around the $74,330 median.
Senior / Maintenance Technician
Troubleshoots plant, ingress and node issues; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Line / Plant Supervisor
Runs a maintenance area and crew; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays cable technicians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9052. National median: $74,330. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does cable technician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles cable technicians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: cable 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 cable 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 (cable 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 cable technicians need?
Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers credentials recognized across cable operators. See all state licences →
Operator-run training on the specific plant, meters and standards you will service.
Jobsite safety training and a clean driving record for a route-based service role.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do cable technicians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 49-9052
Salary Levers
How do cable technicians earn above the $74,330 BLS median?
Signal and maintenance expertise
Techs who clear plant, ingress and node faults earn above the $74,330 median toward the top decile.
Fiber cross-training
Adding fiber splicing and testing to coax skills widens dispatch value and pay from the $45,310 entry upward.
Advancement to supervisor
Plant and maintenance supervisory roles reach toward the $103,680 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a cable 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
Cable Technician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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