Compare A Access Control Technician ↔ B Audio Video Installer

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · -$4,500 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet, experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Audio Video Installer: license depends on the work (No TDLR electrician license for fiber, cabling and communications circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). Alarm or access control work may need a DPS license: not checked (site unreachable 2026-10-03)).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Access Control Technician to Field Radio Technician +$25,640 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90 (same lateral rule, started from this rung; target is the related occupation's role nearest this rung's level band).
- Gates: license not checked yet, experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Equipment Maintenance, Repairing
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Field Radio Technician to Audio Video Installer -$30,140 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90.
- Gates: license depends on the work (No TDLR electrician license for fiber, cabling and communications circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). Alarm or access control work may need a DPS license: not checked (site unreachable 2026-10-03)).
- Skills to build: Troubleshooting, Quality Control Analysis, Service Orientation

Side by side

All Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: Texas median $47,770, $4,500 less a year than all Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers ($52,270), every experience level.

Access Control Technician: 57% work more than 40 hours a week, about 4.5 times the share for Audio Video Installer (13%).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$52,270-$4,500$47,770

Gates on the route: Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet, experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common); Audio Video Installer: license depends on the work (No TDLR electrician license for fiber, cabling and communications circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). Alarm or access control work may need a DPS license: not checked (site unreachable 2026-10-03)).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +21.6% Texas, 1,300 openings a year

B +16.0% Texas, 270 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

57%-45 pts13%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

2.9 / 5+0.13.0 / 5

Kneeling or crawling+1.13Kneeling or crawling: A 2.12, B 3.25
Bending or twisting+1.00Bending or twisting: A 2.36, B 3.36
Protective gear-0.79Protective gear: A 2.31, B 1.52
Hazardous conditions+0.72Hazardous conditions: A 2.07, B 2.79
Cramped space+0.53Cramped space: A 2.94, B 3.47

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 5% do).

License

A No TDLR electrician license for low-voltage access control circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). The DPS Private Security license was not checked: site unreachable 2026-10-03.

B No TDLR electrician license for fiber, cabling and communications circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). Alarm or access control work may need a DPS license: not checked (site unreachable 2026-10-03).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 41%).

B Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 47%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Installation
Speaking
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Operations Monitoring

To build: 5

Equipment Selection +0.75
Equipment Maintenance +0.63
Repairing +0.62
Troubleshooting +0.62
Quality Control Analysis +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Access Control Technician to Audio Video Installer as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 5 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.