Compare A Access Control Technician ↔ B Fiber Optic Technician

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$23,470 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 Fiber Optic Technician: 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 Fiber Optic Technician -$2,170 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83.
- 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)).

Side by side

All Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers: Texas median $75,740, $23,470 more 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 1.9 times the share for Fiber Optic Technician (30%).

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

$52,270+$23,470$75,740

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); Fiber Optic Technician: 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 +4.3% Texas, 810 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

57%-27 pts30%

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

2.9 / 5+0.63.5 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+1.52Outdoors, all weather: A 3.43, B 4.95
Kneeling or crawling+1.28Kneeling or crawling: A 2.12, B 3.4
Bending or twisting+1.27Bending or twisting: A 2.36, B 3.63
Very hot or cold+0.94Very hot or cold: A 3.49, B 4.43
Hazardous equipment+0.89Hazardous equipment: A 2.79, B 3.68

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: 2% 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 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 29%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Quality Control Analysis
Speaking
Active Listening
Coordination

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Access Control Technician to Fiber Optic Technician 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. Free with an account.