Compare A Communications Electrician Supervisor ↔ B Fire Alarm Technician

Compare with

Your route

4 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: electrical Apprentice: All Electricians (47-2111) at every experience level, the occupation apprentices are counted in (SOC Classification Principle 7). Mostly journeyman-level workers, so it is not apprentice pay and is never subtracted.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 3, to Lighting Technician: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 4, to Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet.

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Communications Electrician Supervisor to Electrical Foreman
- O*NET lists First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78 (same lateral rule, started from this rung; target is the related occupation's role nearest this rung's level band).
- Gates: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Foreman to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.70 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 3 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Apprentice to Lighting Technician
- O*NET lists Lighting Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Long) (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 4 Transfer move to the side
Lighting Technician to Fire Alarm Technician
- O*NET lists Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers as a related occupation (Supplemental) (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license not checked yet.

Side by side

All Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: Texas median $52,270, $24,490 less a year than all First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers ($76,760), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Fire Alarm Technician 57%, Communications Electrician Supervisor 53%.

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

$76,760-$24,490$52,270

Gates on the route: Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common); Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +11.2% Texas, 6,510 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

53%+4 pts57%

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

2.6 / 5+0.22.9 / 5

Climbing ladders+1.74Climbing ladders: A 1.72, B 3.46
Standing+1.32Standing: A 3.01, B 4.33
Bending or twisting-0.77Bending or twisting: A 3.13, B 2.36
Hazardous equipment-0.75Hazardous equipment: A 3.54, B 2.79
High places+0.68High places: A 2.43, B 3.11

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 10% do).

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

License

A Texas: power wiring needs a TDLR electrician license unless exempt: plant employees in petrochemical and oil and gas (1305.003(a)(14)), low-voltage controls (a)(12), in-house maintenance (a)(8).

B No TDLR electrician license for fire alarm circuits (1305.003(a)(12)). The fire alarm license from the State Fire Marshal (TDI) was not checked: site unreachable 2026-10-03.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 41%).

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

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Speaking
Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Operations Monitoring

To build: 1

Installation +1.63

Make this your goal

Save Communications Electrician Supervisor to Fire Alarm 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 and the 1 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.