Compare A Fiber Optic Technician ↔ B Access Control Technician
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2 moves
No pay difference shown for this route: no single published pay schedule names every stop, and the occupation medians are not like for like on every move.
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet.
- Move 2, to Access Control Technician: license not checked yet.
Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Fiber Optic Technician to Fire Alarm Technician
- O*NET lists Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.81.
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Fire Alarm Technician to Access Control Technician
- Same O*NET occupation (49-2098.00 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers): O*NET lists both job titles under it; same tasks and skills data.
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Side by side
All Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: Texas median $52,270, $23,470 less a year than all Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers ($75,740), 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
Gates on the route: Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet; Access Control Technician: license not checked yet.
Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation
A +4.3% Texas, 810 openings a year
B +21.6% Texas, 1,300 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
3.5 / 5-0.62.9 / 5
- Outdoors, all weather-1.52Outdoors, all weather: A 4.95, B 3.43
- Kneeling or crawling-1.28Kneeling or crawling: A 3.4, B 2.12
- Bending or twisting-1.27Bending or twisting: A 3.63, B 2.36
- Very hot or cold-0.94Very hot or cold: A 4.43, B 3.49
- Hazardous equipment-0.89Hazardous equipment: A 3.68, B 2.79
Degree
A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 2% do).
B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).
License
A 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).
B 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.
Experience
A Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 29%).
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
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
To build: 0
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Save Fiber Optic Technician to Access Control 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.
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