Compare A Fiber Optic Technician ↔ B Network Architect
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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 Telecommunications Systems Engineer: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
- Move 2, to Network Architect: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Network Architect hold one).
Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Fiber Optic Technician to Telecommunications Systems Engineer
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Engineering Specialists as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.80 (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 2 Transfer move to the side
Telecommunications Systems Engineer to Network Architect
- O*NET lists Computer Network Architects as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.84.
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Network Architect hold one).
- Skills to build: Programming, Systems Evaluation, Complex Problem Solving
Side by side
All Computer Network Architects: Texas median $133,310, $57,570 more a year than all Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers ($75,740), every experience level.
Network Architect: 60% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2 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: Network Architect: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Network Architect hold one).
Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation
A +4.3% Texas, 810 openings a year
B +23.4% Texas, 1,100 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 / 5-1.91.6 / 5
- Outdoors, all weather-3.35Outdoors, all weather: A 4.95, B 1.6
- Very hot or cold-2.98Very hot or cold: A 4.43, B 1.45
- Hazardous equipment-2.33Hazardous equipment: A 3.68, B 1.35
- High places-2.08High places: A 3.48, B 1.4
- Bending or twisting-2.08Bending or twisting: A 3.63, B 1.55
Degree
A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 2% do).
B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 65%).
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 license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 35%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 6
- Quality Control Analysis
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Operations Monitoring
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
To build: 6
- Programming +2.50
- Systems Evaluation +1.76
- Systems Analysis +1.50
- Technology Design +1.37
- Writing +1.12
- Complex Problem Solving +1.00
Make this your goal
Save Fiber Optic Technician to Network Architect 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 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.
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