Compare A Fiber Optic Technician ↔ B Network Systems Administrator
ShareYour route
2 moves · +$25,500 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Low-Voltage Technician: license not checked yet.
- Move 2, to Network Systems Administrator: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Fiber Optic Technician to Low-Voltage Technician -$16,370 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83.
- Gates: license not checked yet.
- Skills to build: Repairing, Troubleshooting, Systems Analysis
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Low-Voltage Technician to Network Systems Administrator +$41,870 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Network and Computer Systems Administrators 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).
Side by side
All Network and Computer Systems Administrators: Texas median $101,240, $25,500 more a year than all Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers ($75,740), every experience level.
More than 40 hours a week: Network Systems Administrator 40%, 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: Low-Voltage Technician: license not checked yet.
Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation
A +4.3% Texas, 810 openings a year
B +6.3% Texas, 1,880 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 / 5-1.81.7 / 5
- Outdoors, all weather-3.35Outdoors, all weather: A 4.95, B 1.6
- Very hot or cold-2.93Very hot or cold: A 4.43, B 1.5
- Hazardous equipment-2.51Hazardous equipment: A 3.68, B 1.17
- High places-1.88High places: A 3.48, B 1.6
- Cramped space-1.77Cramped space: A 3.57, B 1.8
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: 30% 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 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: 43%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 6
- Speaking
- Time Management
- Equipment Maintenance
- Operation and Control
- Repairing
- Coordination
To build: 6
- Programming +2.12
- Systems Evaluation +1.88
- Systems Analysis +1.75
- Operations Analysis +1.12
- Active Listening +1.00
- Complex Problem Solving +1.00
Make this your goal
Save Fiber Optic Technician to Network Systems Administrator 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.
Share your route
One number, the route and its gate go on the card; nothing about you. Your device's dark mode picks the dark card.
Save routes and track your hours with ET Member. Saved routes, your gap plan and alerts when pay, license rules or exams change.
