Compare A Fire Alarm Technician ↔ B Communications Electrician Supervisor

Compare with

Your route

1 move · +$24,490 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Communications Electrician Supervisor: license depends on the work (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)), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 L1 step up on Low-voltage and life-safety systems
Fire Alarm Technician to Communications Electrician Supervisor +$24,490 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Next rung on 'Low-voltage and life-safety systems' (Skilled to Lead).
- Gates: license depends on the work (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)), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Management of Personnel Resources, Monitoring, Negotiation

Side by side

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

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

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

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

Gates on the route: license depends on the work (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)), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

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

Over 40 h a week

57%-4 pts53%

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

2.9 / 5-0.22.6 / 5

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

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: 10% do).

License

A 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.

B 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).

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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 41%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Complex Problem Solving
Social Perceptiveness
Troubleshooting
Operation and Control
Service Orientation
Writing

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.76
Monitoring +1.00
Negotiation +1.00
Persuasion +0.88
Coordination +0.87
Time Management +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Fire Alarm Technician to Communications Electrician Supervisor 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.