Compare A Network Technician ↔ B Fiber Optic Technician

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$8,960 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet.
Move 2, to Fiber Optic Technician: license depends on the work (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)).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Network Technician to Field Radio Technician +$11,130 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Field Radio Technician to Fiber Optic Technician -$2,170 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83.
- Gates: license depends on the work (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)).

Side by side

All Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers: Texas median $75,740, $8,960 more a year than all Computer Network Support Specialists ($66,780), every experience level.

Network Technician: 46% work more than 40 hours a week, about 1.5 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

$66,780+$8,960$75,740

Gates on the route: Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet; Fiber Optic Technician: license depends on the work (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)).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +12.4% Texas, 920 openings a year

B +4.3% Texas, 810 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

46%-16 pts30%

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

1.7 / 5+1.83.5 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+3.44Outdoors, all weather: A 1.51, B 4.95
Very hot or cold+2.99Very hot or cold: A 1.44, B 4.43
Hazardous equipment+2.37Hazardous equipment: A 1.31, B 3.68
High places+2.23High places: A 1.25, B 3.48
Climbing ladders+2.00Climbing ladders: A 1.26, B 3.26

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 50%).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 2% do).

License

A 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).

B 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).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 31%).

B Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 29%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Quality Control Analysis
Speaking
Active Listening
Coordination

To build: 1

Operation and Control +1.00

Make this your goal

Save Network Technician to Fiber Optic 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.