Compare A Telecommunications Systems Engineer ↔ B Audio Video Installer

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · -$85,540 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, 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 2, to Audio Video Installer: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Telecommunications Systems Engineer to Fiber Optic Technician -$57,570 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.80 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- 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)).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Fiber Optic Technician to Audio Video Installer -$27,970 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.76.
- Gates: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Equipment Selection, Repairing, Troubleshooting

Side by side

All Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: Texas median $47,770, $85,540 less a year than all Telecommunications Engineering Specialists ($133,310), every experience level.

Telecommunications Systems Engineer: 48% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3.8 times the share for Audio Video Installer (13%).

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

$133,310-$85,540$47,770

Gates on the route: 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)); Audio Video Installer: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +23.4% Texas, 1,100 openings a year

B +16.0% Texas, 270 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

48%-36 pts13%

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

2.5 / 5+0.53.0 / 5

Cramped space+1.21Cramped space: A 2.26, B 3.47
Bending or twisting+1.07Bending or twisting: A 2.29, B 3.36
Kneeling or crawling+0.82Kneeling or crawling: A 2.43, B 3.25
Standing+0.80Standing: A 3.13, B 3.93
Protective gear-0.80Protective gear: A 2.32, B 1.52

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 32% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 5% 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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 39%).

B Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 47%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Complex Problem Solving
Speaking
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Operations Monitoring

To build: 5

Repairing +1.00
Equipment Maintenance +0.88
Installation +0.76
Troubleshooting +0.74
Quality Control Analysis +0.62

Make this your goal

Save Telecommunications Systems Engineer to Audio Video Installer 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 5 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.