Compare A Computer Repair Technician ↔ B Communications Electrician Supervisor

Compare with

Your route

3 moves · +$31,280 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Audio Video Installer: 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 Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet.
Move 3, 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 Transfer move to the side
Computer Repair Technician to Audio Video Installer +$2,290 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.82 (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
Audio Video Installer to Fire Alarm Technician +$4,500 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88.
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Move 3 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, $31,280 more a year than all Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers ($45,480), every experience level.

Communications Electrician Supervisor: 53% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.8 times the share for Computer Repair Technician (19%).

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

$45,480+$31,280$76,760

Gates on the route: Audio Video Installer: 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)); Fire Alarm Technician: license not checked yet; 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).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +7.4% Texas, 790 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

19%+34 pts53%

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

2.2 / 5+0.42.6 / 5

Hazardous equipment+1.95Hazardous equipment: A 1.59, B 3.54
High places+1.17High places: A 1.26, B 2.43
Outdoors, all weather+1.01Outdoors, all weather: A 2.25, B 3.26
Standing-0.91Standing: A 3.92, B 3.01
Very hot or cold+0.87Very hot or cold: A 2.55, B 3.42

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 17% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 10% 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 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: 40%).

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

Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Active Learning
Complex Problem Solving
Social Perceptiveness
Troubleshooting

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.38
Monitoring +1.00
Coordination +0.75
Judgment and Decision Making +0.75
Systems Evaluation +0.74
Learning Strategies +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Computer Repair 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.