Compare A Field Radio Technician ↔ B Network Architect

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$55,400 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to RFID Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in RFID Engineer hold one), license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
Move 2, to Network Architect: 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
Field Radio Technician to RFID Engineer +$54,310 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.74.
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in RFID Engineer hold one), license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
- Skills to build: Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Speaking
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
RFID Engineer to Network Architect +$1,090 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Computer Network Architects as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86 (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 Computer Network Architects: Texas median $133,310, $55,400 more a year than all Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers ($77,910), every experience level.

Network Architect: 60% work more than 40 hours a week, about 1.6 times the share for Field Radio Technician (39%).

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

$77,910+$55,400$133,310

Gates on the route: RFID Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in RFID Engineer hold one), license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +17.3% Texas, 80 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

39%+21 pts60%

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

2.6 / 5-1.01.6 / 5

Outdoors, all weather-1.96Outdoors, all weather: A 3.56, B 1.6
High places-1.69High places: A 3.09, B 1.4
Very hot or cold-1.60Very hot or cold: A 3.05, B 1.45
Hazardous equipment-1.40Hazardous equipment: A 2.75, B 1.35
Protective gear-1.34Protective gear: A 2.5, B 1.16

Degree

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

B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 65%).

License

A No TDLR electrician license for telecom providers' communications equipment (1305.003(a)(4)). FCC radio operator licenses were not checked: fcc.gov answered HTTP 403 on 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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 31%).

B Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 35%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Speaking
Active Learning
Quality Control Analysis
Monitoring
Time Management
Instructing

To build: 6

Programming +1.88
Technology Design +1.24
Systems Evaluation +1.00
Complex Problem Solving +0.88
Critical Thinking +0.87
Judgment and Decision Making +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Field Radio Technician to Network Architect 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.