Compare A Fire Alarm Technician ↔ B Computer Repair Technician

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · -$6,790 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 Computer Repair Technician: 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
Fire Alarm Technician to Audio Video Installer -$4,500 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 = 0.88 (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 Computer Repair Technician -$2,290 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.82 (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, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers: Texas median $45,480, $6,790 less a year than all Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers ($52,270), every experience level.

Fire Alarm Technician: 57% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3.1 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

$52,270-$6,790$45,480

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)).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

B +7.4% Texas, 790 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

57%-39 pts19%

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

2.9 / 5-0.62.2 / 5

Climbing ladders-2.24Climbing ladders: A 3.46, B 1.22
High places-1.85High places: A 3.11, B 1.26
Protective gear-1.21Protective gear: A 2.31, B 1.1
Hazardous equipment-1.20Hazardous equipment: A 2.79, B 1.59
Outdoors, all weather-1.18Outdoors, all weather: A 3.43, B 2.25

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: 17% 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 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 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 41%).

B Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 40%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Quality Control Analysis
Speaking
Time Management
Operations Monitoring
Reading Comprehension

To build: 3

Equipment Selection +1.00
Repairing +0.62
Equipment Maintenance +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Fire Alarm Technician to Computer Repair 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 3 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.