Compare A Network Systems Administrator ↔ B Communications Electrician Supervisor

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Your route

3 moves · -$24,480 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Low-Voltage Technician: license not checked yet.
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
Network Systems Administrator to Low-Voltage Technician -$41,870 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.80.
- Gates: license not checked yet.
- Skills to build: Installation, Repairing
Move 2 L1 step up on Low-voltage and life-safety systems
Low-Voltage Technician to Fire Alarm Technician -$7,100 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Next rung on 'Low-voltage and life-safety systems' (Skilled to Skilled). O*NET lists Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers as a related occupation (Primary-Long).
- 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, $24,480 less a year than all Network and Computer Systems Administrators ($101,240), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Communications Electrician Supervisor 53%, Network Systems Administrator 40%.

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

$101,240-$24,480$76,760

Gates on the route: Low-Voltage Technician: license not checked yet; 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 +6.3% Texas, 1,880 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

40%+13 pts53%

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

1.7 / 5+0.92.6 / 5

Hazardous equipment+2.37Hazardous equipment: A 1.17, B 3.54
Very hot or cold+1.92Very hot or cold: A 1.5, B 3.42
Outdoors, all weather+1.66Outdoors, all weather: A 1.6, B 3.26
Hazardous conditions+1.34Hazardous conditions: A 1.4, B 2.74
Bending or twisting+1.23Bending or twisting: A 1.9, B 3.13

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 30% 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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 43%).

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

Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Listening
Quality Control Analysis
Reading Comprehension

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.00
Coordination +0.75
Negotiation +0.62
Persuasion +0.50
Speaking +0.50
Time Management +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Network Systems Administrator 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.