Compare A Telecommunications Systems Engineer ↔ B Audio Video Technician

Compare with

Your route

3 moves · -$83,870 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 3, to Audio Video 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
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
Move 3 Transfer move to the side
Audio Video Installer to Audio Video Technician +$1,670 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Audio and Video Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.71 (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 Audio and Video Technicians: Texas median $49,440, $83,870 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 2.3 times the share for Audio Video Technician (21%).

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

$133,310-$83,870$49,440

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 +8.8% Texas, 460 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

48%-27 pts21%

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

2.5 / 5-0.61.8 / 5

Outdoors, all weather-1.73Outdoors, all weather: A 3.16, B 1.43
Very hot or cold-1.14Very hot or cold: A 2.55, B 1.41
High places-0.91High places: A 2.58, B 1.67
Protective gear-0.86Protective gear: A 2.32, B 1.46
Climbing ladders-0.69Climbing ladders: A 2.47, B 1.78

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: 43% 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 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: 39%).

B Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 37%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Active Listening
Coordination
Service Orientation

To build: 2

Monitoring +0.50
Operations Monitoring +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Telecommunications Systems Engineer to Audio Video 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 2 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.