Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Career, Salary and Skills
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $63,520 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 11,140. Wage data is published for 96 locations.
Occupation description
Repair, install, or maintain mobile or stationary radio transmitting, broadcasting, and receiving equipment, and two-way radio communications systems used in cellular telecommunications, mobile broadband, ship-to-shore, aircraft-to-ground communications, and radio equipment in service and emergency vehicles. May test and analyze network coverage.
O*NET code
49-2021.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$63,520
Hourly median
$30.54
Employment
11,140
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Repairing | 3.50 | 3.38 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.38 | 2.88 |
| Installation | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Speaking | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.12 | 3.62 |
Typical tasks
- Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables.
- Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software.
- Install all necessary transmission equipment components, including antennas or antenna mounts, surge arrestors, transmission lines, connectors, or tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs).
- Read work orders, blueprints, plans, datasheets or site drawings to determine work to be done.
- Replace existing antennas with new antennas as directed.
- Bolt equipment into place, using hand or power tools.
- Install, connect, or test underground or aboveground grounding systems.
- Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or adequate weather proofing has been installed.
Technology
- AERONET calculator
- Backbone.js
- Caliper Maptitude
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Location mapping software
- Maintenance documentation software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Sweep analysis software
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in CAMedian $62,840 · Employment 1,030
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in TXMedian $77,910 · Employment 830
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in ILMedian $61,110 · Employment 780
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in VAMedian $67,790 · Employment 660
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in NJMedian $75,930 · Employment 590
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in COMedian $56,110 · Employment 530
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in FLMedian $60,140 · Employment 520
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in NYMedian $81,070 · Employment 420
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in MIMedian $64,130 · Employment 410
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in Philadelphia, PAMedian $65,520 · Employment 380
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in New York, NYMedian $96,610 · Employment 370
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Salary in OHMedian $72,160 · Employment 370
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.