Careers / Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$134,050

United States, 2025

Employment

179,740

United States, 2025

Typical education

Not recorded

Job Zone 3

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

O*NET code
15-1241.01
Job zone
3
Experience required
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Typical tasks

  • Document technical specifications and operating standards for telecommunications equipment.
  • Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions.
  • Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors.
  • Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
  • Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to prepare or evaluate network diagrams, floor plans, or site configurations for existing facilities, renovations, or new systems.
  • Develop, maintain, or implement telecommunications disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity.
  • Estimate costs for system or component implementation and operation.
  • Install, or coordinate installation of, new or modified hardware, software, or programming modules of telecommunications systems.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$79,900
10th
$104,620
25th
$134,050
Median
$168,200
75th
$202,680
90th

10th percentile

$79,900

25th percentile

$104,620

75th percentile

$168,200

90th percentile

$202,680

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Writing3.4
  • Complex Problem Solving3.4
  • Systems Analysis3.3
  • Time Management3.3
  • Speaking3.3
  • Active Learning3.3
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Coordination3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.3

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 19 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

19

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension3.94.0Not selected4.0
Critical Thinking3.93.9Not selected3.9
Active Listening3.63.9Not selected3.9
Writing3.43.8Not selected3.8
Speaking3.33.9Not selected3.9
Active Learning3.33.9Not selected3.9
Complex Problem Solving3.43.6Not selected3.6
Systems Analysis3.33.6Not selected3.6
Monitoring3.33.5Not selected3.5
Coordination3.33.4Not selected3.4
Judgment and Decision Making3.33.4Not selected3.4
Systems Evaluation3.13.5Not selected3.5
Time Management3.33.3Not selected3.3
Instructing3.03.1Not selected3.1
Persuasion3.03.1Not selected3.1
Social Perceptiveness3.03.1Not selected3.1
Quality Control Analysis3.03.1Not selected3.1
Operations Monitoring3.03.0Not selected3.0
Learning Strategies3.02.9Not selected2.9

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
San Jose, CA$186,1102,7302025
Seattle, WA$172,6503,7102025
Rochester, MN$168,910902025
Bremerton, WA$168,720402025
WA$168,0704,7302025
San Francisco, CA$166,7603,3502025
Kiryas Joel, NY$165,5702202025
New York, NY$163,01010,2302025
NJ$162,3505,6602025
Bloomington, IL$161,7802402025
Greenville, SC$161,1703902025
Boston, MA$160,6505,2402025
Baltimore, MD$160,3402,4802025
Washington, DC$159,8209,3702025
Bridgeport, CT$159,8202402025
Hartford, CT$159,7206902025
MD$159,4605,8602025
CA$158,87014,8702025
San Diego, CA$157,7001,4902025
Orlando, FL$156,5601,7302025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Telecommunications Engineering Specialists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

Build a transition comparison

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.