Career Explorer Installation and repair
Human edge, steady
Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
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.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 63% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +1.2% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $63,520
- Job growth to 2035
- +1.2%
- Openings a year
- 1,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 11,300
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Connect components or supply lines to equipment or tools
- Test performance of equipment or systems
- Read documents or materials to inform work processes
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assemble equipment or components
- Inspect completed work or finished products
- Install commercial or production equipment
What the work looks like
- 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.
- Climb towers to access components, using safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses.
- 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).
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Avionics techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +9.4%
- Medical equipment repairersHuman edge, growing, Index 92, +12.6%
- Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installersHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +10.9%
- Commercial diversHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +4.8%
Also known as: Radio Frequency Technician (RF Tech), Radio Technician (Radio Tech), Tower Technician (Tower Tech), Two-Way Radio Technician (Two-Way Radio Tech), Communications Systems Technician, Field Service Technician (Field Service Tech), Field Technician (Field Tech), Installation Technician (Installation Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.