Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers Salary
In Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers earn $81,030 at the median, or about $38.96 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $72,915 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 46.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
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What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 45.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $70K | $70K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $69K | $67K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $78K | $78K |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $65K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $96K | +50% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $91K | +42% | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | +33% | 550 |
| Vermont | $82K | +28% | 310 |
| Louisiana | $80K | +26% | 3,060 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +24% | 760 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +22% | 2,690 |
| Washington | $78K | +21% | 3,210 |
| California | $77K | +20% | 14,040 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +20% | 2,890 |
| Colorado | $76K | +20% | 3,180 |
| Oregon | $75K | +18% | 1,710 |
| Connecticut | $75K | +18% | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +18% | 1,900 |
| Montana | $74K | +16% | 630 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +14% | 300 |
| Arizona | $73K | +14% | 3,320 |
| New York | $68K | +6% | 6,240 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | +5% | 150 |
| Delaware | $67K | +4% | 440 |
| Iowa | $66K | +3% | 1,780 |
| Utah | $66K | +3% | 2,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | +2% | 5,220 |
| Georgia | $65K | +2% | 6,640 |
| Illinois | $65K | +1% | 5,760 |
| North Carolina | $64K | +0% | 3,540 |
| New Mexico | $64K | -0% | 1,100 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -1% | 820 |
| Maryland | $63K | -1% | 2,520 |
| Nevada | $63K | -2% | 890 |
| Idaho | $62K | -2% | 1,080 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -3% | 520 |
| Maine | $62K | -3% | 400 |
| Michigan | $62K | -3% | 3,940 |
| Ohio | $62K | -3% | 3,560 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -4% | 2,130 |
| Virginia | $61K | -4% | 3,310 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -4% | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -4% | 2,480 |
| Indiana | $61K | -4% | 2,050 |
| Florida | $61K | -4% | 11,820 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -5% | 2,120 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -5% | 1,430 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -6% | 310 |
| Alabama | $60K | -6% | 3,200 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -7% | 2,210 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 13,440 |
| Kansas | $59K | -8% | 1,480 |
| Missouri | $58K | -10% | 2,260 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -21% | 1,660 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -22% | 1,320 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 45.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,496/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installer a high-paying job in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $81K here vs. $64K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $81,030 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,260, and experienced telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers can clear $103,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,449/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 45.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers salary go in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers salary is worth about $72,915 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.