Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Salary
In Altoona, PA, telecommunications line installers and repairers earn $62,760 at the median, or about $30.17 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $70,115 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,138/month, or 27.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Altoona?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Altoona’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). 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 line installers and repairers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Altoona
Pay for telecommunications line installers and repairers in Altoona runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $74K. Rent runs $1,138/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for telecommunications line installers and repairers in metros near Altoona, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $97K | $94K |
| Pittsburgh | $92K | $97K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $80K | $80K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $79K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Altoona, PA
Entry-level telecommunications line installers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $104K | +40% | 490 |
| Massachusetts | $103K | +39% | 2,230 |
| New Jersey | $102K | +37% | 2,540 |
| New York | $101K | +36% | 8,530 |
| California | $98K | +32% | 8,810 |
| District of Columbia | $98K | +31% | 500 |
| Alaska | $97K | +31% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $97K | +31% | 500 |
| Delaware | $94K | +26% | 310 |
| Maine | $92K | +24% | 680 |
| West Virginia | $90K | +21% | 1,270 |
| New Hampshire | $86K | +16% | 540 |
| Maryland | $82K | +11% | 2,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +9% | 3,890 |
| Hawaii | $80K | +7% | 680 |
| Virginia | $79K | +6% | 4,120 |
| Washington | $76K | +2% | 1,510 |
| Texas | $76K | +2% | 9,700 |
| Montana | $76K | +2% | 530 |
| Michigan | $74K | +0% | 2,780 |
| Minnesota | $74K | -1% | 1,130 |
| Nevada | $72K | -3% | 730 |
| Illinois | $71K | -5% | 2,460 |
| Colorado | $66K | -11% | 1,630 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -14% | 1,870 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -14% | 160 |
| Kansas | $64K | -14% | 530 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -14% | 950 |
| Tennessee | $64K | -15% | 2,620 |
| Ohio | $63K | -15% | 3,920 |
| Vermont | $62K | -17% | 310 |
| Florida | $62K | -17% | 5,760 |
| Alabama | $61K | -18% | 1,530 |
| Iowa | $61K | -18% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -18% | 1,690 |
| Oregon | $60K | -19% | 920 |
| Utah | $60K | -19% | 800 |
| South Carolina | $60K | -20% | 1,310 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -20% | 300 |
| Missouri | $59K | -21% | 2,710 |
| Indiana | $59K | -21% | 1,580 |
| Georgia | $59K | -21% | 3,530 |
| Arizona | $59K | -21% | 790 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -22% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -24% | 2,610 |
| Idaho | $56K | -24% | 300 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -33% | 390 |
| South Dakota | $50K | -33% | 590 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -34% | 700 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -34% | 1,410 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -34% | 960 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track telecommunications line installers and repairers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Altoona numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a telecommunications line installers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Altoona?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 27% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,138/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for telecommunications line installers and repairers in Altoona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new telecommunications line installers and repairers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,183/month. At HUD’s $1,138/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is telecommunications line installers and repairer a high-paying job in Altoona?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $63K here vs. $74K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Altoona compare to the national average for telecommunications line installers and repairers?
Altoona pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do telecommunications line installers and repairers make in Altoona, PA?
The median is $62,760 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,390, and experienced telecommunications line installers and repairers can clear $100,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Altoona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,212/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,138/month, which eats 27% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a telecommunications line installers and repairers salary go in Altoona?
Altoona has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median telecommunications line installers and repairers salary is worth about $70,115 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do telecommunications line installers and repairers 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.