Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Salary
In California, telecommunications line installers and repairers earn $97,980 at the median, or about $47.11 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $92,312 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $98K get you in California?
About telecommunications line installers and repairers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for telecommunications line installers and repairers, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $74K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 41.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level telecommunications line installers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers salary by metro in California
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $107K | +10% | 390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $104K | +6% | 1,240 |
| El Centro | $102K | +4% | 40 |
| Salinas | $101K | +3% | 50 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $100K | +3% | 120 |
| Modesto | $100K | +2% | 120 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $100K | +2% | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $100K | +2% | 180 |
| Chico | $99K | +1% | 50 |
| Vallejo | $98K | +0% | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $97K | -1% | 550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $97K | -1% | 2,780 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $97K | -1% | 220 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $97K | -1% | 660 |
| Merced | $97K | -1% | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $95K | -3% | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $93K | -5% | 740 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $92K | -6% | 270 |
| Fresno | $90K | -8% | 260 |
| Visalia | $84K | -14% | 40 |
| Redding | $78K | -21% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a telecommunications line installers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 41.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for telecommunications line installers and repairers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new telecommunications line installers and repairers typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,616/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 California?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $98K here vs. $74K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for telecommunications line installers and repairers?
California pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do telecommunications line installers and repairers make in California?
The median is $97,980 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,260, and experienced telecommunications line installers and repairers can clear $106,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,005/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 41.1% 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 line installers and repairers salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 line installers and repairers salary is worth about $92,312 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.