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Communications Systems Major

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Communications Systems

52 Associates's Degrees Annually
0 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
#155 in Popularity (Associate's)
$56,340 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Communications Systems Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many communications systems installation and repair technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate 58
Associate Degree 52
Basic Certificate 26

What Communications Systems Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, communications systems installation and repair technology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills for Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to communications systems installation and repair technology:

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  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Abilities for Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a communications systems installation and repair technology student include the following:

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  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Communications Systems Major?

People with a communications systems installation and repair technology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Radio Mechanics 5.5% $54,890
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers 5.5% $54,890
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers 1.5% $58,280

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Communications Systems?

52 Associate's Degrees Annually
6% Percent Women
37% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major tends to be male dominated. About 94% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of communications systems installation and repair technology majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 0
Black or African American 1
Hispanic or Latino 15
White 31
International Students 0
Other Races/Ethnicities 5

How Much Do Communications Systems Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $44,710 to $57,080 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Communications Systems Major  ( 44710 to 57080 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with communications systems installation and repair technology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to communications systems installation and repair technology have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 3.8%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 40.6%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 29.6%
Some College Courses 9.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 8.7%
Bachelor’s Degree 5.5%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 0.3%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 2.7%

Online Communications Systems Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 38 schools offered some type of communications systems installation and repair technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 8 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 2 0
Associate’s Degree 19 0
Bachelor’s Degree 0 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 0 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Communications Systems Worth It?

The median salary for a communications systems installation and repair technology grad is $56,340 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 41% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $328,800 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to communications systems installation and repair technology.

Major Number of Grads
Computer Installation & Repair Technology/Technician 2,316
Industrial Electronics Technology/Technician 2,269
General Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair 2,127
Other Electrical/Electronics Maintenance & Repair Technology 806
Appliance Installation & Repair Technology/Technician 66
Security System Installation, Repair, & Inspection Technology/Technician 50
Business Machine Repair 0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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