Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

The median annual salary for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists in the US is $130,390. The middle 80% of workers earn between $76,640 and $189,520 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $100,000 and $158,010.

The role is projected to grow 12% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 179,200 workers.

The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.

The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Systems Analysis, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Evaluation, Judgment and Decision Making. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Our AI-durability model gives Telecommunications Engineering Specialists a score of 0.83 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.