How much do telecom line installers make in Ohio in 2026?

Telecom line installers in Ohio earn a median wage of $62,860 per year, or about $30.22 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data from May 2025. That's a solid middle-of-the-road number, but where you land depends heavily on your experience level, employer, and which corner of Ohio you're working in.

The bottom quarter of earners — workers just getting started or in lower-paying positions — come in at $51,110 per year, which works out to roughly $24.57 per hour. That's still above Ohio's minimum wage by a wide margin, and it reflects entry-level installers or those working for smaller contractors without much tenure built up.

The top quarter of earners in Ohio hit $77,170 per year, or approximately $37.10 per hour. These are typically journeymen-level installers with years in the field, workers who have taken on lead roles, or those employed by large telecom carriers and utility contractors who tend to pay more than smaller outfits. The spread between the 25th and 75th percentile — about $26,060 per year — tells you this trade rewards experience and the right employer choice in a real way.

To put those hourly rates in context: at the median of $30.22 per hour, a full-time telecom line installer working 2,080 hours a year takes home $62,860 before overtime. Overtime is common in this trade, especially during infrastructure build-outs, storm restoration work, and broadband expansion projects. A worker at the median rate who logs just 200 hours of overtime at time-and-a-half adds roughly $9,066 to their annual gross — pushing total earnings close to $72,000.

Ohio has seen significant telecom infrastructure investment in recent years, particularly around fiber broadband expansion into rural and suburban counties. That activity creates consistent demand for line installers who can handle aerial and underground cable work, splicing, and equipment installation. Counties around Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati tend to have higher concentrations of openings, but rural broadband projects mean work has been spreading into areas like Appalachian Ohio as well.

No union scale data is currently available for this specific trade and state. However, workers covered by collective bargaining agreements in related utility or communications trades typically negotiate wages, benefit contributions, and overtime rules that can push total compensation above what non-union positions offer at the same experience level. It's worth asking about union affiliation — or the lack of it — when evaluating any offer.

When comparing job offers, look past the hourly rate. Health insurance, retirement contributions, per diem for travel, and tool or vehicle allowances can shift the real value of a position considerably. A $28.00-per-hour job with full benefits, a company truck, and a pension can easily outperform a $32.00-per-hour 1099 position once you account for what you'd be paying out of pocket.

The BLS OEWS figures on this page reflect wages paid to employees and do not include self-employed contractors. If you work as an independent contractor installing telecom infrastructure, your gross revenue will be higher than these figures suggest, but your net after taxes, equipment, insurance, and vehicle costs may land closer to — or below — what a well-compensated employee takes home.

All figures on this page come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. They represent Ohio-specific data for the Telecom Line Installer occupation and are the most recent official figures available.