United States · Pay by job · Installation, Maintenance and Repair
Radio and Cell Tower Installer salary and take-home pay
The typical US radio and cell tower installer earns $63,520 a year, or $30.54 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $77,910, a single filer keeps about $63,640 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers (SOC 49-2021). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a radio and cell tower installer earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,460 | $21.38 | |
| 25th | $50,580 | $24.32 | |
| Median | $63,520 | $30.54 | |
| 75th | $82,370 | $39.60 | |
| 90th | $103,990 | $49.99 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $50,580 to $82,370 a year, and about 11,140 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Radio and Cell Tower Installer · Texas · single · median
$63,639.69 a year after tax
$5,303.31 a month · $2,447.68 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $77,910.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$8,310.20 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$5,960.12 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $63,639.69 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $77,910 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a radio and cell tower installer take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,460 | $37,904 | $36,599 | $35,877 |
| 25th | $50,580 | $42,821 | $41,156 | $40,437 |
| Median | $63,520 | $53,218 | $50,608 | $50,080 |
| 75th | $82,370 | $66,777 | $62,435 | $62,539 |
| 90th | $103,990 | $81,987 | $75,353 | $76,449 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a radio and cell tower installer keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $103,010 | $78,063 |
| 2 | Nevada | $79,380 | $64,674 |
| 3 | Alaska | $79,050 | $64,171 |
| 4 | Texas | $77,910 | $63,640 |
| 5 | Washington | $79,020 | $63,324 |
| 6 | New York | $81,070 | $61,701 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $75,930 | $59,090 |
| 8 | Ohio | $72,160 | $58,054 |
| 9 | Virginia | $67,790 | $53,436 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $63,620 | $53,299 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $62,450 | $52,359 |
| 12 | Michigan | $64,130 | $51,234 |
| 13 | Florida | $60,140 | $50,502 |
| 14 | California | $62,840 | $50,112 |
| 15 | Georgia | $62,010 | $49,659 |
| 16 | Illinois | $61,110 | $48,402 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $49,140 | $41,664 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $47,040 | $38,608 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Wyoming.
How much does a radio and cell tower installer earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | not released | not released | not yet |
| Alaska | $79,050 | 50 | $64,171 (#3) |
| Arizona | $95,040 | 100 | not yet |
| Arkansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| California | $62,840 | 1,030 | $50,112 (#14) |
| Colorado | $56,110 | 530 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $100,890 | not released | not yet |
| Delaware | $60,740 | 40 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $60,140 | 520 | $50,502 (#13) |
| Georgia | $62,010 | 190 | $49,659 (#15) |
| Hawaii | $65,970 | 70 | not yet |
| Idaho | $107,250 | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $61,110 | 780 | $48,402 (#16) |
| Indiana | $60,840 | 280 | not yet |
| Iowa | $50,760 | 50 | not yet |
| Kansas | $58,010 | 80 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $49,840 | 90 | not yet |
| Louisiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maine | $51,970 | 130 | not yet |
| Maryland | $100,800 | 370 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $60,890 | not released | not yet |
| Michigan | $64,130 | 410 | $51,234 (#12) |
| Minnesota | $76,960 | 80 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $47,960 | not released | not yet |
| Missouri | $52,450 | 130 | not yet |
| Montana | $47,000 | 100 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $52,410 | not released | not yet |
| Nevada | $79,380 | 60 | $64,674 (#2) |
| New Hampshire | $62,450 | 110 | $52,359 (#11) |
| New Jersey | $75,930 | 590 | $59,090 (#7) |
| New Mexico | $65,110 | 100 | not yet |
| New York | $81,070 | 420 | $61,701 (#6) |
| North Carolina | $47,040 | 280 | $38,608 (#18) |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | $72,160 | 370 | $58,054 (#8) |
| Oklahoma | $55,880 | 130 | not yet |
| Oregon | $61,020 | 320 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $103,010 | 240 | $78,063 (#1) |
| Rhode Island | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Carolina | $78,250 | 40 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $63,620 | 30 | $53,299 (#10) |
| Tennessee | $49,140 | 330 | $41,664 (#17) |
| Texas | $77,910 | 830 | $63,640 (#4) |
| Utah | not released | not released | not yet |
| Vermont | $59,290 | 60 | not yet |
| Virginia | $67,790 | 660 | $53,436 (#9) |
| Washington | $79,020 | 240 | $63,324 (#5) |
| West Virginia | $62,170 | 120 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $57,740 | not released | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a radio and cell tower installer?
BLS expects jobs as a radio and cell tower installer to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +1.2%
- Openings a year
- about 1,000
- Usual education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 installation, maintenance and repair jobs closest in pay to a radio and cell tower installer:
- Millwright median $65,700
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic median $65,510
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic median $64,520
- Wind Turbine Service Technician median $64,120
- Telecom Equipment Installer median $63,890
- Rigger median $62,640
- Diesel Mechanic median $61,770
- Medical Equipment Repairer median $61,660
- Refractory Materials Repairer median $61,290
- HVAC Technician median $61,010
Every job in the group: Installation, Maintenance and Repair jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $63,520, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $30.54 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $63,520, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about radio and cell tower installer pay
How much does a radio and cell tower installer make an hour?
The median is $30.54 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.32 to $39.60, and the top 10% earn $49.99 or more.
Which state pays a radio and cell tower installer the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Idaho has the highest median for this job: $107,250 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Pennsylvania leaves the most: $78,063 a year for a single filer on its median of $103,010.
What is a radio and cell tower installer’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $63,520, a single filer keeps about $53,218 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $50,608 in California and $50,080 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a radio and cell tower installer?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and moderate-term on-the-job training (more than a month, up to a year).
Is the number of radio and cell tower installer jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a radio and cell tower installer to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).