Updated April 25, 2024
6 min read
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A field technician is a person who travels to various locations to install, maintain, and repair equipment or systems. They may work in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, IT, healthcare, and manufacturing. A field technician typically receives service requests from clients or dispatchers and then travels to the location to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. They may also be responsible for testing and configuring new equipment, providing training to clients, and documenting their work.
How long does it takes to become a field technician?
It typically takes 1-2 years to become a field technician:
- Year 1-2: Accumulating the necessary work experience, such as installing, repairing, and maintaining equipment in various settings.
- Some positions may require on-site training for 1-3 months, which overlaps with accumulating work experience.
- Salary$37,520
- Growth Rate8%
- Jobs Number123,149
- Job Satisfaction
- Most Common SkillCustomer Service
- Most Common DegreeBachelor's degree
- Best StateWyoming
What are the pros and cons of being a Field Technician?
Pros
Opportunity to work outdoors
Varied work and new challenges every day
Independence and autonomy in work
Opportunity to work with your hands and problem-solve
Opportunities for travel and working in different locations
Cons
Exposure to weather and physical strain from outdoor work
High levels of stress and pressure to meet deadlines and fix problems quickly
Need to constantly learn new skills and keep up with changing technology
Irregular hours, including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and on-call shifts
Limited opportunities for professional development outside of technical skills.
Field Technician career paths
As a field technician, you have the opportunity to take on a variety of roles in different industries. Depending on your interests and skills, you could transition into roles such as a systems administrator, information technology manager, or even an engineering manager. You could also explore roles in construction, engineering, or project management. Alternatively, you could become a technical support specialist, consultant, or even an owner/operator.
Key steps to become a field technician
Explore field technician education requirements
The educational requirements for a field technician typically include a high school diploma, though a certificate or associate's degree can be beneficial. According to Brian Wygal, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Adelphi University, "With an archaeological field school or other technical training (like GIS) under your belt and a willingness to move around, recent graduates can almost always find entry-level jobs as a field technician." Some relevant certifications for field technicians include the Master Certified Electronics Technician and the Emergency Medical Technician. Top schools for this field include Purdue University and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Most common field technician degrees
Bachelor's
39.9
%
Associate
28.4
%
High School Diploma
18.7
%
Start to develop specific field technician skills
Field technicians install and maintain equipment, devices, and systems, often working outdoors. They perform troubleshooting and repair on hardware and software, and conduct routine maintenance to ensure maximum availability. They also use testers and hand tools to repair electrical and mechanical equipment. In addition, they monitor and analyze data to ensure reliability and resolve technical problems. They may also perform security administration and work with customers to ensure their equipment is functioning properly.
Skills Percentages Customer Service 10.52% Ladders 9.43% Test Equipment 6.69% Hand Tools 6.29% Smartphones 4.14% Show more
Complete relevant field technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New field technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a field technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real field technician resumes.
Gain additional field technician certifications
More About CertificationsField technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific field technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for field technicians include Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma) and EPA Amusem*nt Operators Safety Certification (EPA).
Research field technician duties and responsibilities
A field technician's responsibilities include installing, maintaining, and repairing equipment, software, and hardware. They troubleshoot and resolve technical issues, perform security administration, and ensure network reliability and performance. Field technicians also install and configure software and hardware in various network environments, perform laboratory and field tests, and conduct inspections. They work on PC and network maintenance, repairs, and configuration, and carry out tasks like climbing ladders and operating extension ladders.
- Lead training, operations, user hardware and software support, and logbook oversight.
- Manage network reliability, capacity and performance in conjunction with RF engineering establish guidelines.
- Install cable to data network, pulling cat5, cat6 to racks, patch panel patch cords.
- Provide desktop support and troubleshoot network communications issue at customer homes.
Prepare your field technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your field technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a field technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
See AlsoField Service Technician Job Description: Skills, Qualifications, and Responsibilities in Field Service (+ JOB TEMPLATE)Field Technician Job Description, Responsibilities and Salary RangeField Service Technician | Job Description, Jobs, Salary & More!Field Service Technician Job Description | Field EngineerChoose From 10+ Customizable Field Technician Resume templates
Build a professional
Field Technician
resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume.
Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Field Technician resume.Apply for field technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a field technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
Are you a Field Technician?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average field technician salary
The average Field Technician salary in the United States is $37,520 per year or $18 per hour. Field technician salaries range between $28,000 and $48,000 per year.
Average
Field Technician
Salary
$37,520Yearly
$18.04
hourly
More field technician salary info
What Am I Worth?
How do field technicians rate their job?
5/5
Based On 1 Ratings
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Star
Field Technician reviews
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros
Love taking something that can't be used and giving it life again...
Cons
The pay is too low for the experience one must have...
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros
I like to learn more ,and also to challenge my self to do the job as a field technician
Cons
I don't like lazyness and doing job in wrong procedure
Field Technician FAQs
How long does it take to become a Field Technician?
How do I become an archaeologist field technician?
How much do spectrum field techs make?
How much does a field tech make?
Is a field technician an engineer?
Is being a field technician a good job?
Is field service technician a good job?
What experience do you need to be a field technician?
Have more questions?
See all answers to common installation, maintenance and repair questions.Search for field technician jobs
Field Technician jobs by state
- Field Technician jobs in Alaska
- Field Technician jobs in Alabama
- Field Technician jobs in Arkansas
- Field Technician jobs in Arizona
- Field Technician jobs in California
- Field Technician jobs in Colorado
- Field Technician jobs in Connecticut
- Field Technician jobs in District of Columbia
- Field Technician jobs in Delaware
- Field Technician jobs in Florida
- Field Technician jobs in Georgia
- Field Technician jobs in Hawaii
- Field Technician jobs in Iowa
- Field Technician jobs in Idaho
- Field Technician jobs in Illinois
- Field Technician jobs in Indiana
- Field Technician jobs in Kansas
- Field Technician jobs in Kentucky
- Field Technician jobs in Louisiana
- Field Technician jobs in Massachusetts
- Field Technician jobs in Maryland
- Field Technician jobs in Maine
- Field Technician jobs in Michigan
- Field Technician jobs in Minnesota
- Field Technician jobs in Missouri
- Field Technician jobs in Mississippi
- Field Technician jobs in Montana
- Field Technician jobs in North Carolina
- Field Technician jobs in North Dakota
- Field Technician jobs in Nebraska
- Field Technician jobs in New Hampshire
- Field Technician jobs in New Jersey
- Field Technician jobs in New Mexico
- Field Technician jobs in Nevada
- Field Technician jobs in New York
- Field Technician jobs in Ohio
- Field Technician jobs in Oklahoma
- Field Technician jobs in Oregon
- Field Technician jobs in Pennsylvania
- Field Technician jobs in Puerto Rico
- Field Technician jobs in Rhode Island
- Field Technician jobs in South Carolina
- Field Technician jobs in South Dakota
- Field Technician jobs in Tennessee
- Field Technician jobs in Texas
- Field Technician jobs in Utah
- Field Technician jobs in Virginia
- Field Technician jobs in Vermont
- Field Technician jobs in Washington
- Field Technician jobs in Wisconsin
- Field Technician jobs in West Virginia
- Field Technician jobs in Wyoming
Updated April 25, 2024
Zippia Team
Editorial Staff
The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.
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Updated April 25, 2024