What is a field technician and how to become one

Q: How long does it take to become a Field Technician?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a field technician. That is the time it takes to learn specific field technician skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Q: How do I become an archaeologist field technician?

You can become an archaeologist field technician by receiving a high school diploma. You should also possess a basic understanding of anthropological and archaeological field techniques to get this kind of field technician role.

Q: How much do spectrum field techs make?

Spectrum field techs make an hourly wage of about $15. This translates to about $30,000 in yearly salary. Those in the lower percentiles and entry-level positions only make around $25,000 a year. Alternately, the top percentiles and experienced people in the field can average $55,000.

Q: How much does a field tech make?

A field tech makes between $25,000 and $45,000 annually. The median for this position is around $30,000. These numbers can vary depending on location, industry, and experience level. For example, experienced field tech employees in California working for a technology company will make a higher average salary than an entry-level field tech employee living in Alabama and working for a utility company.

Q: Is a field technician an engineer?

No, a field technician is not an engineer. Though these positions can be similar, and some may use the terms field engineer and field technician interchangeably, they do not refer to the same position.

Q: Is being a field technician a good job?

Yes, being a field technician is a good job. This job is ideal for people who like working with tech but don't like being tied to an office chair. A person can have a very satisfying career as a field technician if they enjoy diversity within their work. They will appreciate the variability and "on-call" nature of the position. A field technician role is also a good job for people who like to solve problems.

Q: Is field service technician a good job?

Yes, field service technician is a good job. Whether it is a good job for you depends on your individual strengths and expectations for your career path. For example, a career as a field service technician is vanishingly unlikely to provide a six-figure salary.

Q: What experience do you need to be a field technician?

To become a field technician, a person needs a high school diploma or equivalent and some experience working as a technician. This is only the base qualification to enter into this position. Some additional education and experience are typically desirable.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Brian Wygal

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.

What general advice would you give to a Field Technician?

Brian Wygal

Associate Professor of Anthropology, Adelphi University

For students graduating with a degree in the social sciences the job market is always a bit tricky. Fortunately, anthropology and similar disciplines prepare students with technical and social skills useful for navigating difficult terrain-and these skills do not go out of date. First, if you are interested in pursuing a research or teaching position, then obviously graduate school is the necessary choice. However, many of my students chose to enter the workforce following their undergraduate degree. 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 technicians, conducing survey, or excavation work with private sector consulting firms. This is also true of certain environmental sectors. A better route would be to secure an internship with federal or state government agency to begin building job experience but this strategy is easier as a current student rather than after graduating so keep this in mind during your junior and senior years. Try applying specifically to planning departments or a nearby NGO to use your skills working with maps or conducting research. Clearly, there is a lot of funding right now for public health departments and there may soon be funding for climate change related fields. With recent reductions in work forces and shrinking budgets, look to economies of the future like preparation work related to solar panel or wind farm installations and support sites.

Above all, follow your passion. Eventually a niche you love will open up and you'll find your place. The world needs anthropologists now more than ever before. Remember that anthropology is ultimately about helping people. Find the best way for you to be contribute and eventually a professional path will emerge.

ScoreField TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,520

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.71%

Asian 1.66%

Black or African American 4.53%

Hispanic or Latino 17.79%

Unknown 3.74%

White 71.57%

Gender

female 11.50%

male 88.50%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.8

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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.

Key steps to become a field technician

Explore field technician education requirements

Most common field technician degrees

Bachelor's

39.9 %

Associate

28.4 %

High School Diploma

18.7 %

Start to develop specific field technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	10.52%
Ladders	9.43%
Test Equipment	6.69%
Hand Tools	6.29%
Smartphones	4.14%

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

Field 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 Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA).

More About Certifications

Research field technician duties and responsibilities

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.

Choose 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

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

What is a field technician and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Field Technician?

What are the pros and cons of being a Field Technician?

Field Technician career paths

Key steps to become a field technician

Explore field technician education requirements

Most common field technician degrees

Start to develop specific field technician skills

Complete relevant field technician training and internships

Gain additional field technician certifications

Research field technician duties and responsibilities

Prepare your field technician resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Field Technician Resume templates

Apply for field technician jobs

How Did You Land Your First Field Technician Job

Average field technician salary

How do field technicians rate their job?

Field Technician reviews

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?

Search for field technician jobs

Field Technician jobs by state