Salary
Average Salary: $50,000
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $2,087,400
On average telecommunications techs make $50,000 a year (source). Considering a two-year AAS degree is all that's needed for most of these jobs, that's not bad at all.
You're almost guaranteed not to be short of work, either. Beyond installing network systems for private homes or businesses, many radio and television stations offer telecom techs the chance to work as-needed on upgrades, network maintenance, or on-call repairs when some piece of equipment breaks down (which happens all the time). Today's incredibly connected world means your skills are in constant demand.