Telecom industry salaries are as wide-ranging as the field itself, which encompasses a variety of career paths. Telecom salaries depend, first and foremost, on the type of job you hold. Positions that fall under this industry's umbrella include everything from installation specialists to engineers to sales and marketing representatives.

This article will provide an overview of telecom industry salary tools basics. In order to understand a bit more about what drives the telecom industry pay scale, as well as telecom employment trends and their impact on telecommunication salaries, you need to:

1. Learn about telecom industry salary guidelines for various industry positions.

2. Know about the benefits and perks that come along with telecom salaries.

3. Understand the impact of industry trends on salaries in the telecom industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about the types of industry jobs and the telecommunications salaries they command

Those with IT backgrounds will be the best paid in terms of telecommunications pay. Positions related to network engineering, development or programming are the highest wage earners. Technicians earn at the lower end of the spectrum.m.

I recommend: PayScale and Salary includes a long list of telecom jobs. Click on any one and you will see bonus and benefit percentage ranges along with basic pay figures. Depending on your level of membership, you can have access to Simply Hired, there has been a recent decline in the amount of classified jobs in the telecom industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, however, paints a much rosier picture of the industry's employment future.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are considering a career in the telecom industry, a great way to get your foot in the door is through sales and customer service. As more and more highly complicated products and services hit the market, companies are placing value on those who can sell and help answer questions to keep these customers content. Salaries in telecom reflect this, with some companies offering enticing commission structures.

You want to make sure you get what you pay for when offering telecommunications salary to new and current employees. But you also must provide a wage that is attractive and competitive to attract quality employees. Setting specific salary guidelines and performance benchmarks requires a lot of planning and research. The ultimate goal should be coming up with a compensation plan that boosts productivity but also fits in with your bottom line.

On average, salary for telecom jobs ranges from $62,000 to $75,000 annually. But like any other industry, there is a wide range depending on the job title and function performed. For example, a project manager or network engineer can earn the top amount of money in their field, while someone who works on the help desk or with hardware can make far less—only about $25,000 annually.

There are many other factors that come into play when setting salary, including:

1. Usually, the larger the company, the higher the salaries in telecom available.

2. Salaries in the telecom industry largely depend upon the location of the business.

3. Telecom industry pay scale is skewed towards those with the most experience.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Research the latest telecom industry salaries data

A number of companies conduct research and surveys to provide comprehensive salary data. Much of the research is available for purchase online.

I recommend: Find compensation information in the telecommunications industry from Mercer. PayScale offers employer salary reports that are dependant on a number of factors including experience, job title and job location. View a sample report before you buy. The US Department of Labor publishes extensive surveys on telecom industry salaries.

Add software to your arsenal of telecom industry salary tools

Access technology that can help you determine a fair wage and develop telecom salary guidelines and performance benchmarks. Many different software companies provide compensation survey software or implementation software. Make sure you review all of the functions before you purchase, as some may not apply specifically to the telecommunications field.

I recommend: Download salary survey software from the Economic Research Institute. Or order a free trial, schedule a demo or get a product tour of Halogen Software's eCompensation software package, suitable for setting telecommunications salaries.

Keep informed on telecom salary trends

The telecom industry changes even faster, perhaps, than any other industry. Keep up to date on requirements of employees when it comes to new technology and trends in telecommunications salaries and other work practices.

I recommend: Sign up for a free industry newsletter from USTelecom. First Research provides an industry profile that can clue you in to financial information and an industry forecast.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Employment in the telecommunications industry is expected to grow because technological advances will expand services. Thus, those with updated technical skills will have the best job opportunities and higher wage potential. Telecom salaries far exceed average earnings throughout private industry.

The telecom industry as a whole, and therefore telecom industry salaries, are subject to external forces beyond the business that can raise it up or knock it down. In addition, the industry is subject to internal fluctuations which impact telecommunications salaries.

Internally, telecom salaries and careers in the telecom industry are greatly impacted by new and ever-changing technology, user fickleness and desire to have the "latest and greatest." Externally, market forces and economy booms and woes also greatly influence telecom salaries. Consider the following ways to stay current in regard to telecom industry salary tools news and trends:

1. Visit telecom job boards to get an idea of the telecom industry pay scale being offered for specific job types and skill sets.

2. Keep current on telecom salary trends by frequently visiting often updated industry blogs.

3. Read current events to analyze the impact of external news events on telecom industry salaries and trends.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Visit industry job boards to get an idea of what telecom industry salaries look like

Job boards can give you an idea of what sorts of salaries employers are offering for specific jobs. While the exact pay may not be mentioned, you can at least get an idea of what the range might be for a particular skillset or position. In addition to job postings, these sites contain industry relevant articles for those looking to get into, or further their careers in, the telecom business.

I recommend: TelecomCareers is a job board devoted to global telecom and wireless jobs. WirelessMobile-Jobsboard advertises itself as a central site for those seeking employment in the telecom and wireless mobility industry.

Keep current on telecom salary trends via frequently updated industry blogs

The telecom industry has changed dramatically over the past few years and is likely to keep on this trajectory. Blogs are an easy way to keep up with telecom technology and its ultimate effect on industry careers and salaries.

I recommend: FierceMarkets' daily blog about the telecom industry goes by the name "FierceWireless" and provides salary related news on the telecom industry. Mobile Marketing Watch's frequently updated blog highlights mobile telecom marketing news and trends.

Analyze the impact of external events on telecom industry salaries and trends

External events and trends impact all industries. Telecommunications is no exception. It is important to keep a sharp eye on local, national and international events to determine their effect on telecom industry and salary trends.

I recommend: The United Business Media Light Reading article entitled "Comcast Execs Agree to '09 Pay Freeze" discusses the impact of the U.S. economic recession on telecom salaries among executives. TechTarget's "Three mega-trends revolutionize telecom in 2009" article discusses where in the telecom sector the money, and therefore salaries, is more likely to be in upcoming years.