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Air conditioning service technician vs refrigeration technician

The differences between air conditioning service technicians and refrigeration technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an air conditioning service technician and a refrigeration technician. Additionally, an air conditioning service technician has an average salary of $51,938, which is higher than the $50,701 average annual salary of a refrigeration technician.

The top three skills for an air conditioning service technician include plumbing, hand tools and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a refrigeration technician are preventative maintenance, hand tools, and ladders.

Air conditioning service technician vs refrigeration technician overview

Air Conditioning Service TechnicianRefrigeration Technician
Yearly salary$51,938$50,701
Hourly rate$24.97$24.38
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs57,420131,115
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 27%Associate Degree, 31%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

Air conditioning service technician vs refrigeration technician salary

Air conditioning service technicians and refrigeration technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Air Conditioning Service TechnicianRefrigeration Technician
Average salary$51,938$50,701
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $75,000Between $33,000 And $75,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MABaltimore, MD
Highest paying stateAlaskaDelaware
Best paying companyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaMicron Technology
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between air conditioning service technician and refrigeration technician education

There are a few differences between an air conditioning service technician and a refrigeration technician in terms of educational background:

Air Conditioning Service TechnicianRefrigeration Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 27%Associate Degree, 31%
Most common majorHeating And Air ConditioningHeating And Air Conditioning
Most common collegeDunwoody College of Technology-

Air conditioning service technician vs refrigeration technician demographics

Here are the differences between air conditioning service technicians' and refrigeration technicians' demographics:

Air Conditioning Service TechnicianRefrigeration Technician
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 96.9% Female, 3.1%Male, 97.2% Female, 2.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 2.4% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 2.5% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between air conditioning service technician and refrigeration technician duties and responsibilities

Air conditioning service technician example responsibilities.

  • Prepare work site (e.g., set up scaffold, ladders, stands, etc . )
  • Braze and solder pipes and cleaned/glu plastic PVC piping.
  • Place fan belt on pulleys, adjust tension and tighten bolts.
  • Prepare worksite and work from scaffolds, ladders, stands, etc.
  • Run hoses, install and hook up evaporators and hook up and install condensers.
  • Conduct trail runs before welding, soldering or brazing and make necessary adjustments to equipment.
  • Show more

Refrigeration technician example responsibilities.

  • Assist with and, on occasion, manage installation and modification of building HVAC/R systems.
  • Operate, inspect, service, and maintain industrial ammonia refrigeration systems.
  • Repair and maintain residential heating and air conditioning systems, replacing compressors, condensers and evaporators.
  • Run PVC piping for drainage systems.
  • Install compressors, capacitors and contactors.
  • Clean strainers and pumpdown compressors for pms.
  • Show more

Air conditioning service technician vs refrigeration technician skills

Common air conditioning service technician skills
  • Plumbing, 13%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 8%
  • Emergency Repairs, 6%
  • Ventilation, 6%
  • Air-Conditioning Systems, 5%
Common refrigeration technician skills
  • Preventative Maintenance, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Ladders, 5%
  • Refrigeration Equipment, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
  • OSHA, 4%

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