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The differences between air conditioning specialists and hvac-r 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 specialist and a hvac-r technician. Additionally, a hvac-r technician has an average salary of $53,354, which is higher than the $50,129 average annual salary of an air conditioning specialist.
The top three skills for an air conditioning specialist include NCAA, training programs and CSCS. The most important skills for a hvac-r technician are HVAC/R, ventilation, and plumbing.
| Air Conditioning Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,129 | $53,354 |
| Hourly rate | $24.10 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 1,637 | 85,555 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Air conditioning is essential in many parts of the globe, especially in areas where the heat index is continuously high. An air conditioning specialist helps customers find the best air conditioning unit for their home or business. Picking the right unit is not straightforward; several factors determine which unit would be most efficient for a given building. An air conditioning specialist helps customers determine the relevant factors, calculate which units would be most efficient, and pick their best option.
HVAC-R Technicians are responsible for the repair, maintenance, and installation of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC-R) systems. Their duties include repairing, maintaining, and installing HVAC-R equipment and systems, inspect equipment maintenance risks, diagnose mechanical and electrical faults, adjusting and cleaning systems, and carrying out warranty services. They maintain accurate maintenance records, assist with customer inquiries, give technical direction, provide mentorship to the junior technicians as well as ensure work complies with service, appliance, and safety standards.
Air conditioning specialists and hvac-r technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Air Conditioning Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,129 | $53,354 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $74,000 | Between $35,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CT | Lynnwood, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Allison Transmission | Better |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an air conditioning specialist and a hvac-r technician in terms of educational background:
| Air Conditioning Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between air conditioning specialists' and hvac-r technicians' demographics:
| Air Conditioning Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |