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The differences between commercial service technicians and hvac-r technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a commercial service technician, becoming a hvac-r technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hvac-r technician has an average salary of $53,354, which is higher than the $49,463 average annual salary of a commercial service technician.
The top three skills for a commercial service technician include OSHA, service vehicle and ladders. The most important skills for a hvac-r technician are HVAC/R, ventilation, and plumbing.
| Commercial Service Technician | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,463 | $53,354 |
| Hourly rate | $23.78 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 216,958 | 85,555 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A commercial service technician is responsible for maintaining and repairing mechanical equipment and machinery for private households and commercial establishments. Commercial service technicians inspect the conditions and stability of mechanical components to identify defects and possible part replacements. They also install and assemble equipment, requiring them to have critical analysis to follow blueprints and schematics. A commercial service technician must have excellent mechanical and organizational skills, especially in recommending efficient resources and prevent breakdown reoccurrence.
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.
Commercial service technicians and hvac-r technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Service Technician | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,463 | $53,354 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $74,000 | Between $35,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Broken Arrow, OK | Lynnwood, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | SoCalGas | Better |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a commercial service technician and a hvac-r technician in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Service Technician | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | - | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between commercial service technicians' and hvac-r technicians' demographics:
| Commercial Service Technician | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.7% White, 73.2% 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 | 1% | 2% |