Post job

What is a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
John Terasconi
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $19.22 an hour? That's $39,973 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 20,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician?

John TerasconiJohn Terasconi LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, HVAC-R Department Chair, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

The best advice I could give is to stay focused on your job and strive to learn as much as possible. Take the time to truly understand the systems you're working on, continuously develop your skills, and absorb as much knowledge as possible from every source available. The more you know, the more valuable you become.

ScoreHeating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,973

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.74%

Asian 2.69%

Black or African American 8.55%

Hispanic or Latino 18.24%

Unknown 4.19%

White 65.59%

Gender

female 11.19%

male 88.81%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician career paths

Key steps to become a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician

  1. Explore heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician education requirements

    Most common heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    31.4 %

    Associate

    23.5 %

    High School Diploma

    19.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Ventilation50.84%
    HVAC32.47%
    Control Systems8.80%
    Commercial Buildings7.61%
    Humidifiers0.29%
  3. Complete relevant heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New heatings, ventilation air conditioning technician learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resumes.
  4. Research heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician duties and responsibilities

    • Install compressors, evaporators, motors, temperature controls, ducts, and piping.
    • Utilize proper tools for performing repairs of all types of HVAC systems to include the use of Oxygen/Acetylene torch systems.
    • Confer with customers and inform them of the status of their HVAC units and make suggestions to repair or replace units.
    • Inject small amount of refrigerant into compressor to test systems, and add freon gas to build up prescribe operating pressure.
  5. Prepare your heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume templates

    Build a professional heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician resume.
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
    Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning Technician Resume
  6. Apply for heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician job

Zippi

Are you a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician salary

The average heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician salary in the United States is $39,973 per year or $19 per hour. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician salaries range between $29,000 and $54,000 per year.

Average heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician salary
$39,973 Yearly
$19.22 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do heatings, ventilation air conditioning technician rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Different work environment ,people , equipment types . Technology

Cons

None recognition for excellence


Working as a heating, ventilation, air conditioning technician? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse installation, maintenance and repair jobs