Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between hvac controls technicians and hvac apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a hvac controls technician and a hvac apprentice. Additionally, a hvac controls technician has an average salary of $54,632, which is higher than the $34,073 average annual salary of a hvac apprentice.
The top three skills for a hvac controls technician include mechanical systems, customer satisfaction and hand tools. The most important skills for a hvac apprentice are customer service, customer satisfaction, and preventative maintenance.
| Hvac Controls Technician | Hvac Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $54,632 | $34,073 |
| Hourly rate | $26.27 | $16.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 81,166 | 25,483 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An HVAC controls technician specializes in installing and repairing heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning control systems. Among their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, troubleshooting errors, repairing and replacing parts, and setting up control panels and sensors. They may also provide clients with cost-estimates, discuss the extent of repairs, and educate them on operating and taking better care of their devices. Furthermore, an HVAC controls technician may perform regular maintenance checks on systems and equipment, cleaning or fixing parts when necessary.
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) apprentices are trainees who work under HVAC maintenance workers. They train under HVAC maintenance workers to gain actual, on-the-job experience. To be an apprentice, one should have a formal training background related to HVAC repair and maintenance. They may be enrolled in a technical-vocational school specializing in HVAC repair and maintenance. As such, apprenticeship is part of their curriculum or class requirements. During their apprenticeship, HVAC apprentices will experience installing, diagnosing, repair, and maintaining HVAC units firsthand.
Hvac controls technicians and hvac apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Controls Technician | Hvac Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $54,632 | $34,073 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $74,000 | Between $26,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Leandro, CA | Gaithersburg, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a hvac controls technician and a hvac apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Controls Technician | Hvac Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Duke University | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between hvac controls technicians' and hvac apprentices' demographics:
| Hvac Controls Technician | Hvac Apprentice | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1% | Male, 97.0% Female, 3.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 2.7% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |