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The differences between hvac controls 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 a hvac controls technician and a refrigeration technician. Additionally, a hvac controls technician has an average salary of $54,632, which is higher than the $50,701 average annual salary of a refrigeration technician.
The top three skills for a hvac controls technician include mechanical systems, customer satisfaction and hand tools. The most important skills for a refrigeration technician are preventative maintenance, hand tools, and ladders.
| Hvac Controls Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,632 | $50,701 |
| Hourly rate | $26.27 | $24.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 81,166 | 131,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| 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.
A refrigeration technician is responsible for managing refrigeration and cooling systems for private households and commercial establishments. Refrigeration technicians install refrigeration components, requiring them to have an excellent analysis of blueprints and schematics. They inspect the system components and inform the household owners and management for preventive maintenance and troubleshooting for minor defects and inconsistencies, as well as calculating costs and materials for repairs. A refrigeration technician must be well-equipped with mechanical knowledge to identify failures and upgrade units as necessary.
Hvac controls technicians and refrigeration technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Controls Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,632 | $50,701 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $74,000 | Between $33,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Leandro, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Micron Technology |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a hvac controls technician and a refrigeration technician in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Controls Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between hvac controls technicians' and refrigeration technicians' demographics:
| Hvac Controls Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1% | Male, 97.2% Female, 2.8% |
| 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, 7.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 2.5% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |