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The differences between hvac installation technicians and service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a hvac installation technician, becoming a service technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a hvac installation technician has an average salary of $49,184, which is higher than the $40,379 average annual salary of a service technician.
The top three skills for a hvac installation technician include customer service, HVAC and plumbing. The most important skills for a service technician are plumbing, customer service, and preventative maintenance.
| Hvac Installation Technician | Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,184 | $40,379 |
| Hourly rate | $23.65 | $19.41 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 127,174 | 254,533 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
HVAC technicians are those who install, repair, or maintain heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems controlling a building's air quality and temperature. They are assigned by technicians to travel to customers to resolve any HVAC-associated issue. Their job involves laying out, designing, and installing low voltage electrical wiring. They test tubing and pipe joints or any connection for leaks. Also, they record and report materials, deficiencies, faults, and occurrences on work.
Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services. They should be familiar with their company's products so that they can properly install, maintain, or repair them. They conduct diagnostics and analysis to assess the condition of the unit they are servicing and properly address problems. They also do routine maintenance check-ups. Service technicians are expected to be trustworthy, have good analytical skills, and have good decision-making skills.
Hvac installation technicians and service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Installation Technician | Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,184 | $40,379 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $72,000 | Between $28,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, MA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Horizon Services | IBM |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a hvac installation technician and a service technician in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Installation Technician | Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Business |
| Most common college | Dunwoody College of Technology | - |
Here are the differences between hvac installation technicians' and service technicians' demographics:
| Hvac Installation Technician | Service Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 2.6% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 1% |