How To Become A Hvac Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is a hvac mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

John Terasconi

The HVAC mechanic is a specialist in charge of sustaining the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. This includes installing and troubleshooting the systems to secure their quality and smooth running. You will have to interact with customers to know their demands, pinpoint the source of the problem, and rectify them. Essentially, you will have to carry out remedial measures as well. As an HVAC mechanic, you will have to perform consistent sustenance checks to make sure the appliances are working effectively. Additionally, performing this role, you must discuss the degree of rectification to customers. You would also need to suggest means to sustain systems in great states under the organization's rules and standards.

To fit into this role of an HVAC mechanic, you need at least an associate degree or a high school diploma. Furthermore, you must possess great problem-solving, evaluation skills, and interactive skills to communicate with clients. You must also have mechanical skills. As an HVAC mechanic, you will earn an average annual salary of $46,382 or $22.30 hourly.

What general advice would you give to a hvac mechanic?

John Terasconi

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.

ScoreHvac MechanicUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $50,752

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 2.65%

Black or African American 8.20%

Hispanic or Latino 19.73%

Unknown 4.18%

White 64.51%

Gender

female 2.52%

male 97.48%

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

Key steps to become a hvac mechanic

Explore hvac mechanic education requirements

Most common hvac mechanic degrees

Associate

25.4 %

High School Diploma

24.2 %

Certificate

18.6 %

Start to develop specific hvac mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	15.40%
HVAC	10.52%
Ventilation	6.72%
Ladders	6.68%
EPA	5.74%

Complete relevant hvac mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New hvac mechanics 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 hvac mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real hvac mechanic resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed hvac mechanic usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed hvac mechanic in most of states. 19 states require hvac mechanics to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	Specific course required	State exam required	Licensed HVAC Contractor
Arkansas	-	State exam required	HVAC/R Contractor
California	-	State exam required	Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor
Connecticut	-	State exam required	Heating, Piping & Cooling Unlimited Contractor
Delaware	-	State exam required	Master HVACR

Gain additional hvac mechanic certifications

Hvac mechanic certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific hvac mechanic certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for hvac mechanics include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research hvac mechanic duties and responsibilities

General maintenance include plumbing, carpentry, electrical repair and installation.
work on motors, belts, electrical wiring and plc programing.
Perform all duties within the specified safety regulations of OSHA, the company and the position.
Repair damage chill water coils, install air handlers, condensers and through the wall heat pumps on campus.

Prepare your hvac mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hvac mechanic 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 hvac mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable hvac mechanic resume templates

Build a professional hvac mechanic 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 hvac mechanic resume.