What is a Hvac Mechanic?

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 Does a Hvac Mechanic Do

There are certain skills that many hvac mechanics have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed detail oriented, math skills and mechanical skills.

Learn more about what a Hvac Mechanic does

How To Become a Hvac Mechanic

If you're interested in becoming a hvac mechanic, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 10.4% of hvac mechanics have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.9% of hvac mechanics have master's degrees. Even though some hvac mechanics have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Hvac Mechanic
Top Hvac Mechanic Jobs Near You

Hvac Mechanic Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a hvac mechanic can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as building engineer, progress to a title such as maintenance supervisor and then eventually end up with the title maintenance director.

Hvac Mechanic

Average Salary for a Hvac Mechanic

Hvac Mechanics in America make an average salary of $50,752 per year or $24 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $73,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $34,000 per year.
Average Hvac Mechanic Salary
$50,752 Yearly
$24.40 hourly
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Roles and Types of Hvac Mechanic

The role of a hvac mechanic includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general hvac mechanic responsibilities:

  • Installs, services and repairs environment-control systems in residences, department stores, office buildings
  • Performs all repairs and maintenance of all heating/cooling
  • Performs the maintenance, diagnostic testing, overhauling, installation,

There are several types of hvac mechanic, including:

Mechanic

Role:

These are the people you run to when what your dad said would fix the light that came on in your car didn't actually work. There's a reason they're called mechanics.

Mechanics get down and dirty when it comes to repairing, inspecting and maintaining cars. While they generally work in well-ventilated repair shops, they usually come home with at least a little grease on their hands.

They don't just let anybody become a mechanic (we're looking at you, dad). Most mechanics complete a program at a postsecondary institution and become industry certified before they're qualified to work on your car. That way you know your car is literally in good hands.

  • Average Salary: $47,149
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Hvac Technician

Role:

HVAC technicians work year-round, installing, maintaining, and repairing the machines that regulate temperature and ventilation in buildings. They work on ventilation, heating, and air conditioning. They might be self-employed or work for a larger company that manages businesses or large residential properties.

HVAC technicians also frequently work on maintenance for subsisting equipment. They examine the entire system, recognizing any components that may be malfunctioning or broken. If they find issues, such as leaks, inoperable fans, or other concerns, they make the essential repairs to secure that the system returns to proper working order.

To become an HVAC technician, you may study at a vocational or trade school in a two-year program. The programs will typically include apprenticeships for on-the-job training with experienced HVAC technicians. If you're an entry-level HVAC Technician with less than 1-year of experience, you can expect to earn an average compensation of $15.28 per hour.

  • Average Salary: $54,496
  • Degree: Associate Degree

Installation And Service Technician

Role:

Installation And Service Technicians are also called installation techs. They install, upgrade and maintain electronic equipment and computer hardware. As an installation tech, you are to report primarily to your technician manager or your department's supervisor.

From the job title, installation of electronic equipment of all kinds is a primary duty. You are also to make repairs and replace devices when it's necessary. Installation techs speak with customers and answer questions related to their field. In addition, you are to clean up after the job has been completed. Also, you are to record and maintain stock levels.

The educational requirement is to have a bachelor's degree in electronics, information technology, or other related fields. You must also have work experience as an installation tech. Apart from this, you must possess the ability to lift heavy objects, climb ladders, kneel or crouch for extended periods. The median income for this role per year is $57,210.

  • Average Salary: $37,202
  • Degree: High School Diploma
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States With The Most Hvac Mechanic Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active hvac mechanic jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where hvac mechanics earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Hvac Mechanic Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Texas1,700$44,410
2California1,637$66,922
3Florida1,352$41,036
4Georgia858$42,535
5North Carolina853$44,008
6New York826$62,277
7Virginia741$58,317
8Illinois722$58,133
9Indiana605$53,449
10Iowa555$48,799
11Maryland534$71,700
12Arizona534$44,372
13Colorado478$56,405
14Minnesota469$67,116
15New Jersey466$62,337
16Alabama428$41,357
17Louisiana401$43,819
18Missouri390$53,419
19Wisconsin389$48,004
20Massachusetts377$73,048
21Kentucky313$44,709
22Oklahoma294$41,457
23Mississippi237$41,051
24Kansas228$46,913
25Nebraska218$48,109
26Connecticut213$69,343
27Nevada208$53,776
28Arkansas195$36,696
29New Mexico186$39,094
30Idaho154$47,786
31Montana152$51,328
32North Dakota117$61,095
33Delaware117$56,675
34West Virginia115$38,096
35Maine101$53,502
36South Dakota98$45,522
37New Hampshire97$54,687
38Alaska95$71,681
39Hawaii68$47,019
40Wyoming61$51,985
41Vermont60$47,454
42Washington0$75,331
43Oregon0$60,500
44Rhode Island0$59,469
45Ohio0$53,704
46Pennsylvania0$51,100
47Michigan0$48,895
48Utah0$49,359
49South Carolina0$43,324
50Tennessee0$41,505

Hvac Mechanic Education

Hvac Mechanic Majors

Heating And Air Conditioning
31.6 %
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
20.3 %
Business
8.1 %

Hvac Mechanic Degrees

Associate

25.4 %

High School Diploma

24.2 %

Certificate

18.6 %

Top Colleges for Hvac Mechanics

1. Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$22,046

Enrollment

1,294

2. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

3. Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,729

Enrollment

6,722

4. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

5. Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, NM • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,326

Enrollment

3,347

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,580

Enrollment

10,482

8. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,389

Enrollment

3,127

9. Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,092

Enrollment

3,583

10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

Top Skills For a Hvac Mechanic

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 15.4% of hvac mechanics listed hand tools on their resume, but soft skills such as detail oriented and math skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Hvac Mechanic Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Hvac Mechanic templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Hvac Mechanic resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Hvac Mechanic diversity

Hvac Mechanic Gender Distribution

Male
Male
98%
Female
Female
3%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among hvac mechanics, 2.5% of them are women, while 97.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among hvac mechanics is White, which makes up 64.5% of all hvac mechanics.

  • The most common foreign language among hvac mechanics is Spanish at 45.0%.

Online Courses For Hvac Mechanic That You May Like

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Best States For a Hvac Mechanic

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a hvac mechanic. The best states for people in this position are Washington, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Alaska. Hvac mechanics make the most in Washington with an average salary of $75,331. Whereas in Massachusetts and Maryland, they would average $73,048 and $71,700, respectively. While hvac mechanics would only make an average of $71,681 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. North Dakota

Total Hvac Mechanic Jobs: 117
Highest 10% Earn:
$91,000
Location Quotient:
2.03

$61,095

Avg. Salary

View 117 Hvac Mechanic Jobs In ND

2. Alaska

Total Hvac Mechanic Jobs: 95
Highest 10% Earn:
$82,000
Location Quotient:
1.84

$71,681

Avg. Salary

View 95 Hvac Mechanic Jobs In AK

3. Maryland

Total Hvac Mechanic Jobs: 534
Highest 10% Earn:
$112,000
Location Quotient:
1.36

$71,700

Avg. Salary

View 534 Hvac Mechanic Jobs In MD
Full List Of Best States For Hvac Mechanics

How Do Hvac Mechanics Rate Their Jobs?

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Top Hvac Mechanic Employers

Most Common Employers For Hvac Mechanic

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1American Residential Services$91,083$43.7920
2Jacobs Engineering Group$78,427$37.7113
3Fluor Corporation$71,182$34.228
4Hyatt Hotels$68,914$33.1312
5Four Seasons$66,807$32.128
6AECOM$66,167$31.8110
7Lear$63,092$30.3310
8Northrop Grumman$55,235$26.5615
9LB&B Associates$51,070$24.558
10EMCOR Group$50,056$24.0721
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Hvac Mechanic Videos

Becoming an HVAC Tech
A Day in the Life of an HVAC Tech.
Another Day in the Life of an HVAC Technician

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Updated April 6, 2023