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Hvac specialist vs hvac apprentice

The differences between hvac specialists 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 specialist and a hvac apprentice. Additionally, a hvac specialist has an average salary of $50,358, which is higher than the $34,073 average annual salary of a hvac apprentice.

The top three skills for a hvac specialist include ventilation, plumbing and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a hvac apprentice are customer service, customer satisfaction, and preventative maintenance.

Hvac specialist vs hvac apprentice overview

Hvac SpecialistHvac Apprentice
Yearly salary$50,358$34,073
Hourly rate$24.21$16.38
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs14,29925,483
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 30%High School Diploma, 44%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

Hvac specialist vs hvac apprentice salary

Hvac specialists and hvac apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.

Hvac SpecialistHvac Apprentice
Average salary$50,358$34,073
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $70,000Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying CityWest Sacramento, CAGaithersburg, MD
Highest paying stateAlaskaAlaska
Best paying companyJacobs Engineering GroupJohnson Controls
Best paying industryConstructionHealth Care

Differences between hvac specialist and hvac apprentice education

There are a few differences between a hvac specialist and a hvac apprentice in terms of educational background:

Hvac SpecialistHvac Apprentice
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 30%High School Diploma, 44%
Most common majorHeating And Air ConditioningHeating And Air Conditioning
Most common collegeDunwoody College of TechnologyDunwoody College of Technology

Hvac specialist vs hvac apprentice demographics

Here are the differences between hvac specialists' and hvac apprentices' demographics:

Hvac SpecialistHvac Apprentice
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 95.2% Female, 4.8%Male, 97.0% Female, 3.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.5% Asian, 2.5% White, 61.3% 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 Percentage2%2%

Differences between hvac specialist and hvac apprentice duties and responsibilities

Hvac specialist example responsibilities.

  • Meet all state requirements and manage annual inspections regarding mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire and elevator systems.
  • Install 2 to 10 ton Rheem, Ruud and Bryan condensers.
  • Develop experience with DDC controls.
  • Perform light plumbing duties such as cleaning stoppages, replace fittings and change water heater elements.
  • Repair and maintain air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems where regulate temperatures are a necessity.
  • Trouble shoot heating, ventilation and air conditioning, motor, pump and compressor, and compressor problems in buildings.
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Hvac apprentice example responsibilities.

  • Install HVAC systems in new and retrofit fashion for residential customers in the greater-Seattle area.
  • Install and repair residential heating and air units, lift heavy equipment up ladders and in small crawl spaces.
  • Perform maintenance, repair, modification, replacement and installation of centrifugal chillers and refrigeration equipment.
  • Experience with copper, cpvc, or pvc pipe work.
  • Run PVC for HVAC applications.
  • Pump down and re-cover all refrigerant within EPA regulations.
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Hvac specialist vs hvac apprentice skills

Common hvac specialist skills
  • Ventilation, 12%
  • Plumbing, 10%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • Control Systems, 8%
  • Exhaust Fans, 6%
  • Cooling Towers, 5%
Common hvac apprentice skills
  • Customer Service, 15%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 14%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 14%
  • Ladders, 13%
  • Ventilation, 12%
  • Air-Conditioning Systems, 8%

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