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The differences between hvac specialists and hvac-r 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 specialist and a hvac-r technician. Additionally, a hvac-r technician has an average salary of $53,354, which is higher than the $50,358 average annual salary of a hvac specialist.
The top three skills for a hvac specialist include ventilation, plumbing and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a hvac-r technician are HVAC/R, ventilation, and plumbing.
| Hvac Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,358 | $53,354 |
| Hourly rate | $24.21 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 14,299 | 85,555 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Hvac specialists and hvac-r technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,358 | $53,354 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Sacramento, CA | Lynnwood, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Better |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a hvac specialist and a hvac-r technician in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Dunwoody College of Technology | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between hvac specialists' and hvac-r technicians' demographics:
| Hvac Specialist | Hvac-R Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8% | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 18.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |