Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between hvac technicians and refrigeration 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 technician and a refrigeration technician. Additionally, a hvac technician has an average salary of $54,496, which is higher than the $50,701 average annual salary of a refrigeration technician.
The top three skills for a hvac technician include HVAC, customer service and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a refrigeration technician are preventative maintenance, hand tools, and ladders.
| Hvac Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,496 | $50,701 |
| Hourly rate | $26.20 | $24.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,709 | 131,115 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An HVAC technician is qualified personnel who installs and repairs air-conditioning and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in both residential and commercial buildings. A technician's job may include repairing of pipe that is leaking, replacing a defective mechanical part, or adjust equipment setting for better performance. However, an HVAC technician must follow government regulations and local HVAC codes and should take the licensure examination. Some HVAC technicians are working for contractors, while others are self-employed.
A refrigeration technician is responsible for managing refrigeration and cooling systems for private households and commercial establishments. Refrigeration technicians install refrigeration components, requiring them to have an excellent analysis of blueprints and schematics. They inspect the system components and inform the household owners and management for preventive maintenance and troubleshooting for minor defects and inconsistencies, as well as calculating costs and materials for repairs. A refrigeration technician must be well-equipped with mechanical knowledge to identify failures and upgrade units as necessary.
Hvac technicians and refrigeration technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hvac Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,496 | $50,701 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $81,000 | Between $33,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Delaware |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Micron Technology |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a hvac technician and a refrigeration technician in terms of educational background:
| Hvac Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | Dunwoody College of Technology | - |
Here are the differences between hvac technicians' and refrigeration technicians' demographics:
| Hvac Technician | Refrigeration Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% | Male, 97.2% Female, 2.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 2.5% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |