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Lead hvac technician vs hvac-r technician

The differences between lead hvac technicians 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 lead hvac technician and a hvac-r technician. Additionally, a hvac-r technician has an average salary of $53,354, which is higher than the $51,139 average annual salary of a lead hvac technician.

The top three skills for a lead hvac technician include ventilation, plumbing and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for a hvac-r technician are HVAC/R, ventilation, and plumbing.

Lead hvac technician vs hvac-r technician overview

Lead Hvac TechnicianHvac-R Technician
Yearly salary$51,139$53,354
Hourly rate$24.59$25.65
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs64,06085,555
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 33%Associate Degree, 34%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

Lead hvac technician vs hvac-r technician salary

Lead hvac technicians and hvac-r technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead Hvac TechnicianHvac-R Technician
Average salary$51,139$53,354
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $74,000Between $35,000 And $79,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CALynnwood, WA
Highest paying stateAlaskaWashington
Best paying companyCarrierBetter
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between lead hvac technician and hvac-r technician education

There are a few differences between a lead hvac technician and a hvac-r technician in terms of educational background:

Lead Hvac TechnicianHvac-R Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 33%Associate Degree, 34%
Most common majorHeating And Air ConditioningHeating And Air Conditioning
Most common collegeDunwoody College of TechnologyDunwoody College of Technology

Lead hvac technician vs hvac-r technician demographics

Here are the differences between lead hvac technicians' and hvac-r technicians' demographics:

Lead Hvac TechnicianHvac-R Technician
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 98.2% Female, 1.8%Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.7% 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 Percentage2%2%

Differences between lead hvac technician and hvac-r technician duties and responsibilities

Lead hvac technician example responsibilities.

  • Make sure that the department is complying with OSHA and EPA guidelines.
  • Research and recommend changes in water treatment to reduce replacement of parts in humidifiers.
  • Work with mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors to gather quotes for repairs and capital projects.
  • Repair, installation, maintenance of HVAC, and plumbing equipment as well as customer service.
  • Repair and replace light fixtures, dimmer switches, outlets, ceiling fans and outlets and fixtures.
  • Supervise install helpers and install heating air conditioning and ventilation.
  • Show more

Hvac-r technician example responsibilities.

  • Perform preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance and installation of refrigeration, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation and plumbing applications.
  • Install, maintain, and repair package units, split systems, boilers and other mechanical equipment.
  • Install, repair, and maintain light commercial rooftop units, boilers, controls, and other mechanical equipment.
  • Maintain all ventilation systems including preventative maintenance tasks and rebuilding of equipment when need.
  • Perform repairs and installation on HVAC/R equipment and commercial kitchen equipment for residential and commercial customers.
  • Perform maintenance and repair of HVAC/R equipment for commercial and residential applications including commercial refrigeration equipment.
  • Show more

Lead hvac technician vs hvac-r technician skills

Common lead hvac technician skills
  • Ventilation, 49%
  • Plumbing, 3%
  • Preventive Maintenance, 3%
  • Heat Pumps, 3%
  • Routine Maintenance, 3%
  • Safety Procedures, 3%
Common hvac-r technician skills
  • HVAC/R, 11%
  • Ventilation, 8%
  • Plumbing, 6%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Ladders, 5%
  • Safety Procedures, 5%

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