Mechanical contractor vs hvac engineer

The differences between mechanical contractors and hvac engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a mechanical contractor and a hvac engineer. Additionally, a mechanical contractor has an average salary of $72,882, which is higher than the $70,354 average annual salary of a hvac engineer.

The top three skills for a mechanical contractor include plumbing, CAD and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for a hvac engineer are plumbing, preventive maintenance, and electrical equipment.

Mechanical contractor vs hvac engineer overview

	Mechanical Contractor	Hvac Engineer
Yearly salary	$72,882	$70,354
Hourly rate	$35.04	$33.82
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	28,897	101,743
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	6	6

Mechanical contractor vs hvac engineer salary

Mechanical contractors and hvac engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanical Contractor	Hvac Engineer
Average salary	$72,882	$70,354
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $100,000	Between $50,000 And $97,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	AbbVie
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between mechanical contractor and hvac engineer education

There are a few differences between a mechanical contractor and a hvac engineer in terms of educational background:

	Mechanical Contractor	Hvac Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Michigan Technological University	Duke University

Mechanical contractor vs hvac engineer demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical contractors' and hvac engineers' demographics:

	Mechanical Contractor	Hvac Engineer
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7%	Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.3% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between mechanical contractor and hvac engineer duties and responsibilities

Mechanical contractor example responsibilities.

Lead all CFD and FEA (shock and vibration) efforts, including product-performance optimization and impact of DFMA.
Lead weekly toolbox safety meetings, and monitor work to ensure full compliance with OSHA / HAZWHOPPER compliance requirements.
Manage paperwork associate with HVAC procedures.
Perform service calls on all types of heating and a/c equipment.
Service A/C units up to 40 ton.
Install 2 to 4 PVC and CPVC piping for wastes off of equipment.

Hvac engineer example responsibilities.

Manage general facilities including commissioning, building management systems, and calibrations for GMP area for tablets production operation.
Maintain, service, and repair high-pressure chillers and boilers, including: plumbing, basic electricity, and heating.
Comply with OSHA's regulations on storage, use and disposal of trash, rubbish, waste and HMMAT.
Perform general electrical repairs, basic plumbing repairs.
Operate and maintain heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation systems.
Calculate heat load for various air condition areas and ventilation requirements for various areas.

Mechanical contractor vs hvac engineer skills

Common mechanical contractor skills

Plumbing, 14%
CAD, 9%
Preventive Maintenance, 8%
Mechanical Systems, 7%
Ice Machines, 4%
Heat Pumps, 4%

Common hvac engineer skills

Plumbing, 17%
Preventive Maintenance, 15%
Electrical Equipment, 12%
Revit, 5%
Ventilation, 4%
EPA, 4%