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The differences between refrigeration technicians and hvac installation 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 refrigeration technician and a hvac installation technician. Additionally, a refrigeration technician has an average salary of $50,701, which is higher than the $49,184 average annual salary of a hvac installation technician.
The top three skills for a refrigeration technician include preventative maintenance, hand tools and ladders. The most important skills for a hvac installation technician are customer service, HVAC, and plumbing.
| Refrigeration Technician | Hvac Installation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,701 | $49,184 |
| Hourly rate | $24.38 | $23.65 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 131,115 | 127,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 are those who install, repair, or maintain heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems controlling a building's air quality and temperature. They are assigned by technicians to travel to customers to resolve any HVAC-associated issue. Their job involves laying out, designing, and installing low voltage electrical wiring. They test tubing and pipe joints or any connection for leaks. Also, they record and report materials, deficiencies, faults, and occurrences on work.
Refrigeration technicians and hvac installation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Refrigeration Technician | Hvac Installation Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,701 | $49,184 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $75,000 | Between $33,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Micron Technology | Horizon Services |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Professional |
There are a few differences between a refrigeration technician and a hvac installation technician in terms of educational background:
| Refrigeration Technician | Hvac Installation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | - | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between refrigeration technicians' and hvac installation technicians' demographics:
| Refrigeration Technician | Hvac Installation Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.2% Female, 2.8% | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 2.6% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |