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Residential & light commercial

HVAC Technician

The person everyone is desperate to see in July.

Typical pay

$45k-$95k

How you get in

6-24 month program or apprenticeship + EPA 608

Outlook

Very strong; aging techs retiring faster than replacements arrive

HVAC techs install, service and repair heating and cooling systems. Summer is a brutal sprint of overtime and attic crawls; winter service work is steadier and calmer, and the pay swings with it.

A day in the life

  1. 7:00aLoad parts, check the dispatch board
  2. 8:00aFirst no-cool call, gauges on the unit
  3. 10:30aCapacitor swap, upsell a maintenance plan
  4. 12:30pLunch in the van with the AC running
  5. 1:30pAttic air handler, 130 degrees up there
  6. 5:30pLast call runs late because it always does

How to get in

Trade school then apprentice

Duration

6-12 months, then 1-2 years

Cost

$5,000-$20,000

Credential

EPA 608 certification, plus state license where required

  1. Complete an HVAC program at a technical college
  2. Pass the EPA 608 certification — legally required to handle refrigerant
  3. Get hired as an apprentice or installer's helper
  4. Add NATE certification once you have field time

Start as an install helper

Duration

1-3 years

Cost

$0 — paid from day one

Credential

EPA 608 earned along the way

  1. Get hired carrying equipment on install crews
  2. Learn the equipment from the outside in
  3. Get your EPA 608 — many employers pay for it
  4. Move from install to service, where the money is

Union apprenticeship (SMART / UA)

Duration

4-5 years

Cost

$0 — paid while you train

Credential

Journeyman card

  1. Apply to a sheet metal or pipefitters local
  2. Pass the entrance test and interview
  3. Work while attending classes
  4. Come out with a journeyman card and benefits

What people love

  • · Strong pay without a degree
  • · Overtime is abundant in summer
  • · Recession-resistant — heat and cold do not stop
  • · Clear path to owning your own shop

What wears people down

  • · Attics in August, crawlspaces in January
  • · On-call rotations and long summer weeks
  • · Refrigerant and electrical hazards
  • · Sales pressure from some employers

From people doing it

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