How to Become a HVAC Technician
Install and service heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems, a fast-growing trade in every climate. It typically requires a postsecondary certificate, with a median salary of $61,010 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$61,010/yr
Middle half
$48,360 to $77,060
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
40,100
Majors that lead here
Common majors include HVAC Technology, Construction Trades.
Key skills
- System Installation
- Refrigerant Handling
- Diagnostics
- Electrical Basics
- Customer Service
Helpful certifications
- EPA 608 certification
- NATE certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
0/100
Work-life balance
55/100
Stress level
53/100
Related careers
- Electrical Engineering Technician$78,190 median
- Mechanical Engineering Technician$74,510 median
- Civil Engineering Technician$64,950 median
- Wind Turbine Technician$64,120 median
- Plumber$63,800 median
- Electrician$63,190 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a HVAC Technician make?
The median pay for a HVAC Technician is $61,010 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $48,360 and $77,060 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a HVAC Technician?
The usual entry point is a postsecondary certificate. Common majors are HVAC Technology and Construction Trades.
Is HVAC Technician a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 40,100 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a HVAC Technician use most?
Common skills for this role are System Installation, Refrigerant Handling, Diagnostics, Electrical Basics, and Customer Service.
Planning to become a HVAC Technician?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).