The HVAC Job Description and Education

The HVAC tech can work as an independent contractor or they can work for a heating and cooling company. Working in this field you will first need to have enrolled in an accredited certificate program or you can choose to obtain your associate’s degree. After you have completed your education you will need to find an apprenticeship program where you will work observing and carrying out delegated tasks under the supervision of licensed techs. The apprenticeship will have the duration of two to four years, depending on the level of your education. When working as an apprentice you can expect a compensation that is half of what a licensed tech will earn.  

You can find these programs available through heating and cooling schools, technical schools, vocational schools, junior colleges and online universities.

Once an apprenticeship has been completed you will need to take the state licensing exam for this field in order to earn state recognized certification.

On the job the tech will be responsible for ensuring the installation has been completed in compliance with local and state regulations and they will need to have a quality control member of the team inspect the new system for errors. Maintenance on existing systems will require you to ensure that each section of the overall system is functioning properly and efficiently.

How to Increase your HVAC Salary with Education or Position Advancement

In order to make a higher annual salary in this field you can enroll in an accredited refrigerant course or you can obtain your associate’s degree in applied science.  Some techs will choose to work as sales associates once they have obtained one to two years of field experience. As an HVAC sales associate you can increase your salary based on how many sales you’ll make in the field, what your percentage of commission is and what your hourly rate is for the individual company you work for.

Working as a project manager will require a minimum of four years of experience working as a certified tech, in addition to having obtained your associate’s degree and completed a four year apprenticeship. The project manager is the highest earning profession in this field and the position is highly competitive. Typically a company will choose to hire within for this type of supervisory role.