What do they do?

Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.

Also known as:

A/C Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic), A/C Service Tech (Air Conditioning Service Technician), A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician), Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Technician, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Control Technician, HVAC Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Installer), HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic), HVAC Service Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician), HVAC Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Specialist), HVAC Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technician), HVAC-R Service Tech (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Service Technician), Installer, Refrigeration Mechanic, Refrigeration Operator, Refrigeration Service Technician (Refrigeration Service Tech), Refrigeration Technician (Refrigeration Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech), Systems Mechanic, Transportation Refrigeration Technician (Transportation Refrigeration Tech)

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • 5.5%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    37,700

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (39%)
  • Some college, no degree  (30%)
  • Associate's degree  (15%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (10%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (5%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

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People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
  • Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.
  • Interpret blueprints, specifications, or diagrams to inform installation, development or operation activities.
  • Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
  • Install heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
  • Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
  • Advise others on issues related to repairs, installation, or equipment design.
  • Inspect systems to determine if they are operating properly.
  • Service heating, ventilation or air-conditioning (HVAC) systems or components.
  • Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
  • Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
  • Install energy-efficient heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
  • Braze metal parts or components.
  • Connect electrical components or equipment.
  • Install machine or equipment replacement parts.
  • Measure distances or dimensions.
  • Cut materials according to specifications or needs.
  • Document operational activities.
  • Maintain repair or maintenance records.
  • Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
  • Install home appliances.
  • Travel to work sites to perform installation, repair or maintenance work.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Schedule repair, installation or maintenance activities.
  • Train others in operational procedures.
  • Supervise employees.
  • Lay out work according to specifications.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

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