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Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
Other titles employers use
A/C Tech (Air Conditioning 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) · Refrigeration Mechanic · Refrigeration Operator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Troubleshooting
- Reading Comprehension
- Installation
- Repairing
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Near Vision
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.9 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 4.4 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a postsecondary certificate. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 75%
- High school or less 24%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Document management software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 43,120
- Job openings each year
- 3,940
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 16.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 43,120 | 3,940 | 16.9% |
| California | 42,700 | 3,790 | 11.2% |
| Texas | 38,430 | 3,520 | 17.4% |
| New York | 24,310 | 150 | 6.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 19,970 | 1,720 | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 17,630 | 1,580 | 12.9% |
| Ohio | 15,560 | 1,340 | 6.0% |
| Georgia | 15,030 | 1,380 | 17.6% |
| Virginia | 14,610 | 1,260 | 6.0% |
| Illinois | 12,700 | 1,100 | 6.0% |
| Tennessee | 11,350 | 1,000 | 9.8% |
| New Jersey | 10,920 | 950 | 7.4% |
| Arizona | 10,810 | 990 | 18.3% |
| Michigan | 10,730 | 920 | 4.6% |
| Missouri | 9,950 | 860 | 6.6% |
| Washington | 9,920 | 990 | 11.0% |
| Utah | 9,470 | 930 | 34.3% |
| Colorado | 8,820 | 800 | 15.6% |
| Indiana | 8,620 | 750 | 7.8% |
| Maryland | 8,170 | 720 | 9.7% |
| Wisconsin | 7,340 | 660 | 12.9% |
| Alabama | 7,270 | 640 | 9.8% |
| South Carolina | 6,470 | 560 | 7.7% |
| Oklahoma | 6,450 | 560 | 7.7% |
| Kentucky | 6,110 | 530 | 5.3% |
| Connecticut | 5,930 | 520 | 8.0% |
| Minnesota | 5,380 | 470 | 8.0% |
| Idaho | 4,760 | 450 | 26.9% |
| Iowa | 4,700 | 420 | 13.3% |
| Nevada | 4,590 | 420 | 14.8% |
| Oregon | 4,580 | 420 | 19.3% |
| Louisiana | 4,520 | 400 | 9.2% |
| Arkansas | 4,400 | 390 | 9.5% |
| Nebraska | 4,290 | 390 | 13.2% |
| Kansas | 4,250 | 370 | 8.1% |
| Mississippi | 3,390 | 310 | 20.2% |
| Massachusetts | 2,900 | 250 | 8.6% |
| New Mexico | 2,160 | 200 | 16.1% |
| Maine | 2,140 | 180 | −1.4% |
| New Hampshire | 2,060 | 180 | 6.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,030 | 180 | 8.6% |
| West Virginia | 1,880 | 160 | 6.2% |
| Delaware | 1,740 | 160 | 12.3% |
| Montana | 1,690 | 160 | 26.1% |
| Vermont | 1,640 | 140 | 7.2% |
| Rhode Island | 1,590 | 140 | 13.6% |
| South Dakota | 1,360 | 120 | 16.2% |
| North Dakota | 1,070 | 100 | 12.6% |
| Wyoming | 570 | 50 | 23.9% |
| Alaska | 440 | 40 | 10.0% |
| District of Columbia | 380 | 30 | 8.6% |
| Guam | 280 | 30 | 12.0% |
| Virgin Islands | 80 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Appalachian State University
- Degrees each year
- 55
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Degrees each year
- 15
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Rochester Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 11
- Admit rate
- 71%
- Annual cost after aid
- $29,000
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
- Degrees each year
- 6
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- Degrees each year
- 5
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
The Catholic University of America
- Degrees each year
- 1
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $25,000
Compare every college offering environmental control technologies/technicians