HVAC Service Technician
Impact: Direct and immediate impact on comfort and safety.
Installs, maintains, and repairs heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Works with various tools and diagnostic equipment to ensure optimal system performance and energy efficiency for residential and commercial clients.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 70% solo, 30% team
- Client facing
- Always
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- Frequent local travel
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $55,000
- Entry-level
- $40,000
- Senior
- $75,000
- Growth by 2033
- 10%
- Demand
- Growing Fast
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- Moderate
- Typical student debt
- $15,000 - $25,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- HVAC system repair
- Diagnostic tools
- Electrical knowledge
Soft skills
- Problem-solving
- Customer Service
- Communication
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Licensing
- Yes
- Years to mid-career
- 4
- Years to senior
- 8
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Lead Technician, Supervisor, Business Owner
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- Low
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Growing Fast
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.5/10
- Meaning
- 8/10
- Work-life balance
- 6.5/10
- Prestige
- 6/10
- Social perception
- Moderate