Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 49-9021.00United States
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
- Median annual earnings
- $59,505
- Projected change
- +11.4%
- Typical education
- Certificate
- Employment
- 467.52K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
68.1% of the workforce
Growing to 520.76K by 2035
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The work
What heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
- Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions.
- Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
- Install or repair self-contained ground source heat pumps or hybrid ground or air source heat pumps to minimize carbon-based energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.
- Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.
- Install auxiliary components to heating or cooling equipment, such as expansion or discharge valves, air ducts, pipes, blowers, dampers, flues, or stokers.
- Braze or solder parts to repair defective joints and leaks.
- Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
- Perform mechanical overhauls and refrigerant reclaiming.
- Install expansion and control valves, using acetylene torches and wrenches.
- Mount compressor, condenser, and other components in specified locations on frames, using hand tools and acetylene welding equipment.
- Measure, cut, thread, or bend pipe or tubing, using pipe fitter's tools.
- Record and report time, materials, faults, deficiencies, or other unusual occurrences on work orders.
- Install dehumidifiers or related equipment for spaces that require cool, dry air to operate efficiently, such as computer rooms.
- Keep records of repairs and replacements made and causes of malfunctions.
- Cut or drill holes in floors, walls, or roof to install equipment, using power saws or drills.
- Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
- Schedule work with customers and initiate work orders, house requisitions, and orders from stock.
- Supervise and instruct assistants.
- Lay out reference points for installation of structural and functional components, using measuring instruments.
- Lift and align components into position, using hoist or block and tackle.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $37,561
- 25th percentile
- $46,347
- 50th percentile
- $59,505
- 75th percentile
- $77,073
- 90th percentile
- $100,304
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $59,505 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+11.4%faster than average
2025467,517 jobs
2035 projected520,756 jobs
53,239 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Certificate
- 68.1%
- High school diploma or less
- 23.5%
- Some college
- 6.9%
- Associate degree
- 1.5%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- 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.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01HVAC Technicians10,619 postings
- 02HVAC Service Technicians10,392 postings
- 03HVAC Installers4,350 postings
- 04Commercial HVAC Technicians3,349 postings
- 05Refrigeration Technicians3,135 postings
- 06HVAC Maintenance Technicians2,439 postings
- 07HVAC Engineers2,120 postings
- 08HVAC Mechanics2,077 postings
- 09HVAC Refrigeration Technicians1,919 postings
- 10Commercial HVAC Service Technicians1,748 postings
- 11Commercial Refrigeration Service Technicians1,689 postings
- 12Lead HVAC Technicians1,579 postings
- 13HVAC Lead Installers1,549 postings
- 14Residential HVAC Service Technicians1,479 postings
- 15HVAC/Refrigeration Service Technicians1,391 postings
- 16Facility Engineering Refrigeration/HVAC Technicians1,354 postings
- 17Lead HVAC Service Technicians1,311 postings
- 18HVAC Service Technicians/Installers1,111 postings
- 19Residential HVAC Installers1,103 postings
- 20Service Technicians1,093 postings
Top employers
- 01Walmart2,227 postings
- 02GPAC1,848 postings
- 03Aerotek1,591 postings
- 04Coolsys1,249 postings
- 05Ars Corporation Ltd1,186 postings
- 06Nextech Sarl1,154 postings
- 07Ars/Rescue Rooter886 postings
- 08Service Experts Heating And Air Conditioning805 postings
- 09Trane Commercial Systems748 postings
- 10Johnson Controls573 postings
- 11Pt Holdings520 postings
- 12Lennox National Account Services510 postings
- 13JLL455 postings
- 14Cargill445 postings
- 15Intersolutions406 postings
- 16Sears392 postings
- 17Tradesmen International389 postings
- 18EMCOR Group388 postings
- 19Lane Valente Industries379 postings
- 20Transform SR Brands Business Unit374 postings
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