SOC 49-9021.00Bright outlook

    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.

    Median pay
    $61,010
    Growth
    +10.9%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    40,600
    Typical education
    Postsecondary certificate

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $40,050
    Median
    $61,010
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $95,210
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    409,670 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers set up and fix climate control and cooling systems. The career offers a median annual pay of $61,010 and is projected to grow much faster than average.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

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

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career install, maintain, and repair climate control systems, including central air conditioning, oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and refrigeration units. On a daily basis, workers inspect equipment, gather information, and troubleshoot mechanical issues. They must make decisions to solve complex problems and safely repair or maintain machinery.

    This work is highly realistic and hands-on, requiring strong skills in operations monitoring, equipment selection, and physical installation. Workers must understand building and construction, mechanical systems, design, and public safety. Because they interact with clients and coordinate tasks, knowledge of customer service and administration is also important. Successful technicians show dependability, attention to detail, cautiousness, and cooperation while working under pressure.

    How to get there

    To enter this field, candidates typically earn a postsecondary certificate. This career generally requires medium preparation, which can also include vocational training, an associate degree, or related on-the-job experience. Students often major in environmental control technologies or heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration maintenance technology.

    Depending on the location, some states list a license for this work. Professionals can also earn various industry certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Professional, the Air Leakage Control Installer, the Basic Refrigeration and Charging Procedures Certification, the Carbon Monoxide Safety Certification, and the Certified Chimney Professional.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these mechanics and installers is $61,010. Earnings vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $40,050 and the highest 10% earning more than $95,210.

    With 409,670 people currently employed, the field is expanding rapidly. Employment is projected to grow by 10.9% from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than average. This growth, combined with retirement and turnover, is expected to result in 40,600 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    99 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    30 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    1 / 100
    Social (S)
    8 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    3 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    55 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Controlling Machines and Processes
    96
    Getting Information
    89
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    89
    Processing Information
    88
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    87
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    86
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    84
    Scheduling Work and Activities
    84
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    84
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    81
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Troubleshooting
    • Critical Thinking
    • Repairing
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Installation
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Equipment Selection
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mechanical
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Mathematics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Administrative
    • Design
    • Production and Processing

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Visual Color Discrimination
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Self-Control
    • Adaptability
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Cooperation

    Also called

    AC Installer (Air Conditioning Installer) · AC Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic) · AC Service Tech (Air Conditioning Service Technician) · AC Servicer (Air Conditioning Servicer) · AC Tech (Air Conditioning Technician) · Air Balancing Technician (Air Balancing Tech) · Baseboard Heating Installer · Commercial HVAC Service Tech (Commercial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician) · Commercial HVAC Tech (Commercial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technician) · Commercial Refrigeration Service Technician (Commercial Refrigeration Service Tech)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,010 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1The University of Findlay logo
      The University of Findlay

      Findlay, OH · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $94,131
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Rochester Institute of Technology logo
      Rochester Institute of Technology

      Rochester, NY · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $84,755
      Median debt
      $22,250
    3. 3Appalachian State University logo
      Appalachian State University

      Boone, NC · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $47,866
      4 yrs after
      $69,956
      Median debt
      $22,500
    4. 4North Carolina State University at Raleigh logo
      North Carolina State University at Raleigh

      Raleigh, NC · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $60,183
      4 yrs after
      $66,491
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work. Showing 12 of 50.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician
    • Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    37 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common job titles in this field?

    Workers in this profession are often called AC installers, AC mechanics, air conditioning service technicians, air balancing technicians, or commercial refrigeration service technicians.

    What certifications can workers earn?

    Technicians can obtain certifications such as the Air Leakage Control Installer, the Carbon Monoxide & Combustion Analysis Certification, or the Certified Chimney Professional. These credentials help prove specialized skills to employers.

    What other careers are similar to this one?

    Related careers that require similar mechanical and installation skills include plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, stationary engineers, home appliance repairers, and solar thermal installers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.