HVAC Certification

Professionals who work in the field of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) are responsible for serving millions of people each year within the United States throughout all seasons of the year. Without HVAC professionals we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the favorable conditions we get to experience on a daily basis within residential and commercial buildings or within our vehicles. The HVAC field encompasses a vast range of job responsibilities including the installation, maintenance and repair of air quality systems, performing risk assessment on HVAC related equipment, performing emergency repairs, and ensuring compliance with OSHA and federal regulations.

Sponsored Listings

Learn How to Become HVAC Certified in Your State

HVAC Jobs

The job outlook for the HVAC field looks promising for both those who are currently working within the field as well as for those who are interested in becoming HVAC professionals in the near future. It has been reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that within the next 3-4 years there will be over a 20% increase for job growth within the HVAC industry and there will also be an increased demand for HVAC jobs working with advanced or environmentally friendly technology such as systems which rely on solar and wind energy.

HVAC Salaries

HVAC technicians are expected to earn close to $50,000 on average and states with the highest average salaries include New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland which offer up to $53,000 per year for an average annual salary. HVAC occupations that offer the highest annual salaries include HVAC supervisors, HVAC engineers, HVAC refrigeration technicians, and service and repair managers. These occupations have a median annual salary ranging from $65,000 up to $90,000 per year.

HVAC Specialized Skills

HVAC professionals are required to have an array of specialized skills in order to successfully fulfill their roles. Common skills shared among HVAC professionals of all specialties include a general understanding of mechanics, mathematics and other related science, the ability to work in the area of customer service and sales, knowledge of the key regulations from the Occupational Health and Safety Act as well as environmental refrigerant laws, the ability to solve time-consuming, complex problems, and the ability to learn new technologies.

Sponsored Search

The HVAC Professionals Path

Along with having a certain skill set, there is also a general path that most HVAC technicians and professionals follow in order to enter the HVAC field. Most professionals first earn their high school diploma and then go on to complete either an accredited HVAC program or an apprenticeship program. HVAC programs are offered as certificate, associate, or bachelor programs and most HVAC professionals will obtain at least 2 years of a college education. Alternatively, HVAC workers may participate in an apprenticeship program in lieu of a college degree or in conjunction with certain academic programs. Following HVAC education professionals typically gain 1 to 2 years of work experience prior to obtaining professional certification within their specialty.

There are a variety of paths to earning your certification as an HVAC technician. And different states have different educational requirements to becoming a certified or licensed HVAC professional. Some states do not even require you to maintain licensure. However, most agree that to increase your possibly of acquiring an HVAC position, education and apprenticeship experience go a long way. In fact, the majority of professionals in the HVAC field hold post-secondary certificates, and many even possess an associate’s degree. Though the trend of a formal education in HVAC studies is on the rise, there is still plenty of opportunities for those that would prefer to take the apprenticeship route.

Though different for each state, the following is an excellent path to becoming an HVAC technician:

1. Earn your high school diploma: General high school studies, especially the physical sciences, provide you with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills desirable for HVAC professionals.

2. Enroll in an accredited HVAC program: Most institutions, including community colleges and technical schools, provide training programs that revolve around all aspects of the HVAC profession.

3. HVAC apprenticeship: Though this is optional, but recommended if you decide not to go the route of a formal training program, valuable hours working with an HVAC professional can give you invaluable experience.

4. Experience in the field: This largely depends on the type of certification you seek. Many HVAC programs are so extensive you come out ready for the field with no experience necessary.

5. Get professional HVAC certification: Though requirements vary by state, there are a number of certification programs you can consider to make you a much more desirable candidate.

HVAC Education

HVAC professionals will generally need some form of a college education prior to entering their field. Most HVAC professionals will obtain at minimum an Associate of Science prior to sitting for their specialty exam or taking on official work. However, in recent years more professionals have obtained further education including obtaining bachelor degrees or even a masters if they work in a highly specialized field. Certificates and degree programs obtained by HVAC workers may include certificates in refrigeration or electricity, an AAS (Associate in Applied Science) or AAT (Associates in Applied Technology) in HVAC-R, Air Conditioning Technology, or HVAC Installation & Residential Service, and bachelor’s degrees within the fields of technology management, HVAC, HVAC design technology, business management, and engineering. Very few HVAC professionals go on to obtain education at the master or doctoral level but there are some cases in which individuals choose to do so. This usually pertains to those who work in advanced engineering or mathematics.

It’s been found that having some form of a higher education is the leading factor for achieving a higher salary within the HVAC field. Those who have an undergraduate degree within a HVAC specialty tend to earn over 30% higher income compared to HVAC professionals who do not have a college degree. Additionally, over half of HVAC professionals have completed some form of a professional education with most having EPA Section 608 certification as well as HVAC technician certification. Even though work experience is highly valued in this field education tends to have higher priority for almost every single HVAC occupation. Those who have more work experience than their peers typically don’t receive a substantially higher income until they have reached the 10 year mark compared to those who have a 4 year degree who enter the field and almost immediately earn more than the industry mean.

HVAC Certificates

HVAC professionals should keep in mind when pursuing their education to try their best to obtain a certificate or degree from a program that has national accreditation. Programs which are the most renown typically have accreditation by either the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) or HVAC Excellence. Accreditation by one of these governing bodies ensures that the school which offers HVAC education provides specific sources and outcomes required to be adequately prepared for taking all required specialty exams and succeeding within the HVAC work place in respect to upholding regulations as well as providing the highest quality level of service.

HVAC Exams

In addition to having education along with certification most HVAC professionals will need to successfully complete an examination covering their specialty. Different states offer various exams for each specialty and HVAC professionals always need to verify with both local and national requirements for the exam they need to take, if any, prior to entering the workforce and obtaining necessary licensure. Generally, most states offer licensing at the apprentice, journeyman, and master level for HVAC technicians. Some states offer specialty licenses in areas such as hearth, fuel gas piping, waste oil heating, or liquid petroleum limited heating and there is also nationally mandated certification by the EPA which all HVAC technicians must acquire.

Sponsored Search