Compare A Electrical Foreman ↔ B HVAC Technician

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Your route

2 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: electrical Apprentice: All Electricians (47-2111) at every experience level, the occupation apprentices are counted in (SOC Classification Principle 7). Mostly journeyman-level workers, so it is not apprentice pay and is never subtracted.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2, to HVAC Technician: Texas: TDLR A/C Technician registration ($20, age 16+) to work under a licensed A/C contractor; contractor license after 48 months. Federal EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Foreman to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.70 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Apprentice to HVAC Technician
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: Texas: TDLR A/C Technician registration ($20, age 16+) to work under a licensed A/C contractor; contractor license after 48 months. Federal EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.

Side by side

All Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Texas median $57,760, $16,760 less a year than all First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers ($74,520), every experience level.

Electrical Foreman: 63% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3.8 times the share for HVAC Technician (17%).

This level's pay

A $42.79/h Houston union minimum (IBEW 716), 2026

B No headline record for this level

No published schedule lists both jobs, so no level-specific difference is shown.

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$74,520-$16,760$57,760

Gates on the route: Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; HVAC Technician: Texas: TDLR A/C Technician registration ($20, age 16+) to work under a licensed A/C contractor; contractor license after 48 months. Federal EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +10.0% Texas, 8,780 openings a year

B +13.0% Texas, 3,350 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

63%-46 pts17%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

3.0 / 5+0.23.2 / 5

Keeping balance+1.00Keeping balance: A 1.81, B 2.81
Climbing ladders+0.85Climbing ladders: A 2.02, B 2.87
Bending or twisting+0.79Bending or twisting: A 2.66, B 3.45
Very hot or cold-0.77Very hot or cold: A 4.21, B 3.44
Walking or running-0.69Walking or running: A 3.14, B 2.45

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 10% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

License

A Usually holds the TDLR Journeyman Electrician license from the previous rung; TDLR has no separate foreman license (license list checked).

B Texas: TDLR A/C Technician registration ($20, age 16+) to work under a licensed A/C contractor; contractor license after 48 months. Federal EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 10 years (O*NET: 30%).

B Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 39%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Equipment Selection
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Analysis

To build: 5

Installation +2.25
Troubleshooting +1.63
Repairing +1.38
Equipment Maintenance +1.25
Operations Monitoring +0.87

Make this your goal

Save Electrical Foreman to HVAC Technician as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 5 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.