Compare A HVAC Technician ↔ B Electrical Foreman

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Your route

3 moves · +$16,760 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Plumber: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license.
Move 2, to Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license.
Move 3, to Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
HVAC Technician to Plumber +$2,080 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89.
- Gates: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Plumber to Journeyman Electrician -$1,270 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.82 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license.
Move 3 B1 step up on Construction electrical
Journeyman Electrician to Electrical Foreman +$15,950 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Next rung on 'Construction electrical' (Skilled to Lead).
- Gates: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Coordination, Negotiation, Management of Personnel Resources

Side by side

All First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers: Texas median $74,520, $16,760 more a year than all Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers ($57,760), 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 No headline record for this level

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

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

$57,760+$16,760$74,520

Gates on the route: Plumber: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license; Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license; Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

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

Over 40 h a week

17%+46 pts63%

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

3.2 / 5-0.23.0 / 5

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

Degree

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

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

License

A 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.

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

Experience

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

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

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Judgment and Decision Making
Complex Problem Solving
Social Perceptiveness
Active Learning

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.00
Negotiation +1.00
Coordination +0.88
Active Listening +0.75
Speaking +0.75
Learning Strategies +0.74

Make this your goal

Save HVAC Technician to Electrical Foreman 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 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.