Compare A HVAC Technician ↔ B Ironworker

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Your route

2 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: weatherization Installer: OEWS pay for an 'All Other' group; not specific to this occupation.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Weatherization Installer: license not checked yet.
Move 2, to Ironworker: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
HVAC Technician to Weatherization Installer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Weatherization Installer to Ironworker
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Side by side

All Structural Iron and Steel Workers: Texas median $52,240, $5,520 less a year than all Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers ($57,760), every experience level.

Ironworker: 34% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2 times the share for HVAC Technician (17%).

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

$57,760-$5,520$52,240

Gates on the route: Weatherization Installer: license not checked yet.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

B +3.6% Texas, 850 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

17%+17 pts34%

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

3.2 / 5+0.33.4 / 5

Kneeling or crawling+1.63Kneeling or crawling: A 1.75, B 3.38
Outdoors, all weather-1.40Outdoors, all weather: A 4.27, B 2.87
Walking or running+1.20Walking or running: A 2.45, B 3.65
Standing+0.69Standing: A 3.68, B 4.37
Bending or twisting+0.68Bending or twisting: A 3.45, B 4.13

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: 7% 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 No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

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: none (O*NET: 57%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Operations Monitoring
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Time Management

To build: 1

Operation and Control +0.50

Make this your goal

Save HVAC Technician to Ironworker 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 1 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.