Compare A Ironworker ↔ B HVAC Technician

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Your route

2 moves · +$5,520 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, experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to HVAC Technician: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician registration (TDLR), Certified Technician (TDLR, voluntary), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor (TDLR, Class A or B), EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (Type I, II, III or Universal) license.

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Ironworker to Plumber +$7,600 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86.
- Gates: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license, experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Repairing, Troubleshooting, Critical Thinking
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Plumber to HVAC Technician -$2,080 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89.
- Gates: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician registration (TDLR), Certified Technician (TDLR, voluntary), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor (TDLR, Class A or B), EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (Type I, II, III or Universal) license.
- Skills to build: Operations Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance, Installation

Side by side

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

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

Gates on the route: Plumber: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license, experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common); HVAC Technician: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician registration (TDLR), Certified Technician (TDLR, voluntary), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor (TDLR, Class A or B), EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (Type I, II, III or Universal) license.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +3.6% Texas, 850 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

34%-17 pts17%

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

3.4 / 5-0.33.2 / 5

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

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 7% do).

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

License

A 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).

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: none (O*NET: 57%).

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

Operations Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Learning
Active Listening
Coordination

To build: 6

Installation +1.50
Repairing +1.50
Troubleshooting +1.37
Equipment Maintenance +1.13
Systems Analysis +1.12
Systems Evaluation +1.12

Make this your goal

Save Ironworker 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 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.