Compare A Master Electrician ↔ 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
Master Electrician to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.65 (same lateral rule, started from this rung; target is the related occupation's role nearest this rung's level band).
- 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, $810 less a year than all Electricians ($58,570), every experience level.

Master Electrician: 35% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.1 times the share for HVAC Technician (17%).

This level's pay

A $32.23 to $40.29/h City of Austin (incl. Austin Energy) pay range, 2025

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

$58,570-$810$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 +14.4% Texas, 8,100 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

35%-19 pts17%

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

4.1 / 5-1.03.2 / 5

Kneeling or crawling-2.00Kneeling or crawling: A 3.75, B 1.75
Walking or running-1.78Walking or running: A 4.23, B 2.45
Cramped space-1.72Cramped space: A 4.4, B 2.68
Climbing ladders-1.33Climbing ladders: A 4.2, B 2.87
Bending or twisting-1.23Bending or twisting: A 4.68, B 3.45

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 1% do).

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

License

A Texas: Master Electrician license (TDLR): 2 years as a licensed Journeyman, 12,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician, and a TDLR exam.

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 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 28%).

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

Troubleshooting
Critical Thinking
Repairing
Equipment Maintenance
Installation
Reading Comprehension

To build: 1

Operations Monitoring +0.63

Make this your goal

Save Master Electrician 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 1 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.