Compare A Plumber Helper ↔ 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
Plumber Helper to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86.
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
- Skills to build: Troubleshooting, Installation, Quality Control Analysis
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, $15,810 more a year than all Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ($41,950), every experience level.

Plumber Helper: 27% work more than 40 hours a week, about 1.6 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

$41,950+$15,810$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 +8.7% Texas, 800 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

27%-10 pts17%

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

3.6 / 5-0.43.2 / 5

Kneeling or crawling-1.77Kneeling or crawling: A 3.52, B 1.75
Cramped space-0.95Cramped space: A 3.63, B 2.68
Walking or running-0.92Walking or running: A 3.37, B 2.45
Very hot or cold-0.80Very hot or cold: A 4.24, B 3.44
Hazardous equipment-0.64Hazardous equipment: A 4.46, B 3.82

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 Texas: register as a Plumber's Apprentice with TSBPE ($15, age 16+) to assist with plumbing under a licensed plumber; hours count only after registering.

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 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 38%).

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: 4

Judgment and Decision Making
Active Listening
Coordination
Monitoring

To build: 6

Operations Monitoring +1.50
Systems Evaluation +1.37
Troubleshooting +1.37
Installation +1.25
Systems Analysis +1.24
Equipment Maintenance +1.13

Make this your goal

Save Plumber Helper 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.