Compare A Sheet Metal Worker ↔ B HVAC Technician

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$3,520 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Instrumentation Technician: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
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
Sheet Metal Worker to Instrumentation Technician +$3,990 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (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).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Instrumentation Technician to HVAC Technician -$470 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- 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, $3,520 more a year than all Sheet Metal Workers ($54,240), every experience level.

Sheet Metal Worker: 28% work more than 40 hours a week, about 1.7 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

$54,240+$3,520$57,760

Gates on the route: 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 +5.3% Texas, 950 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

28%-11 pts17%

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

2.9 / 5+0.23.2 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+1.76Outdoors, all weather: A 2.51, B 4.27
High places+1.16High places: A 2.22, B 3.38
Standing-1.16Standing: A 4.84, B 3.68
Climbing ladders+1.15Climbing ladders: A 1.72, B 2.87
Walking or running-0.91Walking or running: A 3.36, B 2.45

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: 0% do).

License

A Texas: HVAC duct work is done under a TDLR-licensed A/C contractor; helping with A/C maintenance or repair needs TDLR technician registration. Other sheet metal work: no license at agencies checked.

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: 47%).

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

Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Learning
Active Listening
Coordination

To build: 6

Operations Monitoring +0.87
Systems Evaluation +0.87
Troubleshooting +0.87
Systems Analysis +0.74
Installation +0.63
Critical Thinking +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Sheet Metal Worker 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.