Compare A HVAC Technician ↔ B Master Electrician

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Your route

3 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: no single published pay schedule names every stop, and the occupation medians are not like for like on every move.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Plumber: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license.
Move 2, to Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license.
Move 3, to Master Electrician: Master Electrician (TDLR) license.

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
HVAC Technician to Plumber
- O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89.
- Gates: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Plumber to Journeyman Electrician
- O*NET lists Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.82 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license.
Move 3 B2 step up on Texas electrical license track
Journeyman Electrician to Master Electrician
- Next rung on 'Texas electrical license track' (Skilled to Lead).
- Gates: Master Electrician (TDLR) license.

Side by side

All Electricians: Texas median $58,570, $810 more a year than all Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers ($57,760), 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 No headline record for this level

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

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

$57,760+$810$58,570

Gates on the route: Plumber: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE) license; Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license; Master Electrician: Master Electrician (TDLR) license.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

B +14.4% Texas, 8,100 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

17%+19 pts35%

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

3.2 / 5+1.04.1 / 5

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

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: 1% 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 Texas: Master Electrician license (TDLR): 2 years as a licensed Journeyman, 12,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician, and a TDLR exam.

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

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Troubleshooting
Repairing
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Installation
Judgment and Decision Making

To build: 1

Learning Strategies +0.62

Make this your goal

Save HVAC Technician to Master Electrician 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.