Compare A Plumber ↔ B HVAC Technician

Compare with

Your route

1 move · -$2,080 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, 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
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, $2,080 less a year than all Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ($59,840), every experience level.

Plumber: 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

$59,840-$2,080$57,760

Gates on the route: 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 +8.9% Texas, 4,220 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

27%-11 pts17%

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

3.7 / 5-0.53.2 / 5

Kneeling or crawling-1.46Kneeling or crawling: A 3.21, B 1.75
Walking or running-1.41Walking or running: A 3.86, B 2.45
Cramped space-1.12Cramped space: A 3.8, B 2.68
Standing-1.01Standing: A 4.69, B 3.68
Climbing ladders-0.88Climbing ladders: A 3.75, B 2.87

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: Journeyman Plumber license (TSBPE): 8,000 hours as a registered apprentice, a 48-hour course or DOL apprenticeship, and an exam. Tradesman Plumber-Limited (4,000 hours) covers 1-2 family homes.

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 4 years, up to and including 6 years (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

Critical Thinking
Repairing
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Analysis
Systems Evaluation

To build: 4

Operations Monitoring +0.75
Equipment Maintenance +0.63
Installation +0.50
Troubleshooting +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Plumber 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 4 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.