Show me the money...

What are typical hvac technician salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

i been @ my job 15yrs. 34yrs old not skilled in hvac field my 25.00 pr hr willing to take a cut in pay .to be a skilled tech. show me the money

Here's a search I did for HVAC jobs within a 50 mile radius of Auburn, AL:
www.indeed.com/jobs?as_and=hvac&as_phr=&as_any=&as_not=&as_ttl=&as_cmp=&jt=all&st=&radius=50&l=auburn%2C+AL&fromage=any&limit=10&sort=

The default radius for a location on Indeed.com is 25 miles. I was able to get a larger selection of jobs by increasing the commuting radius to 50 miles.

nick carlisle in Auburn University, Alabama said: i been @ my job 15yrs. 34yrs old not skilled in hvac field my 25.00 pr hr willing to take a cut in pay .to be a skilled tech. show me the money

expect to start out at 8-10 dollars per hour if your lucky. Maybe after 10 years you can be back up to 25 but by that time cost of living will have trippled. Most of us hvac guys do it because we like what we do, not because we make lots of cash. The money really isn,t there. Expect long hours, rude customers and bad working conditions. Enjoy

hvac dude is right it will take you at least 10 years to have the skill and knowlege to make what you say your making now.if you would like to get into a skilled trade I would suggest Electrician, With an E lectrical liscense of the right kind you can still do the wiring for some HVAC companies, I would just suggest you find a good school that has a good HVAC-R, as well as Electrical and go part time, once you complete the program with an Associate degree you could more than likely start with someone in ethier field with a descent wage not fantastic but descent wage around 12.00 to 17.00hr

In the Los Angeles area you can start at $20.00+ as an aprentise and raises are given each 6 mos of school. After 5 years you will be a journeyman at $36.00+ at this time but more if you start now.

Apartments start at $1000/month here so it will be a sacrifice while you are moving up.

This trade is crap!!!! Money is good when its there, Our scale now is 43.05 per hour, but no hours. Chicago is dead, it may be different somewhere else. Feast or famine Goodluck out there.

IT is sad, there are so many techs out of work, and other guys in the trade.
There are so many companies folding and closing their doors.
There is no work...in a republican recession.
I would gladly go to los angeles if i could get a 40 hour work week job , and didnt have to work ot.
single father here.

I dont understand what yall talking about Ive been looking into getting into hvac,everywhere I look its saying that this field is booming and the job out look is exellent. So why would so many hvac techs be out of work.I dont get it.

local#597 in Joliet, Illinois said: This trade is crap!!!! Money is good when its there, Our scale now is 43.05 per hour, but no hours. Chicago is dead, it may be different somewhere else. Feast or famine Goodluck out there.

Go to TEXAS!!!!!! plenty of HVAC work..

lee in Houston, Texas said: Go to TEXAS!!!!!! plenty of HVAC work..

how is the pay in texas, i heard the wages are very low?

If anyone is looking for work in Iraq/afgan , email resume to me at nighter2@hotmail.com

Has anyone gone to Brownson technical college if so can you tell me about it,if its a good school.

Is hvac in demand in Los Angeles,CA?

im in school at branford hall to become an hvac/r technition. want to know if theres alot of work in mass and if so heating or cooling??? wich is better money? average srarting pay?

Here in Chicago Union starts out at 22.48 per hour and goes up to 46.79 per hour. Im in the union for 10 years and I am at 35.34 per hour. Only because of my choice not to advance up to top dollar. Non union is much less, A good shop you can make Union scale and get paid time off. Good Luck

thank you!

i am a/c tec i worked befor in tikrit iraq.i have five year eaxpiras all kind of a/c.

Host said: What are typical hvac technician salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

The more you know the more you make our Tech is at $30.00 an Hour but he takes care of business and is able to work on various Commercial equipment . A good tech can work on anything or find out how to fix it with little help from management no matter what the challenge is . With the internet as your friend and some research on your own time this can happen.Make this a career and never stop training and dont be lazy and the $$ will come to you.

How does the operating engineers' local 399 compare to HVAC work in 597? More or less pay? More or less work?

I have been in the industry for five years this June. I started at $9.00 per hour plus commission. After four years I exceeded 66K.
I have a slow period once a year that I use to take vacations and/or enhance my skills. I am thinking of moving to where the climate is warmer year round. Some of the comments here concern me and I would like to know: 1)for the individuals that are unhappy or not making enough, what are you doing to make yourself more valuable?? 2)dor the individuals that are happy the same question??

i'VE BEEN IN THE TRADE SINCE THE EARLY 80'S. i HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO GET WORK AT A GOOD WAGE. CURRENTLY IN THIS AREA BC-CANADA WORK IS ONE PHONE CALL AWAY AND A QUALIFIED PERSON SHOULD BRING IN 30/HOUR EASILY TO START. SIDE JOBS SHOULD BRING IN CLOSER TO 50/HOUR. i DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE STATES BUT EVEN AT THE WORST TIMES HERE IN CANADA WORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE PHONE CALL AWAY.

aL in Surrey, British Columbia said: i'VE BEEN IN THE TRADE SINCE THE EARLY 80'S. i HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO GET WORK AT A GOOD WAGE. CURRENTLY IN THIS AREA BC-CANADA WORK IS ONE PHONE CALL AWAY AND A QUALIFIED PERSON SHOULD BRING IN 30/HOUR EASILY TO START. SIDE JOBS SHOULD BRING IN CLOSER TO 50/HOUR. i DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE STATES BUT EVEN AT THE WORST TIMES HERE IN CANADA WORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE PHONE CALL AWAY.

Al, i like what you have to say, how long have you been at your current company?
I also heard one has to have all kinds of licenses to be a j man or a tech in BC Canada?
and what part of BC are we talking here?
The average wage for this trade here is 31 and hour and some change across the board or country, and are dollar is worth more even during a recession, although the cost of living and expenses here cost more due to the recession.
no, the dollar doesnt go far these days, but, yeah its not an easy trade to retire with or on.
I like what you had to say , though.
one phone call away, you mush know people and gotten established to be a phone call away, and i assume thats you calling someone , than them calling you, so side jobs must not be a big thing.
some places here side jobs can bring in some good wages besides the making up for low wages or bad economy.

I have a 5year old felony for fraud, "even do it wasn't, thats what they labeled it" time to move on. And im looking to get into HVAC either in Miami,FL or Charlotte, NC. My question is will I have a hard time finding a job after I graduate. Also would commercial or residential be better with this record. Thanks,

Just FYI in Virginia the job market is good for commercial or residential and the pay range is from 10.00/hr up to 30$ plus depending on your skill level. I have been in the trade for 11 years and am currently at 28.00/ hr with NATE certs and no masters or journeymans. The higher pay is in the commercial although residential you make less per hour but you can make a boat load in OT. I just wanted to share this with you guys, hope it helps.

To Dollardeals, your best bet would be Residential with your record although if you decide to try commercial I would try to speak with a manager at the company you would apply to before you apply, I would be upfront about it and this would show initiative on your part and show the employer that you are serious and not trying to hide anything. Depending on the companies policy most employers are willing to give people a chance or if you prefer a Second Chance. Hope this helps and goodluck.

I make 37.50 per hour , free ride all expense paid, truck , gas , bluecross insurance, and have always made more than my age since 16 , I am 34 years old ! It's there if your good, and people will find you, btw ( I am non union! North alabama

Nice, joined HVAC agent about a year ago and am getting really great offers including signing and moving funds. So yes I agree, if your good they will find you. hit 88K last year and am looking good again. About to complete my seventh year.

I am also NOT UNION

I am also Not Union

HVAC is full of half-hearted business owners who can't see beyond their own interests, meaning that maintaining their own standard of living is more important than actually running a company with a crew who can depend on work to survive...my advice if you still seek it is to accumulate as much knowledge as you can in the field in every aspect of the business from fabrication to installation to service...learn how to size jobs become completely self-sufficient as quickly as you can...the only way to do that is to understand how everything works and to pick up as much knowledge as you can...once you get the fundamentals everything else will fall into place...one clue is to remember that the laws of physics are immutable meaning they don't change...and in the process for all intents and purposes you will become an electrician and a plumber by proxy because you have to understand all this to be an effective tech...have confidence, be voracious and in 2-3 years get your feet wet by doing your own jobs...Don't be intimidatded or put-off this isn't rocket science and finally don't depend on anyone giving you a job...the amount of money i make compared to what i might be paid is ridiculous...a couple hundred a day maybe compared to 1000 a day depending on leads and available work...don't be discouraged this is a challenging field with too many people without practical knowledge getting by without really knowing what they are doing...there is room for you if you make it...

In My Opinion:

1. Jack and 5h@t if you have less than 5 years experience and somehow break through the Catch-22 of not having 5+ years experience.

2. Lowball to living-wage if you have 5+ years experience in combination with your EPA, ESCO, NATE, and/or ACCA certifications.

3. Union prime if you somehow got into the Sheetmetal Workers or Pipefitters and Steamfitters union apprenticeship/journeyman programs.

4. Livable if you live below the Mason-Dixon line and are a genius among high-school dropouts, have a market and/or extreme climate to exploit, and have low COLE where you live.

5. White-collar if you succeed in getting a BSE in HVAC. Warning, you might not be able to take the ME licensing exams in your state with this degree, however.

I live in Michigan, so I'm stuck with #1 everywhere I try to apply. Wish I'd learned welding, plumbing, electrical, or even toolmaking instead... >:(

-WageslaveZ-

doc69 in Los Angeles, California said: Has anyone gone to Brownson technical college if so can you tell me about it,if its a good school.

If you already work in HVAC they will help you, if your looking into learning a new trade save your money this school is not the place for you...The women in the front office are beyond rude all 3 have attitudes, the teachers are hit and miss as you go from one module to the next,the job placement lady will just foward craigslist postings including staffing jobs for warehouse work...All in all not worth the money, Good luck....

doc69 in Los Angeles, California said: Has anyone gone to Brownson technical college if so can you tell me about it,if its a good school.

The BTS is bad, do not spend your money at this place, jerky teachers
ask students to buy breakfast, lunch in exchange of the answers of the test, a tall teacher named Paul always said" I help you and you have to help me" he meant the student had to bring food or gift for him. The BTS is a very low scale school at Anaheim