Skilled Trades
HVAC Technician
Climate control never goes out of style.
AI Risk Score: 2/10
Score is our body/liability/scarcity rubric, calibrated against public AI-exposure research.
Data last reviewed: 2026-07-21
What you actually do
Install and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems.
Why AI does not easily replace it
Hands-on troubleshooting and compliance with refrigerant and safety standards require certified people.
What it pays
$48,000 - $77,000
BLS OOH: HVAC Mechanics and Installers (May 2025 pay, OEWS)
Salary benchmark year: 2025
How to get in
Trade school or apprenticeship + EPA certification.
Estimated time to entry: ~24 months (path-dependent).
State-by-state training and licensing links
- Apprenticeship.gov: Registered apprenticeship job finder
- Apprenticeship.gov: State apprenticeship offices
- U.S. DOL: State apprenticeship agencies directory
Where demand is growing
Extreme weather and efficiency retrofits keep pipelines full.
Ready to explore?
Compare this career in the full directory, or run the exposure calculator against your current role.
"The moat is not a prompt. It is responsibility in the real world."
AI risk evidence
- Anthropic Economic Index (2025-26): measured AI usage and task coverage by occupation
- IMF, "New Skills and AI Are Reshaping the Future of Work" (Jan 2026): ~40% of global jobs exposed to AI-driven change
- Stanford HAI AI Index Report 2026 (labor chapters)
- Oxford Martin: The Future of Employment (2013), kept for historical grounding