Career comparison
Plumber vs. HVAC technician
Plumbers and HVAC technicians earn about the same: medians of $63,800 and $61,010.
HVAC technicians have the stronger outlook: +11% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
Getting in is slower for plumbers: about 4.6 years vs. 2.8 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Plumber | HVAC technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $63,800 | $61,010 |
| Top 10% earn over | $108,420 | $95,210 |
| Growth to 2035 | +7% | +11% |
| Openings per year | 42,000 | 40,600 |
| Jobs today | 510,600 | 440,900 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Time to qualify* | 4.6 years | 2.8 years |
| Training cost* | $100–$5.5K | $5K–$26K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Plumber
HVAC technician
Switching from one to the other
Set your education and current pay. The calculator lays out the path, what it costs, and the year it starts paying off.
PlumberHVAC technician
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Getting in
Plumber
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Journeyman plumber license (most states)
HVAC technician
- Entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Required: EPA Section 608 certification · State or local HVAC license in many areas
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Plumber: 27% usually work over 40 hours a weekHVAC technician: 17% usually work over 40 hours a week
Plumber: core tasks
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
HVAC technician: core tasks
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
- Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
- Schedule work with customers and initiate work orders, house requisitions, and orders from stock.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Critical Thinking, Troubleshooting, Repairing, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring.
New for a plumber moving to HVAC technician: Reading Comprehension, Installation, Equipment Maintenance, Equipment Selection.
New for an HVAC technician moving to plumber: Monitoring, Speaking, Coordination, Operation and Control.
Interests (Holland codes): Plumber: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative. HVAC technician: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Plumber
+7%
faster than average · 42,000 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
HVAC technician
+11%
faster than average · 40,600 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a plumber or an HVAC technician?
Plumbers and HVAC technicians earn about the same: medians of $63,800 and $61,010.
Which has the better job outlook?
HVAC technicians have the stronger outlook: +11% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
How long does it take to become an HVAC technician?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 2.8 years, with tuition of roughly $5,000 to $26,000. Required: EPA Section 608 certification, State or local HVAC license in many areas.
How long does it take to become a plumber?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 4.6 years, with tuition of roughly $100 to $5,500. Required: Journeyman plumber license (most states).