HVAC Job Openings by State, Job Title

Available HVAC Jobs Nationwide

Working in the HVAC industry offers numerous opportunities for job seekers in every state, as companies compete to fill jobs for entry-level HVAC apprentices, HVAC service technicians, HVAC installers, HVAC mechanics, HVAC sales positions, and more.

Taking a bird's-eye view of HVAC job numbers posted nationwide, we gleaned a few interesting tidbits:

• In 2020, HVAC companies posted job descriptions for a total of 173,431 HVAC positions.

• In 2021, from January to November, HVAC job postings totaled 241,065 (a 5339% increase over the same time period in 2020).

• The number of HVAC job postings grew 99.2% from February 2020 to November 2021.

• The fewest number of job postings (9,748) occurred in April 2020.

• The largest number of job postings (25,132) occurred in November 2021.

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HVAC Job Openings by State

Candidates with mechanical services skills often seek lucrative jobs with residential HVAC and commercial HVAC companies, whether it's working on air conditioning systems, HVAC equipment, refrigeration units, or new HVAC technology for indoor air quality. Sweeten the pot and increase your pool of potential job candidates by offering bonus pay for employee referrals.

A review of state-by-state HVAC job numbers shows an obvious correlation between state populations and the number of job listings, but also an interesting climate-related link.

Warm-weather states, like California, Texas, and Florida, top the list for the most HVAC jobs posted in November 2021.  Following close behind, however, are more moderate climate East Coast states like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.

[Info for graphic] Average Number of Active Job Postings in November 2021

• California: 1,902 jobs (population: 39.5 million)

• Texas: 1,670 jobs (population: 29.1 million)

• Florida: 1,646 jobs (population: 21.5 million)

• Pennsylvania: 1,081 jobs (population: 12.8 million)

• Virginia: 1,064 jobs (population: 8.6 million)

• North Carolina: 1,037 jobs (population 10.7 million)

The six states above each averaged more than 1,000 HVAC job postings in November, with New York and New Jersey not too far behind with 949 and 920 jobs, respectively.

States with the least number of job postings in November include:

• Alaska: 48 jobs (population 724,000)

• Wyoming: 58 jobs (population 581,000)

• Hawaii: 78 jobs (population 1.4 million)

• Vermont: 82 jobs (population 623,000)

HVAC Job Openings by Job Title

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Unlike for plumbers and electricians, licensing requirements for HVAC workers and technicians vary widely from state to state, but most require entry-level HVAC job candidates to possess at least a high school diploma or GED and show a driver's license when applying.

It’s also important to note that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under section 608 of the Clean Air Act, requires any technician who maintains, services, repairs, or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere to earn a Section 608 technician certification, which never expires.

For companies trying to hire HVAC workers, finding the right job candidates may require going beyond offering employee referral bonuses, incentive pay, or a competitive salary. For instance, are you also offering generous time-off plans with paid holidays or short-term disability insurance for injuries on the job? Sometimes, simple perks to show you care about your employees can help you close the deal.

>>Want to compare HVAC tech salaries in your state? Check out this comprehensive list.

With ZipRecruiter's help, we compiled job numbers by job title for all of 2020 and most of 2021 for the following six HVAC positions:

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• HVAC Tech: 33,159 job postings for 2020; 41,949 for 2021

• HVAC Installer: 23,580 job postings for 2020; 32,074 for 2021

• HVAC Mechanic: 6,525 job postings for 2020; 11,489 for 2021

• HVAC Engineer: 2,514 job postings for 2020; 3,464 for 2021

• HVAC Sales Representative: 766 job postings for 2020; 949 for 2021

• HVAC Service Manager: 1,370 job postings for 2020; 1,822 for 2021

Interestingly enough, job postings for HVAC sales reps saw the biggest growth from 2020 to 2021, with a 145% increase. Maybe that’s an indication that more HVAC companies are discovering the power of marketing their services through designated sales specialists.

With more than 75,000 postings for HVAC technician job openings across the country, demand is clearly up for these positions as companies continue to grapple with the trades labor shortage. According to ZipRecruiter, the number of job listings for HVAC techs has grown nearly 74% since February 2020.

Other interesting findings for specific HVAC job titles include:

• Job postings for HVAC service managers grew by 91%, with the most (197) in November 2021.

• Job postings for HVAC installers grew by 82%, with the most (3,297) in November 2021.

• Job postings for HVAC mechanics grew by nearly 65%, with the most (1,281) in November 2021.

• Job postings for HVAC sales representatives numbered 135 in November 2021 (most), compared to only 39 in May 2020 (least).

• Generally, the lowest number of all HVAC job postings occurred in May 2020 (in the midst of the pandemic), while most job postings happened in November 2021.

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