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Young HVAC tech, not sure if paid well

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Sentinel.

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
23 year old here. Well at 20, I went to school for 2 years and got my certificate. Then my EPA universal license. Got hired as an apprentice for a company, doing both Comm. and Resi.
Then my certificate diploma came in the mail, and turned that all in to the office. Got congratulated. Spent a few more months learning the ropes.
The company recently bumped me up to a "Technician" and gave me a work truck, now sometimes I go out solo.

However in the 10 months I've been working, I've gone from $12.50/hr to $13.00/hr. Is this fair? I feel like I have come a long ways, and gained a lot of responsibility, completing service calls, ordering parts, installing, sometimes all on my own. Stress has doubled for fifty cents more.

Also, have spent maybe $600 or so on tools.

Is my pay typical for an educated, young, eager kid? Kinda feeling disgruntled after browsing around looking at HVAC salaries of other workers. No idea what the veteran techs at my company make.
 
#3 ·
Keep in mind that companies hire guys like you because you are cheaper than someone with 20 years of experience who knows what they are doing. It sounds like you are doing good with this company and that you are learning lots of stuff and are building skills and are becoming valuable to the boss.

My advice would be to think of your job right now as being "on the job training" that you're actually getting paid for. Be grateful that your boss is giving you the opportunities to learn that he is giving you. Maybe this is a good company that you will be with for several years, and the money will come in time, or maybe this is just a stepping stone to something better. Either way, don't forget that you are still the new guy with almost no experience right now. It's unrealistic to expect to go from $12.50 per hour to $40 per hour before your first year is even up.

Keep in mind that once you do get more experience and start making more money, they will expect more out of you and the stress will go way up again. Right now, they know you are the new guy and they expect you to make mistakes from time to time. That's part of the reason you are getting paid less.

Good luck to you.
 
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#4 ·
In SoCal??!?

Yeah, unless you reeeeally like the company, I'd look around a bit. If nothing else you'll have a price you can bring back to your current boss and see about negotiating something better.

Seriously, entry-level sheet metal apprentices (no skills, no licenses, few hand tools at most) make that much in the Seattle area.
 
#5 ·
It's not what you make, but what you spend, If its money you seek, you shall never have enough

I'd rather have less money and be happy than all the riches and miserable--:.02:
 
#6 ·
I make $12.00 a Hour _ Driving a Truck on the Farm , and don't need any Education or People Skills ..
Tech Skills I would believe should bring in $15.00 Hr. at Your Level ..

I could get Paid a lot more doing other Design and Inspection Q.A. work 40K-50K , but the stress Burns You Up after awhile . .
Then It Burns You Out or Kills You . . ( Stress from Contractual Agreements ) that Your Not even a Party too
( Oh, Really is what I Yell back at Them ) - then - Pull out the (( Paid for My Position )) with all of My Stopping of Junk Being Built , Being Delivered and
Causing Contracts to be Cancelled !! ( Saved Their Behinds )

Quality Assurance - Never Sleeps
 
#9 ·
It sounds like you're still under the wing of someone.

Until the company trusts you completely on your own, I would say that's a fair wage. That's about what I made when I first went on my own earlier last year. Raises will come quickly when you can prove your worth without assistance. Time in the field doesn't mean as much as effectiveness and efficiency.
 
#10 ·
Put in your time like everyone else. Learn all you can. Put in your time like everyone else. Work when you're asked. Put in your time like everyone else. Keep callbacks to a minimum and Put in your time like everyone else.
 
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#12 ·
Some days, all of us feel like we aren't paid well........
Get experiance, learn right from wrong, gain respect and show responsibility from your managers and coworkers.
Money will come with experiance.
BTW, I started at $11/hr
 
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#13 ·
for what the stores in my area make you do you should be.
McDonalds is known for trying to pay its workers under min wage in states and has gotten sued over it
 
#14 ·
Sentinel. said:
23 year old here. Well at 20, I went to school for 2 years and got my certificate. Then my EPA universal license. Got hired as an apprentice for a company, doing both Comm. and Resi.
Then my certificate diploma came in the mail, and turned that all in to the office. Got congratulated. Spent a few more months learning the ropes.
The company recently bumped me up to a "Technician" and gave me a work truck, now sometimes I go out solo.

However in the 10 months I've been working, I've gone from $12.50/hr to $13.00/hr. Is this fair? I feel like I have come a long ways, and gained a lot of responsibility, completing service calls, ordering parts, installing, sometimes all on my own. Stress has doubled for fifty cents more.

Also, have spent maybe $600 or so on tools.

Is my pay typical for an educated, young, eager kid? Kinda feeling disgruntled after browsing around looking at HVAC salaries of other workers. No idea what the veteran techs at my company make.
Click to expand...
I think for the amount of time you've been there, it is a fair going rate for you. You are still learning and have much to learn still. You haven't been at it that long really. Consider that you get perks besides your pay and that $13 is bumped up quite a bit. Every young man in this Trade has to pay his dues, and gradually work toward higher status and pay. The best thing you can do is to do a darn good job for your Employer and Consumers with no one complaining about you / showing up on work in time / looking clean and presentable / be a 'Company Man' with great devotion / take on overtime calls without griping / and develop your Portfolio with accomplishments , pictures of your installations , letters of recommendation from customers , etc.... for down the road when you've created Yourself to be a more in demand Individual. Right now, learn all you can and the big bucks will come after you've put in about 8-10 years and have become very valueable.
 
#16 ·
Before i got into hvac, when i was 16 i started painting for $6 hr. 6 years later i was at $17... Do the best that you can do at all times, learn all you can, then try harder. Started installing at $8 hr. 7 years, up to 16, and now attending school. I know what is being taught ,but there WILL be something to learn. Have multi certificates including duct cleaning, but this is what I'm paid .... I love it, still have so much to learn
 
#17 ·
Hang in there get more experience, i started at the same age at 11.50 but then after. A year got bumped to 18, but sadly i left that job after 6 years only making 21.63 even with my c-20 and c-38 was with a major theme park to boot.
 
#19 ·
$13 an hour really? They are hosing you. We start tradesmen at just under $22 an hour. A Tradesmen is a helper, parts runner etc. until they get into the apprentice program.
 
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#20 ·
It sounds like you are right where you need to be on pay,there is much more to learn as we are always learning in this trade,another thing to think about is don't get married to your first shop you work for these days it rarely works out,work where you are a while and get some time under you,then in 3 to 5 years start interviewing with different shops,you'll be surprised I know right now it feels like your doing all you can to impress your employer,with time and experience you will notice a company will do all they can to impress and keep you at there place....keep at it bud we have all been there it will pay off.:)
 
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Heaterman1981
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