HVAC technician jobs in Fort Worth: pay, Texas rules and how to get hired
Fort Worth summers push air conditioners hard, and every service company in Tarrant County needs techs who can diagnose fast and treat customers right. Here is what the job pays, what Texas requires, and how to get hired.
What HVAC techs earn
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $61,010 (May 2025) for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers. The lowest 10% earned under $40,050 and the top 10% over $95,210. BLS projects 11% job growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 40,600 openings a year nationwide.
Many residential service companies add flat-rate pay, spiffs on maintenance agreements, or on-call pay in peak season. Ask exactly how each works.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, HVAC mechanics and installers (May 2025 wage data).
Texas rules to know
- EPA Section 608 certification is required to handle refrigerants. Most trade programs include the exam.
- Texas ACR registration: anyone doing air conditioning and refrigeration work for a licensed contractor must be registered with, or certified by, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Contractors themselves need a TDLR ACR contractor license.
- A valid driver's license and a clean driving record are usually required to take a service van home.
A typical week in Fort Worth
- Dispatched calls across Tarrant County, often from a take-home van.
- Diagnose no-cool and no-heat calls, replace parts, run maintenance visits.
- Attics in July. Expect heat, ladders and tight spaces.
- On-call rotation and overtime in peak cooling season.
Questions to ask in the interview
- Is pay hourly, flat-rate, or hourly plus commission or spiffs?
- Do I get a take-home van, a fuel card and tools?
- Will you pay for training, EPA certification or TDLR registration?
- How does the on-call rotation work, and how is it paid?
Jobs on Outwork
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Do I need a license to be an HVAC tech in Texas?
You need EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerants, and anyone doing A/C and refrigeration work for a licensed contractor must be registered with or certified by TDLR.
How much do HVAC technicians make?
BLS reports a median of $61,010 a year (May 2025); the top 10% earned over $95,210.