HVAC Technician Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
HVAC technicians in the Philadelphia area earn a median of about $31 an hour, and SEPTA's vehicle HVAC specialist job starts at $40. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, the EPA 608 certification every tech needs, and where to train in the city.
Current HVAC technician Openings in Philadelphia, PA
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HVAC Technician Work in Philadelphia
Philadelphia HVAC work runs on two tracks. Commercial techs keep chillers, air handlers and rooftop units running in Center City office towers, where building-services firms like Cushman & Wakefield and CBRE staff shifts on Market Street and send mobile engineers across downtown. Transit adds a large niche: SEPTA maintains heating and cooling on its buses and rail cars, and hires techs with no rail background. On the residential side, service companies such as AirMaster in Germantown, GEN3 and Horizon Services install and repair furnaces, boilers, heat pumps and central air in rowhouses and twins across the neighborhoods, with the busiest stretches coming in winter cold snaps and summer heat waves.
Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring HVAC Technicians
These employers had HVAC openings in Philadelphia on their own careers pages this month:
- SEPTA - the transit authority hires vehicle HVAC specialists for its bus and rail fleets, with a pay step after 12 months.
- Horizon Services - the home services company hires residential HVAC technicians in Philadelphia with a sign-on bonus.
- Cushman & Wakefield - the property services firm staffs second-shift HVAC technicians at a Market Street office tower.
- CBRE - the facilities firm hires mobile HVAC engineers covering downtown Philadelphia buildings.
- AirMaster Heating & Cooling Specialists - the Germantown contractor hires residential service technicians and lead installers.
- GEN3 Electric & HVAC - the residential contractor hires HVAC service techs, lead installers and install assistants.
HVAC Technician Salaries in Philadelphia
- Entry level: about $17 to $24 an hour for install assistants and new techs with an EPA 608 card.
- Experienced: roughly $27 to $35 an hour for service and commercial technicians, around the area median of $31.05.
- Senior: $40 to $48 an hour or more for lead techs, transit specialists and top residential earners, with some service postings advertising up to $55.
These are estimates from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 wage data for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro and current local postings. Pay moves with commercial versus residential work, shift, overtime in peak season, commission on residential sales, and certifications; SEPTA and building-services jobs add pensions or full benefits.
How to Become an HVAC Technician in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania has no state HVAC license, and Philadelphia does not license HVAC technicians as individuals. What every tech needs is federal EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerants, with Core plus Type I, II, III or Universal. In the city, mechanical permit work must be done by a licensed contractor, and ductwork falls under the Department of Licenses and Inspections' Sheet Metal Technician and Sheet Metal Apprentice licenses. For training, Orleans Technical College on Red Lion Road runs an AC, Refrigeration and Heating program (8 months days or 14 months evenings), and Community College of Philadelphia offers an online HVAC Level 1 course that prepares for EPA 608. Steamfitters Local 420, based on Townsend Road in the Northeast, runs a Mechanical Equipment Service apprenticeship.
What the Job Involves
HVAC technicians install, maintain and repair heating, cooling, ventilation and refrigeration equipment. The work includes diagnosing no-heat and no-cool calls, checking refrigerant charge and pressures, replacing motors, capacitors and controls, cleaning coils, running preventive maintenance routes, and explaining repairs to customers or building managers. Commercial techs also read building automation screens and log work orders.
Skills Employers Look For
- EPA 608 certification, Universal preferred for commercial roles
- Electrical troubleshooting with meters and wiring diagrams
- Refrigeration cycle and gas furnace or boiler knowledge
- Commercial rooftop, chiller or building automation experience
- Customer communication on residential calls
- A valid driver's license and clean record for service vans
Career Path and Advancement
Most Philadelphia HVAC techs start as install assistants or helpers, move to service technician within a few years, then specialize in commercial chillers and controls, transit equipment or residential lead roles. From there the ladder runs to building engineer, service manager or, with a licensed contractor behind you, your own company. Union steamfitters and service fitters follow the Local 420 apprenticeship ladder into journeyman pay.
Related Careers in Philadelphia
If HVAC work interests you, these related Philadelphia roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be an HVAC technician in Philadelphia?
There is no Pennsylvania or Philadelphia license for individual HVAC technicians. You do need federal EPA Section 608 certification to work with refrigerants. Permitted mechanical work in the city must be done under a licensed contractor, and ductwork requires a Philadelphia sheet metal license.
How much do HVAC technicians make in Philadelphia?
The median for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro is about $31 an hour, or $64,580 a year. New techs and install assistants start around $17 to $24 an hour, and SEPTA's vehicle HVAC specialists earn $40 an hour rising to $44 after a year.
What is EPA 608 certification?
It is the federal certification required to maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that can release refrigerants. It has a Core section plus Type I for small appliances, Type II for high-pressure systems and Type III for low-pressure systems, and passing all four earns Universal. It does not expire.
How long does HVAC training take in Philadelphia?
Orleans Technical College's AC, Refrigeration and Heating program takes 8 months in the day or 14 months at night. Community College of Philadelphia's online HVAC Level 1 course runs about six months. Union apprenticeships through Steamfitters Local 420 take several years of paid training.
When does Steamfitters Local 420 take apprentice applications?
Local 420 is taking applications for its February 2027 class from April 24 through October 31, 2026, online or in person at its Townsend Road training office on weekdays. Its programs cover steamfitting and mechanical equipment service.
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