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How to become an HVAC technician in New Jersey
Technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants need the federal EPA Section 608 certification, except for an apprentice closely and continually supervised by a certified technician; New Jersey also requires a master HVACR contractor license, issued by the State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors, to perform HVACR services unless an exemption applies. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New Jersey earned a median $74,450 a year in May 2025 ($35.79 an hour).
HVAC technician licensing in New Jersey
The licensing authority is New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors. The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA Section 608 Certification (federal) | Required nationwide for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants, except apprentices closely and continually supervised by a certified technician: Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very-high-pressure, other than small appliances and motor-vehicle air conditioners), Type III (low-pressure) or Universal (all). Pass an EPA-approved test; the credential does not expire. | — | EPA-approved Section 608 test (Type I / II / III / Universal) | not published |
| Master HVACR Contractor | At least 21; five years in HVACR contracting, made up of four or more years in a US Department of Labor-approved HVACR, steamfitter, pipefitter or sheet-metal apprenticeship (with refrigerant and propane training) and one or more years as an HVACR journeyperson, or an HVACR bachelor's degree and one year of practical work, or a related bachelor's degree and three years. An accredited school HVACR program counts for two of the four apprenticeship years. Two-part written exam with 70 in each part. Application fee $100; the initial license fee is $160 or $80 depending on the year of the two-year cycle. | — | Two-part written exam: HVACR practice and New Jersey law (third-party vendor) | $100 |
Reciprocity. Licensed master HVACR contractors from other states may apply through reciprocity where that state's standards are equal to or comparable with New Jersey's and it reciprocates with New Jersey.
Renewal. Every two years ($160), with five credits of continuing education except at the first renewal (the EPA 608 credential does not expire).
Licensing sources: EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-24) · NJ HVACR Board: FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-23) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1 (master HVACR examination application) (retrieved 2026-10-03) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 (master HVACR education and experience) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 (examination) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-3.1 (renewal of license) (retrieved 2026-10-03) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1 (fees) (retrieved 2026-09-23). Requirements change; confirm with New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as an HVAC technician in New Jersey?
Technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants need the federal EPA Section 608 certification, except for an apprentice closely and continually supervised by a certified technician; New Jersey also requires a master HVACR contractor license, issued by the State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors, to perform HVACR services unless an exemption applies.
What does it cost to get licensed as an HVAC technician in New Jersey?
The published fee in the table above is $100. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become an HVAC technician in New Jersey?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do HVAC technicians make in New Jersey?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New Jersey earned a median $74,450 a year in May 2025, $35.79 an hour. That median is 22% above the national figure of $61,010, and New Jersey ranks 9 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice HVAC technicians make in New Jersey?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in New Jersey under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, 273 apprentices started, at a median $20.00 an hour across the 273 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $39.08 an hour at completion (106 completers with an exit wage DOL counts). Wages are in that year's dollars.
What HVAC technicians earn in New Jersey
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New Jersey earned a median $74,450 a year in May 2025, $35.79 an hour. 10,330 people held the job, 2.4 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 22% above the national figure of $61,010, and New Jersey ranks 9 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in New Jersey
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23.09 | $48,020 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $27.26 | $56,700 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $35.79 | $74,450 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $46.59 | $96,910 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $56.03 | $116,550 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $37.30 | $77,580 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in New Jersey
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ employs the most HVAC technicians of the 3 metro areas based in New Jersey that BLS publishes, 480, at a median $60,640 a year. The best-paid is Trenton-Princeton, NJ at $75,240.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 480 | $60,640 | $44,560 | $88,930 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 430 | $75,240 | $47,730 | $111,720 |
| Vineland, NJ | 290 | $68,250 | $45,510 | $119,190 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into New Jersey: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.
New Jersey against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Minnesota | $76,350 | 4,200 |
| 7 | Washington | $75,660 | 7,370 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $74,490 | 970 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $74,450 | 10,330 |
| 10 | New York | $74,430 | 24,430 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $73,850 | 2,560 |
| 12 | California | $72,560 | 35,130 |
The complete ranking is on the HVAC technicians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $74,450 | $61,010 |
| Median hourly | $35.79 | $29.33 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $48,020 | $40,050 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $116,550 | $95,210 |
| Employed | 10,330 | 409,670 |
Apprenticeships in New Jersey
U.S. Department of Labor records list 708 registered apprentices active in New Jersey in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 273 apprentices started, at a median $20.00 an hour across the 273 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $39.08 an hour at completion (106 completers with an exit wage DOL counts).
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in New Jersey
Electricians ($77,250) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($78,240) · Welders ($59,440) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($63,570) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($121,580) · Elevator installers ($137,920) · Ironworkers ($113,220) · Sheet metal workers ($92,840) · Carpenters ($64,010) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($77,010) · Auto service technicians ($56,610) · Diesel mechanics ($72,340) · Heavy equipment operators ($89,660) · Machinists ($63,190)
See all 15 ranked by pay in New Jersey.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.