by 
Maybe you are interested in an HVAC job in Georgia, but first, it is important to be aware of the different certification types and requirements.
Read on to get an idea of what skills and education you need to become an HVAC technician.
Article Table of Contents
Job Outlook
HVAC jobs are predicted to increase by 14% in the next 6 years.
This makes the industry a good choice, especially if you are willing to get the additional certifications.
As per the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8,270 individuals are hired in the HVAC field.
Salaries in Georgia
The average HVAC technician wage is $45,132 a year, with experienced professionals earning $51,140 annually.
In the United States, the average salary is $46,648 per year, while the experienced technicians earning $52,858 per year.
While salaries in the state vary depending on the area, the Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta region has the highest-paid workers.
The average wage here is $45,000 a year.
The wages in Augusta/Richmond County are similar.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | $46,143 |
| Augusta | $43,372 |
| Columbus | $42,144 |
| Macon | $43,330 |
| Savannah | $43,606 |
| Athens | $45,816 |
| Roswell | $45,969 |
| Albany | $42,879 |
| Warner Robins | $43,199 |
| Alpharetta | $45,904 |
Regional Salary in Georgia
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, GA | 140 | $44,860 | $21.57 | $59,650 | $30,990 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 270 | $46,510 | $22.36 | $61,930 | $30,980 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,610 | $57,650 | $27.72 | $80,150 | $37,950 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 660 | $50,420 | $24.24 | $71,240 | $31,850 |
| Brunswick, GA | 120 | $44,580 | $21.44 | $59,980 | $21,040 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 280 | $46,100 | $22.16 | $61,010 | $29,490 |
| Dalton, GA | 120 | $53,250 | $25.6 | $65,680 | $31,200 |
| Gainesville, GA | 340 | $49,610 | $23.85 | $66,460 | $33,920 |
| Hinesville, GA | 50 | $48,630 | $23.38 | $58,400 | $32,200 |
| Macon, GA | 230 | $49,990 | $24.04 | $71,660 | $30,990 |
| Rome, GA | 80 | $50,860 | $24.45 | $73,170 | $35,950 |
| Savannah, GA | 390 | $49,540 | $23.82 | $70,310 | $31,820 |
| Valdosta, GA | 170 | $50,800 | $24.42 | $71,840 | $31,670 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 220 | $47,320 | $22.75 | $64,040 | $30,230 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
How to get a HVAC license in Georgia
To become a contractor, you will need a high school diploma or GED as well as a Conditioned Air Contractor license.
Getting an EPA 608 certification and a NATE certification is also a good idea as it secures a higher pay.
Conditioned Air Contractor Certification
In order to work on any air conditioning systems, you need a Conditioned Air Contractor license.
There are 2 types of licenses:
- Class I (limited): Allows you to work on systems using less than 175,000 BTU for heating and 60,000 BTU for cooling.
- Class II (unlimited): Allows you to perform air conditioning work with no limitations.
These licenses need to be renewed every other year for a $75 fee.
To get the Class A license, you need:
- An experience of 2 years as a lead mechanic one one year as a supervisor
- An experience of one year as a residential supervisor
- A heat loss and gain and duct design course
To get the Class B license, you need:
- A total experience of 5 years
- An experience with systems using more than 175,000 BTU for heating and 60,000 BTU for cooling
- An experience of 2 years as a lead mechanic, from which one year in commercial work and one year as a supervisor
- An experience of 2 years as a supervisor and a heat loss and gain and duct design course
You can substitute 2 years of experience if you have an engineering degree.
You can substitute a year of experience if you finished a certificate program.
HVAC Schools
If you want to know where can you get a degree in engineering for this trade, check out the schools in the table below.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Albany Technical College | 1704 South Slappey Boulevard Albany, Georgia 31701 |
| Athens Technical College | 800 U.S. Hwy 29 North Athens, Georgia 30601 |
| Atlanta Technical College | 1560 Metropolitan Pky SW Atlanta, Georgia 30310 |
| Augusta Technical College | 3200 Augusta Tech Drive Augusta, Georgia 30906 |
| Central Georgia Technical College | 3300 Macon Tech Dr Macon, Georgia 31206 |
| Chattahoochee Technical College | 980 S Cobb Drive Dr SE Marietta, Georgia 30060 |
| Coastal Pines Technical College | 1777 W Cherry St Jesup, Georgia 31545 |
| Columbus Technical College | 928 Manchester Expy Columbus, Georgia 31904 |
| Fortis College | 2108 Cobb Parkway Smyrna, Georgia 30080 |
| Georgia Northwestern Technical College | One Maurice Culberson Drive Rome, Georgia 30161 |
| Georgia Piedmont Technical College | 495 N Indian Creek Dr Clarkston, Georgia 30021 |
| Gwinnett Technical College | 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 |
| Interactive College of Technology | 5303 New Peachtree Rd Chamblee, Georgia 30341 |
| Lanier Technical College | 2990 Landrum Education Dr Oakwood, Georgia 30566 |
| Laurus Technical Institute | 523 Church Street Decatur, Georgia 30030 |
| Lincoln College of Technology | 2359 Windy Hill Road Marietta, Georgia 30067 |
| Middle Georgia Technical College | 80 Cohen Walker Dr Warner Robins, Georgia 31088 |
| Moultrie Technical College | 800 Veterans Parkway North Moultrie, Georgia 31788 |
| North Georgia Technical College | 1500 Georgia Hwy 197 N Clarkesville, Georgia 30523 |
| Oconee Fall Line Technical College | 1189 Deepstep Rd Sandersville, Georgia 31082 |
| Ogeechee Technical College | One Joseph E. Kennedy Blvd Statesboro, Georgia 30458 |
| Okefenokee Technical College | 1701 Carswell Ave Waycross, Georgia 31503 |
| Savannah Technical College | 5717 White Bluff Rd Savannah, Georgia 31405 |
| South Georgia Technical College | 900 South GA Tech Parkway Americus, Georgia 31709 |
| Southeastern Technical College | 3001 E First St Vidalia, Georgia 30474 |
| Southern Crescent Technical College | 501 Varsity Rd Griffin, Georgia 30223 |
| Southwest Georgia Technical College | 15689 US Hwy 19 North Thomasville, Georgia 31792 |
| West Georgia Technical College | 176 Murphy Campus Blvd. Waco, Georgia 30182 |
NATE Certification
As 87% of clients would rather hire someone with a North American Technician Excellence certification, this diploma can help your career.
This exam shows your expertise in a particular area related to HVAC.
EPA Certification
Required by Section 608 Refrigeration Recycling Rule, these certification mandates technicians to have knowledge about environmental protection when handling dangerous materials.
This certification does not have an expiration date.
There are 3 different EPA Certifications:
- EPA Section 608 HVAC Type I: Allows you to work on appliances with a maximum of 5 lbs of refrigerant
- EPA Section 608 HVAC Type II: Allows you to work with high pressure appliances, such as non-automotive systems and split systems.
- EPA Section 608 HVAC Type III: Allows you to work with low-pressure appliances.
The HVAC Testing
You will first need to complete an application from the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board which costs $30.
Conditioned Air License Test
The exam is open book, lasts for 7 hours and has 100 questions.
The topics include regulations, laws, system design, installation, maintenance, and repairs.
You need a 70% score in order to pass.
You need to pay a $240 exam fee.
Georgia has reciprocity agreements with South Carolina and Texas.
In order to keep your license, you will need to finish 4 extra hours of education each year.
NATE Test
In order to get your NATE certification, you need to:
- Decide on what type of technical work you want to do, installation or service.
- Choose a specialty exam beside the core one.
- Register for the test in your region
EPA Exam
You can take the The Section 608 EPA certification test online of offline.
You can use the 12-page manual to prepare, and you can buy and attend the test online at ESCO Testing.
The exam fee is $24.95, and if you need to retake it you will have to pay $5.95.
What is the Warm Air License in Georgia?
If you heard the warm air license being mentioned, you should know this was the previous name for the Conditioned Air Contractor license.
Final Considerations
While It takes some time and effort to become certified as an HVAC technician, everything is worth it because you’ll have a secure job and with extra qualifications, even higher chances of getting better-paid positions.
Read the full guide: How to Become an HVAC Technician
HVAC Schools by City
HVAC Schools by State