HVAC School in Colorado | Training for HVAC Jobs in CO

Colorado has the second-highest projected job growth rate for HVAC technicians in the nation.The US Department of Labor

Colorado does not have a statewide licensing or credential requirement for HVAC technicians. If you work as an employee of an HVAC company you are not required by state or local regulations to hold any specific credentials.

However, all HVAC techs who work with common refrigerants throughout the state must meet specific federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification requirements.

Any company that hires HVAC techs sets its own standards for employment. These often include a preference, if not a requirement, for the following:

High school diploma or GED
Industry-recognized training and work experience
Education – diploma, certificate, or degree from a college, university, or trade school

Featured Programs:

Education

This can be particularly advantageous because it shows you have experience with advanced concepts and the concrete skills that employers are after, including:

Servicing forced air systems
Principles of heating, cooling, and refrigeration
Sheet metal fabrication and properties
Water-based heating and cooling systems
Fundamentals of natural gas heating
Hydronics and piping for liquids
Radiant heating
HVACR electricity
Heat pumps

College-based education programs also often include courses that will qualify you for EPA refrigerant certification.

Contractors in Colorado, companies that bid on projects, are also not licensed at the state level. However if you're aiming to become an HVAC contractor you will likely run into qualification requirements at the city or county levels of government.

Industry Recognized Training and Experience

Service being done on an AC Unit

Having years of work experience or an industry credential are some of the most common employer-mandated requirements you'll encounter as an HVAC technician.

You can always gain experience by finding an employer who is willing to hire and train you as a greenhorn. However there are also more formal routes to gaining these valuable résumé boosters:

Industry-recognized credentials – These commonly include the following. Check around in your local area to see what employers commonly prefer:

North American Technician Excellence (NATE) Industry Competency Exams
OSHA 10-hour construction industry training

Labor unions and trade associations – These organizations offer HVAC apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs:

Local Union #58 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and HVAC Service Technicians in Colorado Springs
Local Union #208 Pipefitters of Denver
Local Union #9 Sheet Metal Workers in Denver, Lakewood, and Colorado Springs
Local Union #145 Plumbers and Pipefitters in Grand Junction
Rocky Mountain Pipe Trades District Council #5 in Grand Junction, Colorado Springs, Aurora, and Denver
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Rocky Mountain Chapter in Englewood

EPA Section 608 Certification

If you work with pressurized refrigerant you need the federal EPA's Section 608 certification. There are four types of this certification that depend on what type of work you'll be doing:

For servicing small, self-contained appliances containing five or fewer pounds or refrigerant

To earn any of these certifications you must pass the EPA exam specific to the certification type. Same-day education and certification programs are common. Check with your local HVAC college program, with your employer, or with the EPA to find out when and where the next nearest training is.

If you are working with motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) systems you must complete a separate Section 609 EPA-approved technician training and certification program.

HVAC Contractor Licensing Requirements in Colorado's Largest Cities and Counties

There are no state-wide licensing requirements for HVAC contractors. You'll need to check with your local jurisdiction to see what, if any, requirements you must meet when operating your own contractor business.

Here are the largest jurisdictions that have specific HVAC contractor licensing requirements:

Denver's HVAC Contractor Certification Requirements

The City and County of Denver has well-defined contractor certificates for many categories that each have their own experience requirements. To apply for a particular certificate you'll start by filling out an application with Denver Community Planning and Development. Applicants also need to pass an exam tailored to each different contractor certificate. Each exam is developed by the International Code Council (ICC) – (all exam outlines here) – and administered by the third-party testing company Pearson VUE. Once Denver has approved your application you'll be authorized to register to test with Pearson VUE and schedule your exam at a testing location.

Heating and Ventilation Journeyman – Requires four years (7,000 hours) of heating/ventilation experience through on-the-job training or an apprenticeship and passing the ICC Exam #F31 National Standard Journeyman Mechanical. Entitles you to install HVAC systems with hot water heaters not more than 100 Mbtu and wiring that is not above 48 volts.
Heating and Ventilation Class A Supervisor – Requires eight years of HVAC experience: four years as a journeyman and four years as an HVAC designer, draftsman, or supervisor, and passing the ICC Exam #F29 National Standard Master Mechanical. Entitles you to install and work on HVAC systems not exceeding 100 Mbtu input, systems involving wiring that is not above 48 volts, and systems involving 50 tons of refrigerant at most.
Heating and Ventilation Class B Supervisor – Requires six years of HVAC experience: four years as a journeyman mechanic and two years as a designer, draftsman, or supervisor, and passing the ICC Exam #F32 National Standard Residential Mechanic. Entitles you to install and work on residential HVAC systems not exceeding 100 Mbtu input, systems involving wiring that is not above 48 volts, and AC or refrigeration systems that use five tons of refrigerant or less.
Heating, Ventilation, AC-Residential Only – This certificate has two subcategories: heating and ventilation, and just refrigeration. To qualify for heating and ventilation you need six years of related work experience: four years as an HVAC mechanic and two years as a designer, draftsman, or supervisor. To qualify for refrigeration you need two years of experience as a designer or supervisor, and four years (7,000 hours) of field installation experience through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training. Both these subcategories require passage of the ICC Exam #F32 National Standard Residential Mechanical. The heating and ventilation certification entitles you install and work on residential HVAC systems not exceeding 100 Mbtu input and systems involving wiring that is not above 48 volts. The refrigeration certification entitles you to work on AC or refrigeration systems that use five tons of refrigerant or less.
Refrigeration Operator – Requires three years of experience in refrigeration as a trainee or apprentice and passing the ICC Exam #288 Refrigeration Operator. Entitles you to take charge of and operate refrigeration systems. This is the first certificate in a series that includes Refrigeration Journeyman, Refrigeration Class B Supervisor, and Refrigeration Class A Supervisor.

All certificates are renewed every three years.

Colorado Springs and El Paso County's HVAC Contractor Licensing

In 1966 the local governments of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Manitou Springs, and several other cities came together to create a regional building commission known as the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, which today is responsible for licensing HVAC contractors. To qualify for a license you'll need to pass the appropriate exam. This is developed by the International Code Council (ICC) and administered by the third-party testing company Pearson VUE. Once the regional business department has approved your application you'll be authorized to register to test with Pearson VUE and schedule your exam at a testing location. You'll need one of the following contractor licenses depending on what type of work you're doing. Each of these licenses needs to be renewed every year:

Heating Mechanic IV-HVAC Service Technician (F31) – This license allows for the repair and servicing of HVAC systems. To qualify for this license you must pass the ICC's National Standard Journeyman Mechanical exam. You must also arrange to get a Combustible Gas Indicator Certificate and Carbon Monoxide Detection Instrument Certificate from an approved training provider. You must complete six hours of continuing technical education to renew this license.
Mechanical Contractor A (Commercial) – This license allows you to install and work on HVAC systems of any size in any structure. To qualify for this you must pass the ICC's National Standard Master Mechanical (F29) exam. You'll also need combined single limit liability insurance of $300k.
Mechanical Contractor B (Residential) – This license allows you to install and work on HVAC systems in one and two-family dwellings, and accessory structures three stories high or shorter. To qualify for this you must pass the ICC's National Standard Residential Mechanical (W32) exam. You'll also need combined single limit liability insurance of $300k.
Mechanical Contractor C-1 (Gas Piping) – This license allows you to install and work on gas piping systems and gas appliances not connected to duct systems. To qualify for this you must pass the ICC's National Standard Master Gas Pipe Fitter (N33) exam. You'll also need combined single limit liability insurance of $300k.

Fort Collins HVAC Contractor Licensing

To run your own HVAC contractor company you'll need the appropriate license and a supervisor certificate. These are managed by the city's Contractor Licensing Department. You can apply for both of these at once when you fill out the specialized trade contractor application. To qualify you need at least two years of related experience as a supervisor, and must cite three projects you've worked on that demonstrate this. To make a complete application you'll need to provide proof of having passed International Code Council's (ICC) National Standard Master Mechanical (W29) exam. This is administered by the third-party testing company Pearson VUE. You can register to test online and schedule your exam at any testing location. You must also submit three project verification forms that demonstrate you have completed three projects in a supervisory role. These can be from residential projects and commercial projects. There are four different types of HVACR contractor licenses in Fort Collins, each allowing for a different aspect of HVACR work to be performed on systems that are less than 50 volts:

HVAC Residential (R) Contractor – Allows you to install HVAC systems and their related components in residential projects. You can use this license to perform commercial retrofits if you provide two commercial project verification forms with your application.
HVAC Commercial (C) Contractor – Allows you to install HVAC systems and their related components in commercial and residential projects. You must submit two commercial project verification forms with your application.
HVAC Repair/Replacement (RR) Contractor – Allows you to repair and replace residential HVAC systems and their related components.
Refrigeration Contractor – Allows you to install refrigeration equipment and related components.

These renew every two years, and throughout the time your company is licensed you must also have general liability insurance for a minimum of $2 million.

HVAC Techs in Colorado Face Staggering Growth

It would be an understatement to say Colorado's HVAC marketplace is robust.

In the decade leading up to 2022 Colorado is projected to have the second-highest growth rate of HVAC tech jobs in the nation, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the US Department of Labor (USDOL). With a projected rate of increase at 43.5 percent, that amounts to an average of 340 HVAC job openings throughout the state each year.

USDOL also reports HVAC techs in the rural northwest section of the state earn the second-highest average salary of all non-metro regions in the nation. Overall, HVAC techs in Colorado earn the 12th-highest average salary in the nation.

The demand for HVAC technicians in Colorado stands on three important pillars:

Climate
Colorado's deserts, mountains, hills, and valleys have a complex influence on its overall climate, causing extremes in weather that necessitate widespread climate control.
Energy cost
In February 2016 Colorado was second only to Arizona for having the highest combined sector electricity cost from all states in the mountain region. Arizona is the state with the highest projected HVAC tech job growth in the nation.
Incentives
Whether it be a nod to Colorado's environmentalists and sustainability streak or motivations for greater energy efficiency, a range of private-sector businesses, utility companies, and government agencies offer incentives and rebates to help businesses and residents afford HVAC upgrades and retrofits. Examples include:
- Boulder County's low interest loan program to fund upgrades to heating and cooling systems as part of its EnergySmart initiative
- Colorado Natural Gas' Excess is Out rebate program to fund HVAC efficiency upgrades
- Xcel Energy's equipment efficiency rebates for businesses

HVAC Technician Salaries in Colorado

Colorado has the second-highest projected job growth rate for HVAC technicians in the nation. In the decade leading up to 2024 the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment estimates these jobs will increase by 43.5 percent. That means an average of 340 HVAC technician job openings throughout the state every year.

Why such a high demand in Colorado? Unique factors combine to make perfect conditions in the state for HVAC technicians:

Colorado has a relatively high percentage of its population who are environmentally conscious and want the most energy efficient HVAC systems
Of all states in the Rocky Mountain corridor Colorado has the second most expensive electricity
Colorado's climate includes hot summers and cold winters
Colorado's tech sector is one of the best in the nation outside Silicone Valley and has a significant influence on the smart HVAC sector

At the state level Colorado offers HVAC technicians the seventh-highest average salary in the nation. This comes out to an hourly median wage of $26.08, which is $54,250 annually. More experienced HVAC technicians – those in the top tenth percentile – earn $76,630 annually (US Department of Labor, 2015).

Colorado HVAC Technician Salary (median)

$54,250

Colorado HVAC Technician Salary (top 10%)

$76,630

Demand and salaries are typically highest in the state's metro areas, however Colorado's non-metropolitan areas cannot be overlooked. In fact, of all rural areas in the nation HVAC technicians earn the third-highest average salary in northwest Colorado: $56,990 (US Department of Labor, 2015).

HVAC Technician Salaries in Colorado by City

The following salaries are hourly and annual statistics. They are presented as a range between the median and the 90^th percentile figures. These salary statistics are sourced from the US Department of Labor in May 2015:

Denver
- Hourly: $26.48 – $37.22
- Annual: $55,090 – $77,420
Colorado Springs
- Hourly: $25.50 – $31.23
- Annual: $53,040 – $64,960
Aurora
- Hourly: $25.50 – $31.23
- Annual: $53,040 – $64,960
Fort Collins
- Hourly: $26.65 – $37.31
- Annual: $55,430 – $77,610
Lakewood
- Hourly: $26.48 – $37.22
- Annual: $55,090 – $77,420
Arvada
- Hourly: $26.48 – $37.22
- Annual: $55,090 – $77,420
Pueblo
- Hourly: $22.84 – $33.46
- Annual: $47,520 – $69,590
Boulder
- Hourly: $23.91 – $36.46
- Annual: $49,740 – $75,840
Greeley
- Hourly: $28.36 – $38.95
- Annual: $58,990 – $81,010
Longmont
- Hourly: $28.36 – $38.95
- Annual: $58,990 – $81,010
Grand Junction
- Hourly: $26.31 – $37.93
- Annual: $54,720 – $78,890