New York State is one of the few states that doesn’t issue a state-level license for its HVAC professionals.
However, some of its localities may require you to obtain one before working in the industry.
Read on below to learn more about what you need to do to work as an HVAC technician in NY state.
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HVAC Programs in New York State
Being an HVAC technician requires technical skills, knowledge, and experience that you can get from an HVAC program or an apprenticeship.
Having these three will equip you for the duties attached to this profession.
To better prepare yourself, listed below are some of the accredited HVAC schools you can check out in the state.
23 HVAC Schools in New York
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Ashworth College | 6625 The Corners Pkwy NW #500, Norcross, GA 30092 |
| Alfred State College-School of Applied Technology Campus | S. Brooklyn Avenue, Wellsville, NY 14895 |
| Apex Technical School Inc. | 6345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10011 |
| Branford Hall Career Institute | |
| Broome-Tioga-BOCES | 565 Johnson Avenue, Bohemia, NY 11716 |
| Captial Region Career Technical School | 421 Upper Glenwood Road, Binghamton, NY 13905 |
| Career and Technical Institute/Dutchess BOCES | 1015 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12205 |
| Dutchess Community College | 61 Page Park Drive, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 |
| Harlem School of Technology | 53 Pendell Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 |
| Hudson Valley Community College | 215 W. 125th Streeet, New York, NY 10027 |
| hvacredu.net (Online Training) | 80 Vanderburgh Avenue, Troy, NY 12180 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute | Mahwah & Union NJ, NY 11111 |
| Mechanics' Institute | 20 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036 |
| Mohawk Valley Community College | 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica, NY 13501 |
| Monroe Community College | 1000 E. Henrietta Road, Bldg 21, Rochester, NY 14623 |
| Myers Education Center | Henning Road, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 |
| Suffolk County Community College | Grant Campus/Nesconset Bldg. 17, Long Island, NY 11111 |
| SUNY @ Delhi | 2 Main Street, Delhi, NY 13753 |
| SUNY Canton-Camino Schl of Engineering Technology | 34 Cornell Drive, Canton, NY 13617 |
| SUNY@Erie Community College-North Campus | 6205 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221 |
| TCI College of Technology | 320 W. 31st Street, New York City, NY 10001 |
| The Refrigeration Institute | 545 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 |
| The School of Technical Cooperative Education | 321 E. 96th Street, New York, NY 10128 |
EPA Certification
Under the Clean Air Act, HVAC technicians working with refrigerants have to obtain EPA Section 608 Technician Certification.
You can choose to get any of the 4 certification types as long as you meet its qualifications.
To learn which type fits your job service, read our guide to the EPA certification.
Local-level Licensing
Although there’s no state-level license, you may need to obtain one at the local level.
For example, New York City doesn’t require one, but if your service overlaps with related professions, then you must get that HVAC-related license.
So make sure you stay on top of the rules and regulations in the locality where you’ll be working.
Potential Salary
In New York State, HVAC technicians can earn the following as of May 2021 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Annual mean wage – $66,180
- Low 10% – $37,520
- Top 10% – $96,520
The table below shows the salaries in 10 of the state’s cities for your reference.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of HVAC Techs in New York
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $56,541 |
| Buffalo | $44,687 |
| Rochester | $46,368 |
| Yonkers | $53,862 |
| Syracuse | $46,261 |
| Albany | $47,770 |
| New Rochelle | $45,385 |
| Mount Vernon | $53,839 |
| Schenectady | $47,304 |
| Utica | $44,747 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 1,400 | $66,670 | $32.06 | $95,540 | $46,740 |
| Binghamton, NY | 340 | $64,840 | $31.17 | $89,290 | $41,180 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 1,420 | $61,460 | $29.55 | $85,560 | $38,760 |
| Elmira, NY | 70 | $60,460 | $29.07 | $79,840 | $38,060 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 180 | $59,870 | $28.78 | $79,780 | $43,060 |
| Ithaca, NY | 120 | $63,540 | $30.55 | $89,680 | $39,550 |
| Kingston, NY | 270 | $59,280 | $28.50 | $78,900 | $36,230 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 990 | $63,520 | $30.54 | $81,760 | $43,580 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 21,340 | $74,560 | $35.85 | $102,870 | $48,800 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,700 | $62,580 | $30.09 | $85,650 | $40,680 |
| Syracuse, NY | 710 | $65,000 | $31.25 | $93,220 | $45,940 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 260 | $60,420 | $29.05 | $84,570 | $38,170 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 130 | $62,870 | $30.23 | $92,850 | $37,650 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
HVAC Schools by City
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