HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in Colorado

Wages, programs & career outlook

HVAC technicians install, maintain, and repair the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems that keep buildings comfortable and commercial coolers running. The trade blends mechanical work, electrical diagnostics, and refrigerant handling.

CO Median Salary
$63,420/yr
+6% vs. national
National Median
$59,810/yr
CO Employment
8,870
HVAC Technicians employed
CO Sponsors
37
Registered programs
Training Term
4.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
8.1%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
40,100
Nationally, per yr

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in Colorado: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered hvac technician apprenticeship in Colorado combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 4.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Colorado pay vs. national

Median hvac technician wages in Colorado are $63,420/year, +6% above the national median of $59,810. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Colorado has 37 registered apprenticeship sponsors for hvac technician listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.1% job growth for hvac technicians nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 40,100 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Colorado-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Colorado Wage Spread

Annual wages for HVAC Technicians in Colorado across all experience levels.

10th pct
$46,600
Median
$63,420
90th pct
$100,790
Middle 50% of workers earn $50,900$80,010

Current HVAC Technician Apprenticeship Openings in Colorado

No hvac technician apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Colorado. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship Sponsors in Colorado

37 hvac technician-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Colorado. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current hvac technician apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
ELITE REFRIGERATION Arvada
STANDARD MECHANICAL INC Arvada
AMERICAN MECHANICAL SERVICE OF COLORADO INC Centennial
CARRIER CORP Centennial
Homeland Mechanical LLC Colorado Springs El Paso County
M1 MECHANICAL Colorado Springs
AIRTECH MECHANICAL CORP Commerce City
Precision Mechanical Inc. Commerce City
APOLLO MECHANICAL Denver
COLORADO HVAC SERVICES Denver
LEGACY MECHANICAL INC Denver
TOLIN MECHANICAL SYSTEMS Denver
Trane Rocky Mountain District Denver Denver County
UPM MECHANICAL LLC Denver
R&H Mechanical Holdings Eagle Eagle County
AIR COND. ASSOC./DENVER BOILER Englewood
LEADING EDGE MECHANCIAL INC Englewood
HARPER MECHANICAL Evans
Air Comfort Inc. Fort Collins
JCOR MECHANICAL INC Golden
Cookeys Mechanical, Inc Grand Junction Mesa County
Haynes Mechanical Registered Apprenticeship Program Greenwood Village Arapahoe County
Alpha Mechanical Solutions LLC. Gunnison Gunnison County
Cooleys Heating and Cooling Hotchkiss Delta County
CHILLER SYSTEMS SERVICE, INC Lakewood
+ 12 more sponsors in Colorado
Search apprenticeship.gov for current HVAC Technician openings

Filter by occupation code 49-9021 and state CO for the most relevant results.

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in Colorado

Apprenticeship seekers in Colorado can contact any of 37 trade-specific sponsors our directory surfaces. Coverage is reasonable in urban centers, thinner in rural regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do HVAC Technicians earn in Colorado?
The BLS reports a median wage of $63,420/yr for HVAC Technicians in Colorado (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
What is the length of an HVAC Technician apprenticeship program?
A typical HVAC Technician apprenticeship lasts approximately 4 years (8,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for HVAC Technicians?
An apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn over 4 years with no tuition cost. Trade school is faster (6–24 months) but costs money upfront. Both can lead to the same journeyman credential.
Where can I apply for an HVAC Technician apprenticeship in Colorado?
Our directory surfaces 37 HVAC Technician-related registered sponsors in Colorado. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
How much do HVAC Technician apprentices earn?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $31,710/yr in Colorado). Wages increase at regular intervals — usually every 6 months — as you progress through the program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. HVAC Technicians also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 244 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) programs nationwide →
Too few Colorado-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

HVAC Technician in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Colorado

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.