HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in Montana

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.

MT Median Salary
$58,600/yr
-2% vs. national
National Median
$59,810/yr
MT Employment
1,050
HVAC Technicians employed
MT Sponsors
35
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 Montana: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered hvac technician apprenticeship in Montana 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.

Montana pay vs. national

Median hvac technician wages in Montana are $58,600/year, -2% below the national median of $59,810. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Montana has 35 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 — Montana-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Montana Wage Spread

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

10th pct
$39,610
Median
$58,600
90th pct
$79,240
Middle 50% of workers earn $47,360$72,070

Current HVAC Technician Apprenticeship Openings in Montana

No hvac technician apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Montana. 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 Montana

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

Organization City County
Monarch Heating and Cooling Belgrade Gallatin County
Aire Serv Bigfork Flathead County
C Bar J Mechanical Billings Yellowstone County
MK Mechanical Billings
Midland Mechanical Inc Billings Yellowstone County
White Heating and Air Conditioning Billings Yellowstone County
Bridger Heating and Cooling Bozeman Gallatin County
Premier Air LLC Bozeman Gallatin County
Arctic Refrigeration Heating & Cooling Fallon Prairie County
Mountain Air Mechanical Florence Ravalli County
Hansen Heating & Cooling LLC Glendive Dawson County
A T Klemens (HVAC) Great Falls Cascade County
A T Klemens Inc. Great Falls Cascade County
Falls Mechanical Services Great Falls Cascade County
Gills Heating & Cooling Inc. Great Falls Cascade County
Harant Heating, Cooling & Remodeling Great Falls Cascade County
Schneiderhan Brothers Heating & Cooling Great Falls
Stordahl Mechanical Systems LLC Hamilton Ravalli County
Fisk Contracting/ DBA JFS Mechanical Harlowton Wheatland County
Lewis Heating and A/C Havre Hill County
JT Mechanical Kalispell Flathead County
Mechanical Solutions, Inc. Kalispell Flathead County
Muonio Mechanical, Inc. Kalispell Flathead County
Northwest Mechanical Contractors Kalispell Flathead County
Pipestone Mechanical Inc. Kalispell Flathead County
+ 10 more sponsors in Montana
Search apprenticeship.gov for current HVAC Technician openings

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

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in Montana

Apprenticeship seekers in Montana can contact any of 35 trade-specific sponsors our directory surfaces. Coverage is reasonable in urban centers, thinner in rural regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average HVAC Technician salary in Montana?
The BLS reports a median wage of $58,600/yr for HVAC Technicians in Montana (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
How many years does it take to become an HVAC Technician through apprenticeship?
Most HVAC Technician apprenticeships run 4 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
What's the difference between an HVAC Technician apprenticeship and trade school?
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.
How do I find an HVAC Technician apprenticeship in Montana?
Our directory surfaces 35 HVAC Technician-related registered sponsors in Montana. 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 $29,300/yr in Montana). 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 Montana-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

HVAC Technician in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Montana

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