HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in South Carolina

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.

SC Median Salary
$55,260/yr
-8% vs. national
National Median
$59,810/yr
SC Employment
6,370
HVAC Technicians employed
SC Sponsors
26
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 South Carolina: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered hvac technician apprenticeship in South Carolina 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.

South Carolina pay vs. national

Median hvac technician wages in South Carolina are $55,260/year, -8% below the national median of $59,810. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

South Carolina has 26 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 — South Carolina-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

South Carolina Wage Spread

Annual wages for HVAC Technicians in South Carolina across all experience levels.

10th pct
$38,030
Median
$55,260
90th pct
$72,460
Middle 50% of workers earn $46,800$61,310

Current HVAC Technician Apprenticeship Openings in South Carolina

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

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

Organization City County
Carolina Air, Inc. Beaufort Beaufort County
Broom Heating & Air Conditioning Blythewood Richland County
Trane US, Inc. Blythewood Richland County
Smoaks Comfort Control Charleston Charleston County
CIMCO Refrigeration Duncan Spartanburg County
ACUTE Heating and Cooling Goose Creek Dorchester County
Blue Ridge Heating and Air Greenville
Trane Technologies Company LLC dba Thermo King Greenville Greenville County
MKA Mechanical, Inc. Hartsville Darlington County
Carney and Son 72 Degrees Air Conditioning & Heati Johns Island Charleston County
Walzer Mechanical LLC Laurens Laurens County
Air Conditioning Technical Services, LLC Loris Horry County
A&M Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC Murrells Inlet Horry County
ArcticChill Newberry Newberry County
Central Carolina Heating and Air Newberry Newberry County
Hero Heating and Air, LLC North Charleston Charleston County
LimRic Plumbing, Heating, & Air North Charleston Charleston County
Morelli Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc North Charleston Charleston County
Sing Heating and Air North Charleston Charleston County
J & J Air, LLC North Myrtle Beach Horry County
Waccamaw Heating & Cooling, LLC Pawleys Island Georgetown County
Air Concept Solutions LLC Summerville Berkeley County
HVAC TRAINING SOLUTIONS, LLC Summerville Charleston County
Carolina Cool Surfside Beach Horry County
Hoffman Mechanical Solutions West Columbia
+ 1 more sponsors in South Carolina
Search apprenticeship.gov for current HVAC Technician openings

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

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in South Carolina

Program availability in South Carolina is moderate: 26 HVAC Technician-related sponsors in our directory. Candidates in major cities will find multiple options; those in smaller markets may need to commute or relocate within the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do HVAC Technicians earn in South Carolina?
The BLS reports a median wage of $55,260/yr for HVAC Technicians in South Carolina (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?
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.
What's the difference between an HVAC Technician apprenticeship and trade school?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained HVAC Technicians, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
Where can I apply for an HVAC Technician apprenticeship in South Carolina?
Contact one of the 26 HVAC Technician-adjacent registered sponsors in South Carolina (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
Do HVAC Technician apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In South Carolina, a first-year HVAC Technician apprentice might earn around $27,630/yr (roughly half the $55,260 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 4-year 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) programs in South Carolina →
Or see all 244 programs nationwide.

HVAC Technician in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in South Carolina

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