HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in South Dakota

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.

SD Median Salary
$59,460/yr
-1% vs. national
National Median
$59,810/yr
SD Employment
1,130
HVAC Technicians employed
SD Sponsors
5
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 Dakota: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered hvac technician apprenticeship in South Dakota 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 Dakota pay vs. national

Median hvac technician wages in South Dakota are $59,460/year, -1% below the national median of $59,810. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

South Dakota has 5 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 Dakota-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

South Dakota Wage Spread

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

10th pct
$41,070
Median
$59,460
90th pct
$77,280
Middle 50% of workers earn $49,560$63,800

Current HVAC Technician Apprenticeship Openings in South Dakota

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

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

Organization City County
Temperature Technology, Inc. Rapid City Pennington County
MIDWESTERN MECHANICAL Sioux Falls Minnehaha County
MIDWESTERN MECHANICAL, INC. Sioux Falls Minnehaha County
Thompson Mechanical, Inc. Watertown Coddington County
Kaiser Heating and Cooling Yankton Yankton County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current HVAC Technician openings

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

HVAC Technician Apprenticeship in South Dakota

The 5 HVAC Technician-related registered sponsors in South Dakota mean apprenticeship programs exist but aren't abundant. Building relationships with local contractors and trade unions is often more effective than waiting for formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do HVAC Technicians earn in South Dakota?
The BLS reports a median wage of $59,460/yr for HVAC Technicians in South Dakota (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?
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?
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 Dakota?
Our directory surfaces 5 HVAC Technician-related registered sponsors in South Dakota. 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.
Do HVAC Technician apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In South Dakota, a first-year HVAC Technician apprentice might earn around $29,730/yr (roughly half the $59,460 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 244 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) programs nationwide →
Too few South Dakota-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

HVAC Technician in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in South Dakota

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