HVAC Technician Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
HVAC technicians in Los Angeles earn a metro median of about $35.49 an hour, and in-house roles at UCLA Health and LAUSD now post $52 to $58. The current openings are below, followed by who is hiring across the city and how EPA 608 and the trade schools fit together.
Current HVAC technician Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
HVAC Technician Work in Los Angeles
Air conditioning work in Los Angeles splits two ways. Residential service companies run vans out of the Valley and the South Bay, fixing split systems and heat pumps in houses from North Hollywood to Gardena, with summer heat waves driving the busiest weeks. The steadier, better-paid work sits inside big buildings: hospital central plants, school districts and city facilities that run chillers, cooling towers and air handlers year round. UCLA Health is hiring HVAC operating engineers for its Mid-Wilshire campus, LAUSD keeps heating and air conditioning fitters on staff across the district, and the City of Los Angeles hires building operating engineers to keep large-tonnage systems running in its own buildings.
Two things make the trade different here. Large plants often want a Los Angeles steam engineer license on top of HVAC skills, so techs who can run boilers as well as chillers move up faster. And public employers in the city pay well above the metro median, which makes a civil-service or district job a common target once you have journey-level experience.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring HVAC Technicians
These employers have posted HVAC, air conditioning or plant engineer roles in and around Los Angeles:
- UCLA Health - the health system is hiring HVAC operating engineers for its Mid-Wilshire campus at $52.26 an hour, with EPA 608 Universal required.
- Los Angeles Unified School District - the district posts heating and air conditioning fitters at $57.95 an hour to service school systems citywide.
- City of Los Angeles - the city hires building operating engineers who run chillers, cooling towers and air handlers, at $118,347 a year.
- Cedars-Sinai - the health system hires stationary engineers for its Marina del Rey hospital plant, including chilled water and cooling systems.
- Mike Diamond Services - the Hollywood-based home services company hires HVAC service technicians for routes in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and Gardena.
HVAC Technician Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $22 to $28 an hour for helpers, apprentices and new service techs.
- Experienced: roughly $35 to $45 an hour for journey-level service and maintenance techs.
- Senior and in-house plant roles: $52 to $58 an hour at hospitals and the school district, and about $118,000 a year in City of Los Angeles operating engineer jobs.
These are estimates built from BLS 2025 figures for the Los Angeles metro (median $35.49, top tenth above $52.41) and pay ranges posted by local employers. Pay moves with EPA certification level, commercial chiller and controls experience, a steam engineer license, and whether the job is residential service, commercial or public sector. Service companies often add commission or spiffs on replacements.
How to Become an HVAC Technician in Los Angeles
California does not license HVAC technicians who work for an employer. The Contractors State License Board licenses the business: a C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor license, or C-38 for refrigeration, which requires four years of journey-level experience and a $25,000 bond. What every tech needs is federal EPA Section 608 certification, since only certified technicians may handle or buy refrigerant. Local training includes the HVAC and Refrigeration associate degree and certificate at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College downtown, LAUSD adult education HVAC courses at Abram Friedman Occupational Center and West Valley Occupational Center, and the five-year HVACR apprenticeship run with UA Local 250 out of Gardena.
What the Job Involves
HVAC technicians install, service and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. A day can mean diagnosing a failed compressor, recovering and charging refrigerant, replacing motors and capacitors, cleaning coils, checking controls and thermostats, and logging work orders. In large buildings, techs also run preventive maintenance on chillers, boilers, pumps and air handlers and respond to comfort calls from staff.
Skills Employers Look For
- EPA Section 608 certification, Universal preferred
- Electrical troubleshooting with meters and wiring diagrams
- Refrigerant recovery, charging and leak detection
- Chiller, cooling tower and air handler experience for plant roles
- Building automation and controls familiarity
- A valid California driver's license and clean record
- Clear communication with homeowners or building staff
Career Path and Advancement
Most Los Angeles techs start as helpers or apprentices with a service company or contractor, earn EPA Universal, and reach journey level in four or five years. From there the ladder runs two directions: service lead, commercial controls specialist and C-20 contractor on the private side, or district and hospital plant jobs that lead to stationary engineer, senior fitter and chief engineer. Adding a Los Angeles steam engineer license is the usual step from HVAC tech into higher-paid central plant work.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If HVAC work interests you, these Los Angeles trades guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be an HVAC technician in Los Angeles?
No state license is required to work as an HVAC technician for an employer. You do need federal EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerant. Running your own HVAC business requires a C-20 contractor license from the Contractors State License Board.
How much do HVAC technicians make in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles metro median is about $35.49 an hour, or roughly $73,800 a year. New techs usually start in the low to high $20s, while in-house plant roles at UCLA Health and LAUSD post $52 to $58 an hour.
Which EPA 608 certification do Los Angeles employers want?
Most commercial and public employers ask for Universal, which covers small appliances, high pressure and low pressure systems. Residential service companies may accept Type II to start, but Universal opens more jobs.
How long does it take to become an HVAC technician?
A certificate program at LA Trade-Tech or an LAUSD occupational center can get you job-ready in under a year. Union and registered apprenticeships take five years and pay you while you learn.
Is HVAC work in Los Angeles seasonal?
Residential service peaks in summer heat waves, when overtime is common. Plant and maintenance jobs at hospitals, schools and city buildings stay steady all year because those systems run around the clock.
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