Eugene, OR HVAC Training Schools & Certification

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Although Eugene is located in central Oregon (OR), far from the Pacific coast, it was once under several hundred feet of water. Eugene anchors the southern tip of the Willamette Valley, which was inundated numerous times during successive Ice Ages. The waters left behind up to 200 feet of fertile alluvial soil.

The valley had been occupied for thousands of years by Native Americans. Europeans arrived in the 1800s, and the area has never stopped growing. The Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area is now second in population to Portland.

Much of the valley has traditionally relied on agriculture, with some areas now recognized as prime wine-growing sites. Eugene’s economy has long been based on wood products and agriculture, but Eugenites haven’t rested on their laurels. They’ve diversified the economic base to include manufacturing, luxury recreational vehicles, wineries, organic foods, health care, and sports. Billing itself as “A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors,” Eugene has also expanded into high-tech industries and has been dubbed the “Silicon Shire.”

Summers in Eugene are short and hot, typically lasting from May through September, with average highs in the 80s F. Residents experience a big change by October, with daytime temps in the 60s, and evening temps starting to sink to the 30s. Precipitation exceeds six inches monthly by November, and snow may start drifting down by January. Rainfall exceeds snow in most winter months, however.

The booming economy, growing population, and weather extremes create expanding and reliable job opportunities for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration (HVAC/R) technicians.

HVAC organizations such as the Oregon Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ORACCA), the Oregon State Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (ORPHCC), and the Plumbers and Mechanical Contractors Association (PMCAOREGON) provide resources and support to technicians and their employers.

Read on to discover the training programs, job demands, salary predictions, and credentialing expectations for technicians in Eugene.

Demand for HVAC Technicians in Eugene, OR

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) expects national job demand for trained technicians to grow 9 percent between 2023 and 2033. That’s twice as fast as the growth rate (4 percent) for all occupations during that same decade. The specific prediction for Oregon from Projections Central (2024) is much brighter as they expect a growth rate of 19.3 percent between 2022 and 2032. That’s an anticipated 740 new positions for HVAC technicians within the state.

While the construction of new residential and commercial structures accounts for much of the job growth, especially in prosperous cities like Eugene, systems and equipment in older buildings often need to be replaced, retrofitted, or upgraded to meet evolving environmental standards and changing needs of new businesses, especially those that rely on technology. Businesses and homeowners alike want climate control that is energy efficient and provides comfort, which can mean replacing some systems before their estimated life span of 10 to 15 years. Virtually all climate-control equipment needs regular maintenance, which provides year-round employment for technicians.

HVAC technicians’ responsibilities include the installation, servicing, and maintenance of equipment and systems that “control the temperature, humidity, and overall air quality in buildings.” Technicians use their skills to work in residences as well as commercial and industrial structures. Many choose to specialize in one aspect of the work. For example, in economies such as Eugene’s, refrigeration of agricultural and food processing facilities create more job opportunities for trained technicians.

Approximately 67 percent of technicians are employed by contractors, 8 percent are self-employed, and the remainder fill positions in wholesale or retail trade and in facilities such as educational institutions. In short, there’s no lack of positions and preferred type of work for HVAC technicians nationally or in the Emerald City. Those who are computer-literate, technology savvy, and have superior troubleshooting skills often have the best job prospects.

HVAC Technician Salary in Eugene, OR

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2023) reports that there are 397,450 HVAC mechanics and installers employed nationwide. The technicians generally have only one to two years of postsecondary training, which enables them to earn an annual average salary (annual mean wage) of $59,620. BLS also reports a slightly higher average annual salary for the 310 Eugene technicians at $60,290.

The table below details the national, state, and Eugene salaries:

United States Oregon Eugene, OR
Number of HVAC Professionals Employed 397,450 3,960 310
Annual mean wage $59,620 $63,970 $60,290
10th percentile $37,270 $41,690 $38,990
25th percentile $46,550 $47,900 $46,360
50th percentile (median) $57,300 $61,840 $59,040
75th percentile $71,120 $75,440 $70,300
90th percentile $84,250 $93,990 $78,690

Generally, the BLS numbers are considered the most reliable, however, considering other sources can be illuminating. For example, PayScale (2025)—an aggregator of self-reported salaries—found the following percentiles among its HVAC respondents nationwide:

  • 10th percentile: $36,000
  • 50th percentile (median): $55,614
  • 90th percentile: $84,000

As shown in the above table, the average salary for HVAC workers in Oregon is slightly higher than national salaries. It’s important to consider the cost of living when comparing salaries. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2024) records Oregon as the fifteenth most expensive state in terms of affordability. This means that the higher salaries for Oregon HVAC technicians may not go as far as the lower salaries in other states.

HVAC Apprenticeships in Eugene, OR

Aspiring technicians have two primary ways to learn the skills they need. One is to participate in an apprenticeship, which typically includes 2,000 hours of on-the-job training combined with 144 hours of classroom instruction each year. Apprentices are paid a percentage of journey-level wages, which increase as they gain new skills.

Workers can start with the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries for an overview of apprenticeships and resources. They can also find specific information on HVAC/R apprenticeships regarding available apprenticeships. UA Local 290, based in Tualatin, OR, offers an HVAC/R apprenticeship through their College of Mechanical Systems & Technology.

Oregon Apprenticeship is another potential resource for workers. NW Apprenticeship Services provides information on trade apprenticeships, including HVAC and sheet metal. The Sheet Metal Institute, based in Portland, offers five-year apprenticeships for sheet metal workers through Local 16.

Chemeketa Community College and Lane Community College offer apprenticeships in conjunction with their degree programs. Details of these are included in each school’s profile in the next section.

Accredited HVAC Schools in Eugene, OR

Workers seeking formal training should select an accredited school. Accreditation means that an independent agency has evaluated the school’s program, including the curriculum and the instructors. Two industry organizations accredit HVAC programs: HVAC Excellence and the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA). As of January 2025, neither organization has accredited an Oregon institution. Other reputable agencies have accredited the schools profiled below.

Lane Community College

Lane Community College offers apprenticeship programs for construction trades, including an HVAC technician/installer program, which results in journey-level status and an AAS degree for graduates.

To begin, students must be sponsored by individual employers, accepted by a Joint Apprentice Training Committee, and registered with the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries. They must also be at least 18 years old, have graduated from high school or have a GED, and have taken at least one term of college algebra or math with a grade of ‘C’ or better. The program includes 144 hours of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. Their coursework includes electrical system installation, limited voltage electrical circuits, devices, testing equipment and codes, electrical theory, and HVAC systems 1 – 4.

Students who complete the apprenticeship are qualified to take the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries licensing exam. They may also apply their credit hours to the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program. The AAS program, which requires a total of 90 credit hours, adds general education coursework to the technical curriculum.

  • Location: Eugene, OR
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Estimated Time To Completion: Apprenticeship, four years; degree, two years

Chemeketa Community College

Chemeketa Community College offers an HVAC/R apprenticeship program “in partnership with Mid-Valley HVAC/R Committee, MA #2026, and under the guidance of the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI).” Prior to admission to the program, students must be at least 18 years old, have earned a high school diploma or GED, and have completed an algebra or college math course with a grade of ‘C’ or higher.

Enrollees in the apprenticeship program must be employed to complete their 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. They complete their required technical coursework in evening classes. Coursework includes safety, power tools, heating and cooling piping, soldering and brazing, AC power, compressors, and HVAC controls, among others. Graduates may test for limited electrical licensing and are qualified to seek journey-level status.

They may also apply their credits to Chemeketa’s Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in construction trades with a specialization in Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC/R). The AAS program curriculum includes six general education and 12 additional technical courses.

  • Location: Salem, OR
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Estimated Time To Completion: Apprenticeship, four years; degree, two years

Portland Community College

Portland Community College embeds the HVAC programs in the Facilities Management program. Students may choose a 14-credit HVAC/R certificate, a 44-credit facilities maintenance certificate, or a 90-credit facilities maintenance AAS degree.

Coursework for all three options includes refrigeration l, ll, lll; refrigeration electrical l, ll, lll; and basic HVAC/R installation and techniques. The facilities maintenance certificate adds programmable logic controllers, direct digital control technology, natural gas equipment, and chiller systems, among other coursework. The degree program continues with calculations for trade, commercial print reading, electrical motor controls, boilers, pneumatic controls, technical electives, and general education required courses.

Students learn how to install, maintain, and repair HVAC/R and other equipment and systems. Graduates are qualified to work on equipment and systems in large commercial, medical, institutional, and industrial buildings.

  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Estimated Time To Completion: Degree two years; certificates vary

Eugene students who cannot attend an apprenticeship or on-campus program may find that an online institution may meet their needs. Information on accredited programs is available at the online HVAC programs page.

HVAC Licensing & Certification in Eugene, OR

All technicians who work with refrigerants must obtain Section 608 certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Technicians must pass an exam on the safe handling of refrigerants. The EPA distinguishes between four levels of certification, based on the systems on which the technician works, as follows:

  • Type 1 – for servicing small appliances
  • Type II – for servicing or disposing of high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and motor vehicle air conditioning
  • Type III – for servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances
  • Universal – for servicing all types of equipment

Accredited schools typically include exam preparation coursework, and some make passing the exam a condition of graduation.

Industry organizations also offer Section 608 testing and certifications. Technicians may also increase their employability by obtaining additional training and certifications, from organizations such as:

  • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) – provides opportunities for technicians to increase their technical competence by offering comprehensive, cutting-edge education to HVAC/R technicians.
  • North American Technical Excellence (NATE) – offers testing that represents real-world working knowledge of HVAC/R systems.
  • HVAC Excellence – allows technicians to validate that they have retained knowledge in specific areas of the HVAC/R industry.

Each has specific details on their websites. Further information is also available in this comprehensive guide to HVAC certifications.

Anyone performing construction activity for compensation that involves improvements to real property must obtain a contractor’s license from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. This includes HVAC contractors. Self-employed HVAC technicians are typically classified as contractors.

Applicants must undergo 16-hour pre-license training and take an exam. They then select a license endorsement that defines the type of license required. The endorsements are:

  • Residential
  • Small commercial – defined as 10,000 square feet or less; or any size if the total cost per project does not exceed $250,000
  • Commercial (all larger commercial systems)

Endorsements are further divided into categories that include general contractors, specialty contractors, and limited contractors. The categories are determined by the project size, the scope of the work, and the trades involved in working on the project. Bonds and liability insurance requirements vary according to the endorsements.

Applicants must obtain surety bonds, general liability insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance if applicable. The application must also document education and experience. Licenses must be renewed every two years. Renewal requires documentation of approved continuing education credits (CE). The amount of CE required is based on the type of license. The original application and renewal application require the payment of a fee.

The City of Eugene does not require a business license. As licensing regulations are always subject to change, HVAC professionals are encouraged to confirm that they comply with current guidelines before starting a project.

Sandra Smith

Sandra Smith was introduced to the HVAC industry when she worked as a bookkeeper and secretary for a small air-conditioning contractor. She eventually became a CPA and started her own practice specializing in small business taxes and accounting. After retiring from business, she began writing articles for newspapers, magazines, and websites. She also authored four books. Sandra makes her home in the mountains with a rescue dog that naps on her lap as she writes.