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State files updated Oct 27, 2026
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Two workers in hard hats fitting a rectangular duct between floor framing, seen from above

Home / HVAC Technicians / Minnesota

How to become an HVAC technician in Minnesota

Minnesota has no state license for individual HVAC technicians; cities and counties license them. The state licenses HVAC contractors through the Dept of Labor and Industry (DLI).1

7registered apprenticeship programs$36.71median an hour in Minnesota

Pick your way in

Apprenticeship

Earn while you learn

A program hires you, pays you on the job and runs your classes.

Pay
From day one
In MN
7 registered programs
Find a program near you
Trade school

Classroom first

Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.

Pay
You pay tuition
In MN
12 schools with programs
Compare 12 schools
Helper

Start on a crew

Get hired as a helper by a licensed HVAC contractor and log hours on the job.

Pay
Paid on the job
Start
No experience needed
How to get started

The license steps

  1. Get hired or start training

    Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.

    Compare the ways in
  2. Run your own shop

    To bid and contract on your own you need a HVAC contractor license or registration.

    Issued by
    Dept of Labor and Industry (DLI) - Construction Codes and Licensing
    Minnesota contractor license
Pay once you're working

$76,350

a year is the median for HVAC technicians in Minnesota ($36.71 an hour, May 2025).4

Pay by city and percentile
  1. Rochester$37.26
  2. Minneapolis–St. Paul$37.25
  3. Mankato$36.86
  4. Duluth$36.40
  5. St. Cloud$35.78
Minnesota median $36.71 an hour

Questions

Do you need a license to work on your own as an HVAC technician in Minnesota?

Yes. Minnesota licenses HVAC contractors through the Dept of Labor and Industry (DLI).2

Are HVAC technicians in demand in Minnesota?

Projections Central expects about 540 HVAC technician openings a year in Minnesota through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.3

Next step

Find an apprenticeship near you

7 registered programs in Minnesota. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.

Find a program

More for HVAC technicians in Minnesota

Sources

  1. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (dli.mn.gov, 2026-10-27)
  2. Dept of Labor and Industry (DLI) - Construction Codes and Licensing contractor licensing (mn.gov)
  3. Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
  4. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Minnesota, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)