Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | Commercial Driver (CDL) | HVAC Technician |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Transportation | Trades |
| Median Salary | $54,320 | $57,790 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $97 | $208 |
| Difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Education | CDL Training (3-7 weeks) | Certificate/Apprenticeship + EPA 608 |
| Exam | CDL Knowledge + Skills Test | EPA 608 + State (varies) |
| Time to License | 1-2 months | 2-4 years |
| Renewal Period | Every 5 yr | Every 3 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 0 hrs | 16 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 37 of 53 |
HVAC Technician earns $3,470 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $34,700 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.