A registered HVAC apprenticeship in Coloradopays you a full wage from day one while you train. Here's what you'll earn, who runs the programs, and how to get in.
Key Takeaways
A registered HVAC apprenticeship in Colorado pays from day one — typically about $12.54/hr to start, rising to roughly $21.31/hr on the way to the $52,150 journeyman median — over about four years of paid work plus classroom training.
A registered HVAC apprenticeship in Colorado is a paid, full-time job built around the federal training standard: roughly 2,000 hours of supervised on-the-job learning plus at least 144 hours of classroom instruction each year, over about 4 years (8,000 field hours in total). Because federal rules tie apprentice pay to the local journeyworker wage, a Colorado apprentice typically starts near $12.54 an hour (about $26,075 a year) and steps up to roughly $21.31 an hour by the final period — on the way to the Colorado journeyman median of $52,150.
Colorado runs its own recognized State Apprenticeship Agency — the Colorado State Apprenticeship Agency — which registers and audits HVAC/R programs alongside the U.S. Department of Labor. Either way, a "registered" program is the one to look for: it guarantees the wage progression, EPA Section 608 prep, and a nationally recognized Certificate of Completion, and it makes veterans eligible to draw GI Bill housing money on top of their wages.
Demand backs the path up: Colorado employs roughly 8,750 HVAC technicians, with the top 10% earning more than $74,280 a year (BLS OEWS). Aging equipment and the R-410A/A2L refrigerant transition keep service and replacement work steady, so sponsors need apprentices in the pipeline.
Colorado does not mandate a statewide HVAC contractor license, though local permits may apply — apprenticeship completion still signals verified, documented competence to employers. EPA Section 608 certification is federally required nationwide and is built into registered programs.
| Period | % of journeyman | Approx. hourly | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 · 1st half | 50% | $12.54 | $26,075 |
| Year 1 · 2nd half | 55% | $13.79 | $28,683 |
| Year 2 · 1st half | 60% | $15.04 | $31,290 |
| Year 2 · 2nd half | 65% | $16.30 | $33,898 |
| Year 3 · 1st half | 70% | $17.55 | $36,505 |
| Year 3 · 2nd half | 75% | $18.80 | $39,113 |
| Year 4 · 1st half | 80% | $20.06 | $41,720 |
| Year 4 · 2nd half | 85% | $21.31 | $44,328 |
| Colorado journeyman (100%) | 100% | $25.07 | $52,150 |