Do refrigeration technicians need a license in Connecticut?

Yes. Connecticut requires state-level licensing or registration for refrigeration technicians, administered by the Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements.

What apprenticeships are available for refrigeration technicians in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Connecticut Office of Apprenticeship Training, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details.

How to Become a Refrigeration Technician in Connecticut (2026)

Q: How much do refrigeration technicians earn in Connecticut?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), refrigeration technicians in Connecticut earned a median annual wage of approximately $76,610. Employment concentration in Connecticut is roughly 0.85 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for refrigeration technicians in Connecticut?

Connecticut currently employs approximately 3,800 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.1% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated September 2, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Connecticut employs about 3,800 refrigeration technicians earning a median $76,610 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a refrigeration technician here means working through a trade school or registered apprenticeship and meeting the Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing credentialing requirements.

Compare Refrigeration Technician Schools in Connecticut

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Connecticut State Community College	47.6	Contact school for pricing	$50,130	21%	Yes*	In-state
2	Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor	40.4	Contact school for pricing	$47,136	61%	—	In-state
3	Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden	32.6	Contact school for pricing	$46,281	37%	—	In-state

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Connecticut employs approximately 3,800 refrigeration technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $76,610 ¹. Nationally, refrigeration technician employment is projected to grow 8.1% from 2024 to 2034, with about 40,100 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Refrigeration Technician in Connecticut, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Licensing authority: Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing
Median wage (Connecticut): $76,610 per year ¹
Exam requirement: State exam required

Quick Answers About How to Become a Refrigeration Technician in Connecticut

How to become a Refrigeration Technician in Connecticut? Connecticut requires credentials such as Heating, Piping & Cooling Limited Journeyperson, Heating, Piping & Cooling Unlimited Journeyperson, Heating, Piping & Cooling Operating Engineer Journeyperson. The licensing authority is the Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing ³. You also need to complete an approved training program or apprenticeship.

How long does it take? Most paths into the refrigeration technician field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

Do I need a license in Connecticut? Yes. Connecticut has licensing or registration requirements for refrigeration technicians. The Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing oversees licensing ³. See the licensing section below for details.

What do refrigeration technicians earn in Connecticut? The median annual wage for refrigeration technicians in Connecticut is $76,610 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $45,280 and experienced professionals can earn $100,160 or more ¹.

How to Become a Refrigeration Technician in Connecticut

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Connecticut training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in Connecticut that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Pass the state exam and apply for your license. Apply to the Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing, pass the required examination, and obtain the refrigeration technician credential before working unsupervised in Connecticut.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Refrigeration Technician License Requirements in Connecticut

The Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing oversees refrigeration technician licensing in Connecticut ³.

License Types

License	Requirements
Heating, Piping & Cooling Limited Journeyperson	D-2 LIMITED WARM AIR, AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION JOURNEYPERSON The holder of this license may perform the installation, repair, replacement, maintenance or alteration of any warm air, air cond…
Heating, Piping & Cooling Unlimited Journeyperson	S-2 UNLIMITED HEATING, PIPING, AND COOLING JOURNEYPERSON The holder of this license may do all heating, piping and cooling work as so defined only while in the employ of a licensed contractor.
Heating, Piping & Cooling Operating Engineer Journeyperson	OE-2 LIMITED OPERATING ENGINEER JOURNEYPERSON The holder of this license may perform operation related work.

Additional Requirements

Exam: State exam required
Experience: Work experience required

License information sourced from CareerOneStop ⁴.

Refrigeration Technician Apprenticeship Information in Connecticut

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Connecticut’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Connecticut Office of Apprenticeship Training ⁵.

Contact Information:

Office: Connecticut Labor Department, Office of Apprenticeship & Training
Address: 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1114
Phone: (860) 263-6085
Email: [email protected]

Refrigeration Technician Wages by Metro Area in Connecticut

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Wages by Metro Area in Connecticut

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers wages in Connecticut vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford	1,320	$76,180	$73,610	$46,190	$100,430
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury	1,050	$77,490	$75,390	$45,230	$100,360
New Haven	550	$76,880	$75,310	$43,200	$101,930
Waterbury-Shelton	390	$72,710	$69,980	$44,850	$94,390
Norwich-New London-Willimantic	250	$74,990	$69,830	$45,840	$94,130

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for refrigeration technicians in Connecticut? Connecticut currently employs approximately 3,800 refrigeration technicians ¹. Nationally, refrigeration technician employment is projected to grow 8.1% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a refrigeration technician in Connecticut with an out-of-state license? Contact the Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Connecticut? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Connecticut. You can also contact the Connecticut Office of Apprenticeship Training for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do refrigeration technicians earn in Connecticut compared to the national average? The median annual wage for refrigeration technicians in Connecticut is $76,610, which is $16,800 above the national median of $59,810 according to BLS data ¹.

In Connecticut

Best Trade Schools in Connecticut (2026)

Explore More Trades in Connecticut

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Department of Consumer Protection - Occupational & Professional Licensing - Licensing Information: https://www.ct.gov/dcp ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
CareerOneStop - Licensed Occupations: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx ↩︎
Connecticut Office of Apprenticeship Training: http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/progsupt/appren/WorkSchedules/SponsorReport1.htm ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)