HVAC technician salary
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
HVAC technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $61,010 a year, or $29.33 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $95,210.
Median yearly pay$61,010
Bottom 10% under$40,050Top 10% over$95,210
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $19.25/hr
- Jobs nationwide
- 409,670
- Median hourly pay
- $29.33/hr
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Excludes self-employed HVAC technicians. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.
Apprentice to senior HVAC technician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $40,050–$48,360$19.25–$23.25/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $61,010$29.33/hr | |
| Senior / top earners | $77,060–$95,210$37.05–$45.78/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How it compares
- The 90th-percentile wage, $95,210, is 2.4 times the 10th-percentile wage, $40,050: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
HVAC technician pay by state
- District of Columbia$84,390
- Alaska$77,430
- Illinois$77,410
- Massachusetts$77,300
- Connecticut$76,610
- Minnesota$76,350
- Washington$75,660
- North Dakota$74,490
- New Jersey$74,450
- New York$74,430
See all 50 states and DC
- New Hampshire$73,850
- California$72,560
- Maryland$70,020
- Rhode Island$67,370
- Hawaii$65,450
- Colorado$65,200
- Maine$63,170
- Oregon$62,940
- Ohio$62,510
- Pennsylvania$62,400
- Delaware$62,320
- Vermont$62,150
- Wisconsin$61,710
- South Dakota$61,390
- Michigan$60,850
- Montana$60,850
- Iowa$60,680
- Nevada$60,510
- Kansas$60,460
- Indiana$60,430
- Missouri$59,950
- Nebraska$59,850
- Virginia$59,730
- Arizona$59,400
- Utah$58,730
- Louisiana$58,650
- Kentucky$58,620
- Texas$57,760
- Oklahoma$57,560
- North Carolina$57,260
- Florida$56,670
- South Carolina$56,610
- Georgia$56,390
- Idaho$56,240
- Tennessee$55,490
- Wyoming$54,700
- New Mexico$50,270
- West Virginia$48,850
- Mississippi$48,680
- Alabama$48,370
- Arkansas$48,110
Top-paying metro areas
Other trades in the U.S.
Questions
- How much do HVAC technicians make?
- HVAC technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $61,010 a year, or $29.33 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $95,210.
- How much do HVAC technicians make an hour in the U.S.?
- The median hourly wage is $29.33. The middle half earn between $23.25 and $37.05 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice HVAC technicians make in the U.S.?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.25 an hour ($40,050 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $23.25.
- Which state pays HVAC technicians the most?
- The District of Columbia, with a median of $84,390 a year, followed by Alaska ($77,430). Arkansas has the lowest median, $48,110.
- Which metro area pays HVAC technicians the most?
- The Fairbanks–College, AK area, with a median of $93,820 a year.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-9021 (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed HVAC technicians and business owners aren't included. Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures