HVAC technician salary in California
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
HVAC technicians in California earn a median of $72,560 a year, or $34.88 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $109,060. California ranks 12th of 51 states and DC for HVAC technician pay, at 19% more than the U.S. median of $61,010.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $22.57/hr
- Jobs in California
- 35,130
- After cost of living
- $65,530
- Median hourly pay
- $34.88/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +19%
- Rank among states
- 12th of 51
Apprentice to senior HVAC technician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $46,950–$58,280$22.57–$28.02/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $72,560$34.88/hr | |
| Senior / top earners | $90,780–$109,060$43.65–$52.44/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How California compares
- HVAC technicians are less concentrated in California than nationally: 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.73 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $109,060, is 2.3 times the 10th-percentile wage, $46,950: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
- Napa$84,570
- San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara$82,050
- Santa Rosa–Petaluma$79,510
- Santa Maria–Santa Barbara$78,640
- San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont$78,490
- Santa Cruz–Watsonville$78,330
- Stockton–Lodi$75,710
- El Centro$75,220
See all California metro areas
- San Luis Obispo–Paso Robles$75,160
- San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad$74,880
- Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim$73,830
- Salinas$72,550
- Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura$69,710
- Vallejo$67,950
- Sacramento–Roseville–Folsom$66,670
- Bakersfield–Delano$66,400
- Visalia$64,990
- Modesto$64,760
- Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario$64,300
- Merced$64,040
- Redding$63,020
- Chico$62,920
- Yuba City$62,850
- Hanford–Corcoran$62,670
- Fresno$62,580
Rural California
- North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$69,150
- Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$62,490
- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$59,630
Other trades in California
Questions
- How much do HVAC technicians make in California?
- HVAC technicians in California earn a median of $72,560 a year, or $34.88 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $109,060.
- How much do HVAC technicians make an hour in California?
- The median hourly wage is $34.88. The middle half earn between $28.02 and $43.65 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice HVAC technicians make in California?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.57 an hour ($46,950 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $28.02.
- Where in California do HVAC technicians earn the most?
- Among California metro areas, Napa has the highest median at $84,570 a year, and Fresno the lowest at $62,580.
- Do HVAC technicians in California earn more than the national average?
- The California median of $72,560 is 19% more than the U.S. median of $61,010. Prices in California run 11% above the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $65,530 would nationally.
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), area code 06. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed HVAC technicians and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (110.7, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures