HVAC technician salary in Charlotte, NC-SC
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
HVAC technicians in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC-SC area earn a median of $59,840 a year, or $28.77 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $79,210. Across all of North Carolina, the median is $57,260, so Charlotte pays 5% more than the state as a whole.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $19.29/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 3,860
- After cost of living
- $61,470
- Median hourly pay
- $28.77/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −2%
- vs North Carolina median
- +5%
Apprentice to senior HVAC technician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $40,110–$47,950$19.29–$23.05/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $59,840$28.77/hr | |
| Senior / top earners | $69,770–$79,210$33.54–$38.08/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Charlotte, NC-SC compares
- Charlotte has the highest HVAC technician median of the 16 North Carolina metro areas with published pay.
- HVAC technicians hold about the same share of jobs in the Charlotte area as nationally: 2.8 of every 1,000 jobs.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $79,210, is 2.0 times the 10th-percentile wage, $40,110: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other North Carolina metro areas
Other trades in Charlotte, NC-SC
Questions
- How much do HVAC technicians make in Charlotte, NC-SC?
- HVAC technicians in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC-SC area earn a median of $59,840 a year, or $28.77 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $79,210.
- How much do HVAC technicians make an hour in Charlotte, NC-SC?
- The median hourly wage is $28.77. The middle half earn between $23.05 and $33.54 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice HVAC technicians make in Charlotte, NC-SC?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.29 an hour ($40,110 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $23.05.
- Do HVAC technicians make more in Charlotte or Virginia Beach?
- Charlotte pays more: the median is $59,840 in Charlotte and $59,470 in Virginia Beach, a 1% difference.
- How does Charlotte pay compare with the rest of North Carolina?
- The Charlotte median of $59,840 is 5% more than the North Carolina median of $57,260.
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 16740 (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC). 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 (97.3, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures