HVAC technician salary in Virginia
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
HVAC technicians in Virginia earn a median of $59,730 a year, or $28.72 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $83,420 a year. Nationally the median is $61,010, so Virginia pays 2% less than the U.S. overall and ranks 33rd of 51.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $19.12/hr
- Jobs in Virginia
- 14,690
- After cost of living
- $59,080
- Median hourly pay
- $28.72/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −2%
- Rank among states
- 33rd of 51
Apprentice to senior HVAC technician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $39,760–$47,910$19.12–$23.03/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $59,730$28.72/hr | |
| Senior / top earners | $73,440–$83,420$35.31–$40.11/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Virginia compares
- HVAC technicians are more concentrated in Virginia than nationally: 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.4 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $83,420, is 2.1 times the 10th-percentile wage, $39,760: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural Virginia
- Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area$58,560
- Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area$53,290
- Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area$50,820
- Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area$48,580
Other trades in Virginia
Questions
- How much do HVAC technicians make in Virginia?
- HVAC technicians in Virginia earn a median of $59,730 a year, or $28.72 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $83,420 a year.
- How much do HVAC technicians make an hour in Virginia?
- The median hourly wage is $28.72. The middle half earn between $23.03 and $35.31 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice HVAC technicians make in Virginia?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.12 an hour ($39,760 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $23.03.
- Where in Virginia do HVAC technicians earn the most?
- Among Virginia metro areas, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria has the highest median at $71,920 a year, and Kingsport–Bristol the lowest at $48,950.
- Do HVAC technicians in Virginia earn more than the national average?
- The Virginia median of $59,730 is 2% less than the U.S. median of $61,010. Prices in Virginia run 1% above the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $59,080 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 51. 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 (101.1, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures