Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$40,050
- 25th Percentile — Junior$48,360
- 50th Percentile — Median$61,010
- 75th Percentile — Senior$77,060
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$95,210
The top 10% of HVAC Technicians earn $95,210 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $40,050, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84,920 | +31.1% |
| Alaska | $80,150 | +23.7% |
| Washington | $78,860 | +21.7% |
| Massachusetts | $77,760 | +20.0% |
| New Jersey | $77,580 | +19.8% |
| Illinois | $77,570 | +19.7% |
| California | $75,370 | +16.3% |
| New York | $74,760 | +15.4% |
| Minnesota | $73,990 | +14.2% |
| Maryland | $73,820 | +14.0% |
| Connecticut | $73,590 | +13.6% |
| New Hampshire | $71,490 | +10.4% |
| Colorado | $71,330 | +10.1% |
| North Dakota | $70,010 | +8.1% |
| Rhode Island | $69,780 | +7.7% |
| Oregon | $68,430 | +5.6% |
| Wisconsin | $67,410 | +4.1% |
| Hawaii | $67,070 | +3.5% |
| Vermont | $67,070 | +3.5% |
| Delaware | $66,140 | +2.1% |
| Ohio | $66,000 | +1.9% |
| Maine | $65,300 | +0.8% |
| Indiana | $65,110 | +0.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $64,880 | +0.2% |
| Michigan | $64,490 | -0.4% |
| Nevada | $63,350 | -2.2% |
| Iowa | $63,120 | -2.6% |
| Missouri | $62,410 | -3.7% |
| Montana | $62,260 | -3.9% |
| Kansas | $61,470 | -5.1% |
| Virginia | $61,190 | -5.5% |
| South Dakota | $61,100 | -5.7% |
| Nebraska | $61,050 | -5.8% |
| Arizona | $60,900 | -6.0% |
| Idaho | $60,010 | -7.4% |
| Utah | $60,000 | -7.4% |
| Texas | $59,130 | -8.7% |
| Kentucky | $58,870 | -9.1% |
| Tennessee | $57,810 | -10.8% |
| Oklahoma | $57,640 | -11.0% |
| North Carolina | $57,400 | -11.4% |
| Florida | $57,310 | -11.5% |
| Georgia | $57,080 | -11.9% |
| Louisiana | $56,880 | -12.2% |
| South Carolina | $56,460 | -12.8% |
| Wyoming | $55,760 | -13.9% |
| New Mexico | $55,330 | -14.6% |
| Mississippi | $53,020 | -18.2% |
| West Virginia | $51,700 | -20.2% |
| Alabama | $51,320 | -20.8% |
| Arkansas | $51,150 | -21.0% |
What Factors Affect HVAC Technicians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for HVAC Technicians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $84,920, while Arkansas pays $51,150 — a gap of $33,770 per year.
The middle half of HVAC Technicians earn between $48,360 and $77,060 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $40,050, while the top 10% earn more than $95,210.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +56.6% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for HVAC Technicians?
The average salary for HVAC Technicians in the United States is $64,780 per year, with a median of $61,010.
What is the starting salary for HVAC Technicians?
Entry-level HVAC Technicians typically earn between $40,050 and $48,360 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays HVAC Technicians the most?
District of Columbia pays HVAC Technicians the most at $84,920 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($80,150) and Washington ($78,860).
How much do HVAC Technicians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $64,780, HVAC Technicians earn approximately $31.14 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is HVAC Technicians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 409,670 HVAC Technicians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $64,780 and a median of $61,010 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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