HVAC technicians in the United States earned a median of $61,010 a year ($29.33 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $48,360 and $77,060, and the top 10% earned more than $95,210.
Those figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers (49-9021), the May 2025 estimates, checked as of October 2026. They cover about 409,670 wage-and-salary jobs. They do not include self-employed techs, so if you run your own 1099 business, your numbers work differently (more on that below).
The full pay range
A median tells you the middle. The percentiles tell you where you could land.
| Percentile | Annual | What it roughly means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $40,050 | New installers, helpers, low-cost areas |
| 25th | $48,360 | A few years in, or a lower-paying market |
| 50th (median) | $61,010 | The middle of the trade |
| 75th | $77,060 | Experienced service techs, higher-cost states |
| 90th | $95,210 | Senior, commercial, high-cost metros, heavy overtime |
The mean (average) annual wage was $64,780, or $31.14 an hour. The mean sits above the median because a smaller group of high earners pulls it up. When someone quotes you an "average HVAC salary", ask which one they mean.
The "what it roughly means" column is our reading of who usually sits there, not a BLS breakdown. The BLS reports the wage, not the reason for it.
How the hourly rate becomes a yearly number
BLS annual figures assume a full-time year of 2,080 hours (40 hours times 52 weeks). You can run the same arithmetic on your own offer:
annual pay = hourly rate × 2,080
The overtime pattern is invented for the example. The point is that in HVAC, peak heat and peak cold put most of the year's overtime into a few months, so two techs on the same hourly rate can finish the year thousands apart.
Pay varies a lot by state
State medians for the same job in May 2025, from the same BLS OEWS data:
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $77,410 |
| Massachusetts | $77,300 |
| New York | $74,430 |
| California | $72,560 |
| Texas | $57,760 |
| Florida | $56,670 |
| Georgia | $56,390 |
| Mississippi | $48,680 |
Higher wages usually come with higher housing costs, so compare offers on what's left after rent, not on the headline. Metro areas inside a state can differ again. The BLS publishes metro-level numbers too.
What moves your pay inside the range
- Certifications. EPA Section 608 is the floor for handling refrigerant. Universal certification and manufacturer training make you useful on more calls. See how to get EPA 608 certification.
- Service versus install. Service and diagnostic techs who fix the hard calls tend to earn more than install helpers, and many shops pay service techs commission or spiffs on top of hourly.
- Commercial and refrigeration work. Rooftop units, chillers and refrigeration racks need more knowledge, and the pay usually follows.
- Licensing. Some states and cities require an HVAC or mechanical license to work or to pull permits. A license can be the step from tech to lead or contractor.
- Overtime and on-call. Emergency calls on a 100-degree Saturday pay more. How much overtime you get depends on how your shop runs its board.
That last point is worth asking about in an interview. A shop that loses an hour a day to drive time and late finishes isn't paying you more for it. The HVAC industry page covers why seasonal demand makes HVAC scheduling hard, and why good techs leave covers what owners get wrong about pay and schedules.
What about self-employed HVAC techs?
The BLS wage survey covers employees only. A self-employed or 1099 tech sets a rate per hour or per job and pays their own self-employment tax, truck, tools, insurance and unpaid days. A $45 hourly 1099 rate is not the same as a $45 W-2 wage. The 1099 vs W-2 comparison shows how to convert one into the other.
What to take away
- BLS May 2025: median $61,010 a year ($29.33 an hour) for HVAC mechanics and installers.
- The 10th to 90th percentile range runs from $40,050 to $95,210, so experience, specialty and location matter more than the median.
- State medians ranged from $48,680 (Mississippi) to $77,410 (Illinois) in our sample.
- The survey excludes the self-employed. Convert a 1099 rate before comparing it with a W-2 wage.
Common questions
How much does an entry-level HVAC technician make?
The BLS doesn't publish an "entry-level" figure, but the 10th percentile is a reasonable proxy: $40,050 a year in May 2025. Apprentices and helpers often start below a journey tech's rate and step up as they log hours and certifications.
Do HVAC technicians make more than plumbers or electricians?
Nationally, slightly less. In May 2025 the BLS median was $61,010 for HVAC, $63,800 for plumbers and $63,190 for electricians. See how much plumbers make and how much electricians make for the full ranges.
Which state pays HVAC technicians the most?
Of the states we checked, Illinois ($77,410 median) and Massachusetts ($77,300) were highest in May 2025. Check the BLS occupation page for every state and metro, because rankings move from year to year.
Is HVAC pay hourly or salary?
Most HVAC techs are paid hourly, often with overtime, and service techs may also earn commission or spiffs on sales. Salaried roles are more common in commercial facilities and senior positions.