2027 Salary Guide · Skilled Trades
At the BLS median, an HVAC technician made $29.33 an hour in May 2025, or $61,010 a year. Projected forward at 3.1% a year, the 2027 planning median is about $65,000. Those are base-pay figures: the BLS survey leaves out overtime, which BLS says technicians sometimes work during peak heating and cooling seasons.
Hourly rates
Most HVAC jobs are quoted by the hour. These are the BLS hourly percentiles for May 2025, with the annual equivalent BLS reports.
| Percentile | Hourly / annual | Who usually earns it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $19.25 / $40,050 | Helpers, trainees and new installers |
| 25th | $23.25 / $48,360 | Installers and early-career service techs |
| Median | $29.33 / $61,010 | Experienced residential and light commercial service techs |
| 75th | $37.05 / $77,060 | Senior service techs, commercial and refrigeration specialists |
| 90th | $45.78 / $95,210 | Lead techs, building controls specialists and high-cost metros |
BLS OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine. Straight-time pay only: overtime is excluded. The third column is a planning guide, not BLS data.
Local pay
Seattle ($80,100), Boston ($78,530) and the San Francisco Bay Area ($78,490) have the highest medians among the metros we track. Several hot-climate markets employ large numbers of technicians at lower pay: Dallas-Fort Worth (10,910 techs), Miami (9,140) and Phoenix (8,070) all have medians near or below the national figure, and Tampa is lowest at $50,540.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $80,100 +31% | $51,380 – $129,390 | 3,940 |
| Boston | $78,530 +29% | $50,890 – $103,050 | 6,050 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $78,490 +29% | $49,180 – $129,380 | 3,980 |
| New York City | $77,990 +28% | $50,690 – $108,780 | 21,820 |
| Chicago | $77,960 +28% | $47,460 – $117,940 | 7,210 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $77,490 +27% | $48,660 – $100,660 | 2,420 |
| Hartford | $76,180 +25% | $46,190 – $100,430 | 1,320 |
| San Diego | $74,880 +23% | $46,710 – $113,990 | 3,210 |
| Los Angeles | $73,830 +21% | $46,590 – $109,010 | 10,720 |
| Washington, DC | $71,920 +18% | $46,920 – $105,180 | 8,730 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $71,580 +17% | $49,010 – $104,880 | 4,360 |
| Providence | $67,380 +10% | $44,970 – $104,080 | 1,930 |
| Albany | $66,040 +8% | $47,510 – $97,810 | 1,450 |
| Portland | $65,260 +7% | $48,650 – $98,810 | 2,580 |
| Philadelphia | $64,580 +6% | $45,510 – $100,800 | 8,610 |
| Baltimore | $63,180 +4% | $45,040 – $103,320 | 3,960 |
| Detroit | $63,170 +4% | $42,840 – $95,610 | 5,740 |
| Buffalo | $62,180 +2% | $39,240 – $91,820 | 1,370 |
| Pittsburgh | $62,140 +2% | $46,480 – $92,710 | 2,680 |
| Phoenix | $61,170 +0% | $38,210 – $83,180 | 8,070 |
| Austin | $60,820 +-0% | $44,030 – $92,180 | 3,140 |
| Nashville | $60,270 -1% | $46,620 – $91,170 | 3,500 |
| Charlotte | $59,840 -2% | $40,110 – $79,210 | 3,860 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $59,560 -2% | $40,290 – $84,880 | 10,910 |
| Atlanta | $58,970 -3% | $38,310 – $82,740 | 7,060 |
| Houston | $58,940 -3% | $38,780 – $83,120 | 7,680 |
| Raleigh | $58,900 -3% | $39,160 – $77,830 | 2,550 |
| Miami | $58,040 -5% | $39,520 – $80,220 | 9,140 |
| Tampa | $50,540 -17% | $39,620 – $75,300 | 6,090 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
Beyond the base rate
Two technicians with the same rate can have very different annual earnings.
BLS says HVAC technicians may sometimes work overtime or irregular schedules during peak heating and cooling seasons. The BLS wage survey excludes overtime pay, so those hours are not in the tables.
Technicians may be on call for emergencies, and schedules can include evenings and weekends. Ask how on-call shifts are paid and how often they come around.
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors employ 68% of HVAC technicians. Schools, wholesalers and retailers employ smaller shares.
About 6% of HVAC technicians are self-employed, according to BLS. The wage survey does not cover them.
Pay distribution
BLS counts installers, service technicians and refrigeration mechanics as one occupation. The 10th percentile earned $40,050 a year and the 90th percentile $95,210.
Typical for the HVAC Technician title: $48,360 to $77,060 (25th to 75th percentile of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,050 | $42,500 |
| 25th percentile | $48,360 | $51,500 |
| Median | $61,010 | $65,000 |
| 75th percentile | $77,060 | $82,000 |
| 90th percentile | $95,210 | $101,000 |
Credentials
Requirements differ by state and locality. These are the ones BLS and O*NET describe for the occupation.
BLS says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires nearly all HVAC technicians to be certified in proper refrigerant handling (Section 608). Certification requires passing an exam, typically included in a postsecondary HVACR program.
Postsecondary HVACR programs generally last from 6 months to 2 years and lead to a certificate or associate's degree. Some technicians train through an apprenticeship, which usually lasts several years.
Some states and localities require HVAC technicians to be licensed. Check with the state licensing board before applying or hiring across state lines.
O*NET lists building automation software such as Johnson Controls Metasys, Honeywell WEBs-N4 and Siemens APOGEE among the tools HVAC technicians use. Controls skills are one route into commercial and building automation work.
Outlook
BLS projects much faster than average growth for an occupation of about 440,900 workers, with about 40,600 openings each year.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers as a whole.
Compare
HVAC technicians trail electricians by about $2,180 and plumbers by about $2,790 at the median, and earn about $11,420 more than general maintenance technicians.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC Technician | $61,010 | $65,000 | Much faster than average |
| Electrician | $63,190 | $67,000 | Much faster than average |
| Plumber | $63,800 | $68,000 | Much faster than average |
| Maintenance Technician | $49,590 | $52,500 | Average |
FAQ
HVAC technicians earned a median of $61,010 a year in May 2025, or $29.33 an hour, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $48,360 and $77,060. With two years of 3.1% wage growth, the 2027 planning median is about $65,000. Overtime is not included.
Half of HVAC techs earned more than $29.33 an hour in May 2025, the BLS median. The 10th percentile was $19.25, the 25th $23.25, the 75th $37.05 and the 90th $45.78. Rates in Seattle, Boston and the Bay Area run higher; annual medians there are above $78,000.
BLS does not publish a starting rate. The 10th percentile, $19.25 an hour or $40,050 a year in May 2025, is a fair marker for helpers and new installers, and the 25th percentile was $23.25 an hour. Completing an HVACR program and earning EPA refrigerant certification are the usual first steps up.
Yes, in nearly all cases. BLS says the EPA requires nearly all HVAC technicians to be certified in proper refrigerant handling under the EPA's Section 608 program. The certification exam is typically part of a postsecondary HVACR program. Some states and localities also require a separate license.
Among the 29 metros in this guide, Seattle had the highest median at $80,100 in May 2025, followed by Boston at $78,530 and the San Francisco Bay Area at $78,490. Tampa had the lowest at $50,540, even though Florida metros employ thousands of technicians.
Careerscape recruiters who specialize in skilled trades fill temporary, contract and direct-hire HVAC roles with pre-screened candidates.
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