Salary Guide
HVAC Technician Salary by State: How Much Do HVAC Techs Make?
What HVAC techs earn, how certifications and the busy season change the number, and where the pay is highest.
Updated July 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 49-9021
The median HVAC technician earns $61,010 a year, or $29.33 an hour. HVAC pay behaves a little differently from the other trades, for two reasons: a certification gate that every tech has to clear, and a calendar that swings hard between the cooling and heating peaks and the quiet months in between.
Because of that, the flat annual figure undersells what a busy tech takes home in July. The sections below cover certifications, seasonality, pay by experience, and the full state table.
What raises HVAC pay: certifications
Two credentials shape an HVAC paycheck. EPA Section 608 certification is required by law to handle refrigerants, so it is effectively the price of entry rather than a raise. The one employers pay a premium for is NATE, from North American Technician Excellence, which signals proven skill. Federal wage data does not label pay by certification, so there is no official dollar figure to attach, but certified techs consistently land in the upper half of the range, which reaches about $95,210 at the 90th percentile.
HVAC pay by experience
New installers and helpers start near the bottom of the range, about $40,050 a year at the 10th percentile. Service technicians who diagnose and repair, rather than only install, sit around the median of $61,010. Senior and specialized techs, including commercial refrigeration, reach $95,210 or more at the top.
HVAC pay across the states
HVAC pay does not simply follow the heat. Some of the hottest markets are not the best paid, because more techs compete there. Hover a state to see its median technician wage.
<iframe src="https://www.jobpulse365.com/embed/hvac-salary-map" width="100%" height="560" style="border:0" title="HVAC Technician Salary by State" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px">Source: <a href="https://www.jobpulse365.com/hvac-salary">HVAC Technician Salary by State, JobPulse365</a></p>
HVAC technician salary by state
Median hourly and annual HVAC pay across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Entry, 10th | Experienced, 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $23.26 | $48,370 | $36,510 | $65,690 |
| Alaska | $37.23 | $77,430 | $48,580 | $105,140 |
| Arizona | $28.56 | $59,400 | $37,950 | $80,160 |
| Arkansas | $23.13 | $48,110 | $37,040 | $69,290 |
| California | $34.88 | $72,560 | $46,950 | $109,060 |
| Colorado | $31.35 | $65,200 | $48,220 | $103,640 |
| Connecticut | $36.83 | $76,610 | $45,280 | $100,160 |
| Delaware | $29.96 | $62,320 | $45,000 | $97,600 |
| District of Columbia | $40.57 | $84,390 | $49,940 | $108,240 |
| Florida | $27.24 | $56,670 | $38,370 | $78,210 |
| Georgia | $27.11 | $56,390 | $36,990 | $79,130 |
| Hawaii | $31.47 | $65,450 | $43,120 | $99,430 |
| Idaho | $27.04 | $56,240 | $38,660 | $80,780 |
| Illinois | $37.21 | $77,410 | $46,690 | $117,550 |
| Indiana | $29.05 | $60,430 | $40,460 | $97,800 |
| Iowa | $29.17 | $60,680 | $43,040 | $86,280 |
| Kansas | $29.07 | $60,460 | $43,660 | $83,500 |
| Kentucky | $28.18 | $58,620 | $38,790 | $80,020 |
| Louisiana | $28.20 | $58,650 | $36,950 | $78,210 |
| Maine | $30.37 | $63,170 | $47,090 | $82,090 |
| Maryland | $33.67 | $70,020 | $46,180 | $106,740 |
| Massachusetts | $37.16 | $77,300 | $50,820 | $102,410 |
| Michigan | $29.26 | $60,850 | $40,210 | $95,290 |
| Minnesota | $36.71 | $76,350 | $48,220 | $100,030 |
| Mississippi | $23.41 | $48,680 | $36,160 | $76,240 |
| Missouri | $28.82 | $59,950 | $39,180 | $88,760 |
| Montana | $29.26 | $60,850 | $41,900 | $81,230 |
| Nebraska | $28.77 | $59,850 | $43,540 | $81,110 |
| Nevada | $29.09 | $60,510 | $41,040 | $89,750 |
| New Hampshire | $35.51 | $73,850 | $47,520 | $97,140 |
| New Jersey | $35.79 | $74,450 | $48,020 | $116,550 |
| New Mexico | $24.17 | $50,270 | $37,380 | $75,770 |
| New York | $35.78 | $74,430 | $48,560 | $100,680 |
| North Carolina | $27.53 | $57,260 | $37,780 | $77,160 |
| North Dakota | $35.81 | $74,490 | $46,610 | $94,060 |
| Ohio | $30.06 | $62,510 | $38,630 | $98,310 |
| Oklahoma | $27.67 | $57,560 | $36,050 | $79,660 |
| Oregon | $30.26 | $62,940 | $46,990 | $94,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $30.00 | $62,400 | $45,970 | $89,440 |
| Rhode Island | $32.39 | $67,370 | $38,100 | $104,080 |
| South Carolina | $27.22 | $56,610 | $39,170 | $75,530 |
| South Dakota | $29.51 | $61,390 | $48,420 | $75,190 |
| Tennessee | $26.68 | $55,490 | $38,540 | $81,590 |
| Texas | $27.77 | $57,760 | $38,100 | $81,860 |
| Utah | $28.24 | $58,730 | $37,570 | $80,500 |
| Vermont | $29.88 | $62,150 | $50,280 | $93,110 |
| Virginia | $28.72 | $59,730 | $39,760 | $83,420 |
| Washington | $36.38 | $75,660 | $48,810 | $120,360 |
| West Virginia | $23.49 | $48,850 | $36,160 | $72,640 |
| Wisconsin | $29.67 | $61,710 | $45,930 | $98,070 |
| Wyoming | $26.30 | $54,700 | $37,840 | $79,050 |
Highest paying states for HVAC techs
District of Columbia leads at $84,390 a year. Note that some of the hottest markets for HVAC work, where cooling demand is year round, do not top the pay list, because more techs compete there.
| Rank | State | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $84,390 | $40.57 |
| 2 | Alaska | $77,430 | $37.23 |
| 3 | Illinois | $77,410 | $37.21 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $77,300 | $37.16 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $76,610 | $36.83 |
Best states to start an HVAC career
For techs just earning their EPA card, these states offer the highest entry level pay, shown as the 10th percentile wage next to the state median.
| Rank | State | Entry, 10th | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $50,820 | $77,300 |
| 2 | Vermont | $50,280 | $62,150 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $49,940 | $84,390 |
| 4 | Washington | $48,810 | $75,660 |
| 5 | Alaska | $48,580 | $77,430 |
HVAC pay and the busy season
HVAC is the most seasonal of the trades. The summer cooling season and the winter heating peak bring long days and overtime that can push real take home well above the base wage, while the shoulder seasons slow down. The annual figures here average across the whole year, so a busy tech often takes home more in July than the yearly numbers suggest, and a smart shop plans cash flow around that swing.
Running an HVAC business
The wages above are for employed techs, not owners. If you run the shop, your income depends on the jobs you win, the maintenance plans you keep on the books, and how well you handle the summer rush without letting invoices pile up. Software that turns a service call into a quote on the spot, bills the same day, and collects payment before the tech leaves the driveway is what protects margin in a busy season.
HVAC salary questions
How much do HVAC techs make?
The national median wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technicians is $61,010 a year, or $29.33 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release (occupation code 49-9021).
Do you need EPA 608 certification to work in HVAC?
For most HVAC jobs, yes. EPA Section 608 certification is legally required to handle refrigerants, so it is effectively the price of entry to the trade. It does not by itself set your wage, but you generally cannot do the core work without it.
Does NATE certification increase HVAC pay?
Federal data does not break wages out by certification, so there is no official figure. That said, NATE certification is the credential employers most often pay a premium for, because it signals proven skill, and certified technicians tend to land in the upper half of the pay range, which tops out around $95,210 at the 90th percentile.
Do HVAC techs make more than electricians?
Electricians earn a little more at the median: $63,190 for electricians versus $61,010 for HVAC technicians in the latest federal data. Seasonal overtime can narrow the gap for HVAC techs in peak months.
Which state pays HVAC techs the most?
District of Columbia pays the most, at a median of $84,390 a year, and Arkansas the least at $48,110.
About this data
Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release, for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (occupation code 49-9021). Annual wages equal the hourly mean times 2,080 hours. The survey covers wage and salary workers and excludes self employed technicians. View the source data at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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