By Aijaz Alam
How much do HVAC technicians make, and is demand growing?
The median annual wage for US HVAC technicians was $61,010 in May 2025, or $29.33 an hour, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $40,050 and the top 10% over $95,210. BLS projects HVAC jobs to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, with about 40,600 openings a year.
- $61,010Median annual wage, US HVAC techniciansBLS OEWS, May 2025
- $29.33Median hourly wageBLS OEWS, May 2025
- 11%Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035BLS projections; 3% for all occupations
- 40,600Projected openings each yearBLS, average over 2025-2035
- 440,900HVAC technician jobs in 2025BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
The numbers
The full breakdown
HVAC technician pay in the US, May 2025
| Measure | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earned less than | $40,050 | $19.25 |
| 25th percentile | $48,360 | $23.25 |
| Median | $61,010 | $29.33 |
| 75th percentile | $77,060 | $37.05 |
| Highest 10% earned more than | $95,210 | $45.78 |
| Mean (average) | $64,780 | $31.14 |
Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: wage and salary workers only, self-employed workers are not included. For comparison, the median for all US occupations was $50,980.
HVAC technician jobs and outlook, 2025 to 2035
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| Jobs in 2025 | 440,900 |
| Projected jobs in 2035 | 489,100 |
| Change, 2025 to 2035 | +48,200 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 11% |
| Projected openings each year | 40,600 |
| Growth, all installation, maintenance and repair jobs | 5% |
| Growth, all occupations | 3% |
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, as shown in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Projections, not measured values. Openings include new jobs plus replacing workers who change occupations or retire.
Where HVAC technicians work, and median pay there
| Employer | Share of HVAC jobs, 2025 | Median annual wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 68% | $60,030 |
| Self-employed workers | 6% | Not published |
| Wholesale trade | 3% | $71,190 |
The largest employers listed by BLS; the rest work across many other industries.
States with the highest median pay for HVAC technicians, May 2025
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84,390 |
| Alaska | $77,430 |
| Illinois | $77,410 |
| Massachusetts | $77,300 |
| Connecticut | $76,610 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 |
| Washington | $75,660 |
| North Dakota | $74,490 |
| New Jersey | $74,450 |
| New York | $74,430 |
Top 10 of the 50 states and DC in the BLS OEWS profile. The national median is $61,010.
States with the most HVAC technicians, May 2025
| State | Employment | Relative standard error |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 39,160 | 5.0% |
| California | 35,130 | 6.9% |
| Texas | 34,730 | 5.2% |
| New York | 24,430 | 6.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 15,880 | 6.1% |
| North Carolina | 15,230 | 5.9% |
| Virginia | 14,690 | 6.6% |
| Ohio | 14,150 | 6.3% |
| Michigan | 12,590 | 6.4% |
| Georgia | 12,290 | 7.3% |
OEWS wage and salary employment (409,670 nationally), so self-employed technicians are not counted. Rounded by BLS.
HVAC technicians compared with the other home trades
| Occupation | Jobs 2025 | Projected growth 2025-35 | Openings per year | Median pay May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 440,900 | 11% | 40,600 | $61,010 |
| Electricians | 821,000 | 9% | 72,700 | $63,190 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | 510,600 | 7% | 42,000 | $63,800 |
| All occupations | n/a | 3% | n/a | $50,980 |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025-35 edition.
Over time
HVAC technician median pay and employment, May 2021 to May 2025
| Year | Median annual wage | Median hourly wage | Employment (OEWS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,630 | $23.38 | 356,960 |
| May 2022 | $51,390 | $24.71 | 374,770 |
| May 2023 | $57,300 | $27.55 | 397,450 |
| May 2024 | $59,810 | $28.75 | 396,870 |
| May 2025 | $61,010 | $29.33 | 409,670 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national estimates each May. Wages are in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Each year is a separate survey estimate, so read small changes with care.
Why sources differ
Same question, different answers
| Number | When | Who measured | Why it differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 440,900 | 2025 | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (Employment Projections) | Jobs held by HVAC technicians, including the self-employed (6% of the total). |
| 409,670 | May 2025 | BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Wage and salary workers only; the group its pay figures describe. |
| 1,338,600 | Aug 2026 | BLS Current Employment Statistics | Every employee of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, including plumbers and office staff; preliminary. |
| $64,780 | May 2025 | BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Mean annual wage, pulled above the $61,010 median by high earners. |
Three BLS programs count HVAC work, and each answers a different question. The Occupational Outlook Handbook's 440,900 jobs for 2025 come from the Employment Projections program and include self-employed technicians, about 6% of the total. The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey counts 409,670 for May 2025 because it covers wage and salary workers only, the same people its pay figures describe. The Current Employment Statistics series counts every employee of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, 1,338,600 in August 2026 (preliminary): that includes plumbers, helpers and office staff, and leaves out HVAC technicians who work for wholesalers or other employers. For pay, the median of $61,010 is a better guide than the mean of $64,780, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up. Quote the median with its month and year, and the projection as a projection.
What it means
How to use these numbers
Half of US HVAC technicians earned more than $61,010 in May 2025 and half earned less. The spread is wide: the bottom tenth earned under $40,050 and the top tenth over $95,210, so experience, licences and location matter more than the national figure.
Location is the lever you can see in the data. Median pay in the District of Columbia, Alaska, Illinois and Massachusetts is above $77,000, while Florida, California and Texas, the three states with the most HVAC jobs, are not in the top ten for pay. The median has also risen faster than in the other trades, from $48,630 in May 2021, roughly a quarter higher in four years before inflation.
Demand is the stronger story. BLS projects HVAC jobs to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, faster than electricians (9%), plumbers (7%) and all occupations (3%), with about 40,600 openings a year, most of them to replace workers who retire or leave. For an HVAC business owner, hiring will stay competitive: set pay against your state's median, not the national one, and treat job ads and your careers page as marketing.
Method and sources
How it was measured
Method
- Publisher
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS, May 2025) for pay, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 projections) for jobs and outlook
- Sample
- OEWS surveys employers about the jobs and wages of their employees; self-employed workers are not covered. The OOH job counts and projections come from the BLS Employment Projections program.
- Definition
- Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021). The median wage is the wage at which half the workers earned more and half earned less.
- Released
- OEWS May 2025 estimates and the 2025-35 OOH edition, both in 2026; the OOH page was last modified 27 Aug 2026
- Checked at source
- 31 October 2026: OOH HVAC page, OEWS profiles on data.bls.gov, the BLS public API, OEWS pages for May 2021 to May 2023 and the May 2024 national xlsx
- Next release
- BLS updates OEWS wages and the OOH once a year
- Last changed
- 31 Oct 2026
- Data files
- CSV · JSON (stable links)
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, US Bureau of Labor Statistics Official data
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FAQ
More questions people ask
How much do HVAC technicians make an hour?
The median was $29.33 an hour in May 2025. The lowest 10% earned less than $19.25 and the highest 10% more than $45.78 (BLS OEWS).
Which state pays HVAC technicians the most?
The District of Columbia, with a median of $84,390 in May 2025. Among the states, Alaska ($77,430), Illinois ($77,410) and Massachusetts ($77,300) lead.
Which states have the most HVAC technicians?
Florida (39,160), California (35,130) and Texas (34,730) in May 2025, counting wage and salary workers only.
Do HVAC technicians earn more than electricians or plumbers?
No. In May 2025 the median was $61,010 for HVAC technicians, $63,190 for electricians and $63,800 for plumbers. HVAC jobs are projected to grow fastest, though: 11% to 2035, against 9% and 7%.
Every number on this page was checked at its original source (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). Free to cite with a link to this page.