HVAC Technician Salary (2025)
HVAC · SOC Code 49-9021 · 4-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
HVAC Technician salaries range from $50,658 to $78,788 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
HVAC Technician Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $78,788 | $50,320 – $111,358 | $41,467 | C | 14,801 |
| New York, NY | $77,543 | $46,866 – $118,843 | $41,467 | C | 14,205 |
| Seattle, WA | $75,078 | $46,067 – $111,631 | $50,388 | B | 8,427 |
| Boston, MA | $68,062 | $42,394 – $102,663 | $44,778 | C | 13,883 |
| Chicago, IL | $67,865 | $42,783 – $103,467 | $63,425 | B | 6,753 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $67,089 | $42,372 – $99,067 | $40,415 | C | 17,003 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $66,967 | $42,209 – $99,099 | $58,232 | B | 5,927 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $66,145 | $40,765 – $95,307 | $62,401 | B | 7,195 |
| Portland, OR | $65,882 | $39,643 – $101,212 | $50,678 | B | 5,704 |
| Denver, CO | $65,185 | $38,596 – $96,007 | $50,926 | B | 8,028 |
| Houston, TX | $63,547 | $40,800 – $93,077 | $66,195 | B | 6,092 |
| Detroit, MI | $60,268 | $38,083 – $89,317 | $67,717 | B | 4,544 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $59,999 | $37,250 – $86,181 | $65,216 | B | 3,799 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $59,348 | $36,713 – $89,712 | $57,619 | B | 5,256 |
| Raleigh, NC | $59,335 | $36,775 – $91,968 | $59,335 | B | 6,747 |
| Dallas, TX | $59,170 | $37,469 – $90,059 | $58,010 | B | 6,991 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,965 | $34,752 – $84,247 | $56,697 | B | 7,263 |
| Columbus, OH | $58,962 | $35,291 – $84,622 | $63,400 | B | 4,598 |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,880 | $37,543 – $86,621 | $55,547 | B | 7,917 |
| Miami, FL | $58,107 | $35,852 – $87,426 | $47,629 | B | 7,258 |
| St. Louis, MO | $57,424 | $34,662 – $80,788 | $63,804 | B | 6,361 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $57,122 | $34,344 – $84,511 | $59,502 | B | 6,690 |
| Nashville, TN | $56,859 | $34,339 – $87,704 | $55,203 | B | 7,185 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $55,582 | $35,916 – $80,845 | $53,444 | B | 9,242 |
| San Antonio, TX | $55,218 | $35,537 – $79,606 | $61,353 | B | 4,419 |
| New Orleans, LA | $54,404 | $35,074 – $83,865 | $57,267 | B | 5,394 |
| Kansas City, MO | $53,435 | $32,310 – $82,233 | $56,846 | B | 4,842 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $51,420 | $31,927 – $74,219 | $56,505 | B | 6,768 |
| Tampa, FL | $51,036 | $31,639 – $77,774 | $50,531 | B | 8,842 |
| Charlotte, NC | $50,658 | $32,340 – $75,083 | $51,692 | B | 4,561 |
About HVAC Technician Pay
HVAC Technicians earn a national median salary of $61,278 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $78,788 median, while Charlotte offers the lowest at $50,658.
Becoming a hvac technician typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $50,320, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $111,358 or more. With 15% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related HVAC Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for hvac technicians is $61,278 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $50,658 to $78,788 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for hvac technicians at $78,788. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of B and 15% wage growth over 5 years, hvac technician is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 226,695 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a hvac technician typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $50,320 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.