Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
HVAC Technician Salary in Denver
2024 BLS OEWS Data · HVAC · COL Index: 128
HVAC Technicians in Denver, CO earn a median annual wage of $64,990 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $47,830 and the 90th at $104,210. After cost of living, that translates to $50,773 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (60/100).
What HVAC Technicians Take Home in Denver
The $56,380 spread between entry-level and top-decile hvac technicians in Denver is around 87% of the median — a typical range for skilled trades. Workers can roughly double their entry pay through a combination of experience, certifications, union membership, and moving from helper to journeyman to foreman roles.
With Denver's cost-of-living index of 128, a hvac technician earning $64,990 here translates to about $50,773 in U.S.-average purchasing power. That is a meaningful but manageable adjustment — the metro's higher pay typically clears the cost-of-living gap with room to spare in skilled trades.
With a Trade Pay Score of 60 (C), hvac technicians in Denver are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $47,830 | $37,367 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $50,940 | $39,797 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $64,990 | $50,773 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $82,150 | $64,180 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $104,210 | $81,414 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for hvac technicians, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Denver are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a HVAC Technician make in Denver?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median hvac technician salary in Denver, CO is $64,990. The 10th percentile is $47,830 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $104,210 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Denver pay compare for HVAC Technicians?
With a Trade Pay Score of 60/100 and a grade of C, the Denver-HVAC Technician pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for HVAC Technicians in Denver?
HVAC Technicians typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($47,830) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect HVAC Technician pay in Denver?
Denver has a cost-of-living index of 128. The median hvac technician salary of $64,990 translates to $50,773 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in Denver
$124,850 median · Grade B
$122,880 median · Grade B
$99,550 median · Grade B
$99,550 median · Grade B
$82,570 median · Grade C
$81,600 median · Grade C
HVAC Technicians in Denver, CO earn a median annual wage of $64,990 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $47,830 and the 90th at $104,210. After cost of living, that translates to $50,773 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (60/100).
For HVAC Technicians in Denver, CO, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for HVAC Technicians in Denver, CO is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.