Where you live is one of the biggest factors in how much you earn as an HVAC technician. A technician in Alaska can make nearly twice what one earns in Mississippi, doing the same work with the same certifications.
Use the calculator below to see exactly what HVAC technicians earn in your state, adjusted for experience, certification, and union status, using real BLS wage data.
HVAC Technician Salary Calculator
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State median, range and US weighted median are sourced from BLS OEWS, May 2025 (heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, SOC 49-9021). Experience, certification, and union adjustments are estimates, not separate BLS breakdowns. Actual pay varies by employer and local market. Last updated: June 2026.
But that national number only tells part of the story. State-level salaries range from just above $45,000 at the low end to over $90,000 at the top. A gap that can mean tens of thousands of dollars in annual income, depending on where you choose to build your career.
Key facts: HVAC technician salary (2026)
| National median annual wage | $59,810 (BLS, May 2024) |
| National median hourly wage | $28.75/hour |
| Lowest 10% nationally | $39,130/year |
| Top 10% nationally | $91,020/year |
| Highest-paying state | Alaska |
| Lowest-paying state | Mississippi |
| Total employed nationally | 425,200 technicians (2024) |
| Projected job growth | 8% through 2034 (faster than average) |
| Source | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024 |
This guide breaks down HVAC technician salaries by state, experience level, specialization, and work sector using the most current BLS data available, so you know exactly what to expect and where the best opportunities are.
Table of Contents
National HVAC salary overview
Before diving into state-by-state figures, it helps to understand the national picture clearly.
The median annual wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers was $59,810 in May 2024, and employment in the field is projected to grow 8% from 2024 to 2034.
This is much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 40,100 openings projected per year over the decade. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The national BLS wage percentile range runs from $39,130 at the bottom 10% to $91,020 at the top 10%, giving a full picture of the earning range across the profession.
Here is where HVAC technician median pay sits relative to other trades and all US workers:
| Occupation | Median annual wage (May 2024) |
| HVAC Technician | $59,810 |
| All US workers (median) | $49,500 |
| Electrician | $61,590 |
| Plumber | $61,550 |
| Welder | $47,040 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024 OEWS
HVAC pay sits above the national median and is broadly competitive with electrician and plumbing trades, while requiring comparable training time. It is significantly above welding, making it one of the strongest earning trade careers accessible without a four-year degree.
HVAC technician salary by state
The table below covers all 50 US states plus Washington, D.C., using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 data as the primary source, supplemented with state-level industry data where BLS figures are validated by multiple sources.
| State | Annual mean wage | Hourly mean wage | Vs. National median |
| Alaska | $88,900 | $42.74 | +49% |
| Washington, D.C. | $85,200 | $40.96 | +42% |
| Massachusetts | $83,100 | $39.95 | +39% |
| Connecticut | $80,400 | $38.65 | +34% |
| Minnesota | $79,600 | $38.27 | +33% |
| Hawaii | $78,800 | $37.88 | +32% |
| Washington | $77,500 | $37.26 | +30% |
| Illinois | $76,900 | $36.97 | +29% |
| New Jersey | $75,200 | $36.15 | +26% |
| New York | $74,800 | $35.96 | +25% |
| Oregon | $72,100 | $34.67 | +21% |
| California | $71,800 | $34.52 | +20% |
| Maryland | $70,300 | $33.80 | +18% |
| Nevada | $69,500 | $33.41 | +16% |
| Colorado | $68,200 | $32.79 | +14% |
| Pennsylvania | $67,800 | $32.60 | +13% |
| Michigan | $67,100 | $32.26 | +12% |
| Rhode Island | $66,900 | $32.16 | +12% |
| Wisconsin | $66,400 | $31.92 | +11% |
| Ohio | $65,900 | $31.68 | +10% |
| Delaware | $65,600 | $31.54 | +10% |
| Iowa | $65,100 | $31.30 | +9% |
| Kansas | $64,800 | $31.15 | +8% |
| Virginia | $64,500 | $31.01 | +8% |
| Nebraska | $63,900 | $30.72 | +7% |
| Indiana | $63,500 | $30.53 | +6% |
| Missouri | $63,100 | $30.34 | +6% |
| Texas | $62,800 | $30.19 | +5% |
| Arizona | $62,400 | $30.00 | +4% |
| New Hampshire | $62,100 | $29.86 | +4% |
| Maine | $61,700 | $29.66 | +3% |
| Vermont | $61,400 | $29.52 | +3% |
| Utah | $61,000 | $29.33 | +2% |
| Montana | $60,800 | $29.23 | +2% |
| North Dakota | $60,500 | $29.09 | +1% |
| Idaho | $60,200 | $28.94 | +1% |
| Wyoming | $60,000 | $28.85 | ~National |
| South Dakota | $59,600 | $28.65 | ~National |
| New Mexico | $59,100 | $28.41 | ~National |
| Kentucky | $58,700 | $28.22 | -2% |
| Louisiana | $58,300 | $28.03 | -3% |
| Georgia | $57,900 | $27.84 | -3% |
| Florida | $57,500 | $27.64 | -4% |
| Tennessee | $56,900 | $27.36 | -5% |
| North Carolina | $56,500 | $27.16 | -6% |
| Oklahoma | $55,800 | $26.83 | -7% |
| South Carolina | $55,400 | $26.63 | -7% |
| Alabama | $54,900 | $26.39 | -8% |
| Arkansas | $53,200 | $25.58 | -11% |
| West Virginia | $52,700 | $25.34 | -12% |
| Mississippi | $51,800 | $24.90 | -13% |
Source: BLS (OEWS), May 2024. View state data at bls.gov. Figures represent mean annual wages rounded to the nearest hundred. State-level figures are estimates based on BLS OEWS state data and may vary from exact published figures.
Top 10 highest-paying states for HVAC technicians
1. Alaska — $88,900/year
Alaska consistently ranks as the highest-paying state for HVAC technicians due to extreme weather conditions, remote job sites, and a smaller labor pool.
The combination of harsh climate demands, limited local technician supply, and logistical difficulty of working in remote communities all drive wages significantly above the national median. Technicians willing to work in Alaska will find the strongest pay in the country, though cost of living is also among the highest.
2. Washington, D.C. — $85,200/year
Washington, D.C. follows Alaska closely, supported by a high cost of living and steady demand from government buildings, healthcare facilities, and large commercial properties. The region’s concentration of large institutional and federal buildings creates consistent, year-round demand for experienced commercial HVAC technicians.
3. Massachusetts — $83,100/year
Massachusetts benefits from strong union representation, a high cost of living, and heavy concentration of healthcare, education, and commercial facilities requiring sophisticated climate control systems.
New England’s cold winters and warm summers drive both installation and service demand throughout the year.
4. Connecticut — $80,400/year
Connecticut mirrors Massachusetts in driving factors, strong union presence, high costs of living, and dense commercial and industrial infrastructure across the state’s Fairfield County corridor and Hartford metro area.
5. Minnesota — $79,600/year
Minnesota’s extreme winters create intense, reliable demand for heating systems. States with harsh climates, higher costs of living, strong union presence, or dense commercial infrastructure tend to offer the highest pay for HVAC technicians. Minnesota checks several of those boxes, particularly climate and union density.
The remaining top-10 states: Hawaii, Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, share similar characteristics: high costs of living, concentrated urban markets with large commercial buildings, strong labor union presence, and climate demands that keep HVAC systems working hard year-round.
Lowest-paying states for HVAC technicians
The lowest-paying states are concentrated in the South and Appalachian regions. Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, and South Carolina consistently rank at the bottom of BLS state wage tables for HVAC technicians.
Several factors explain the lower wages in these states: lower overall cost of living, lower rates of union membership, milder climates in some areas that reduce year-round system demand, and lower average commercial construction density compared to northeastern or coastal states.
Importantly, lower wages in these states do not necessarily mean worse career outcomes. These differences often come down to cost of living, climate extremes, and local demand for skilled technicians. A $55,000 salary in rural Mississippi carries meaningfully different purchasing power than $55,000 in Boston or San Francisco.
HVAC salary by experience level
State is just one salary variable. Experience is equally important, and for most technicians, it is something they can actively control.
| Experience level | Years | National median annual salary |
| Entry-level technician | 0–2 years | $36,000 – $45,000 |
| Intermediate technician | 2–5 years | $50,000 – $65,000 |
| Senior technician | 5–10 years | $65,000 – $80,000 |
| Lead technician/supervisor | 10+ years | $80,000 – $95,000+ |
Source: BLS OEWS wage percentile data (May 2024).
Entry-level HVAC technicians in the 50th percentile nationally earn around $54,100, or $26.01 per hour, while senior technicians at the 90th percentile nationally reach $92,600 annually, or $44.52 per hour.
The progression from entry-level to senior reflects both increasing technical competence and the value employers place on experienced technicians who can work independently on complex systems, diagnose difficult problems, and lead other crew members.
Technicians who combine experience with additional certifications, particularly NATE certification after their EPA 608 certification, consistently earn at the upper end of their experience band.
HVAC salary by specialization
Not all HVAC work pays equally. The type of systems you work on and the sector you work in both significantly affect your earning potential.
| Specialization | Salary range | Why does it pay more |
| Commercial HVAC technician | $65,000 – $85,000 | Larger, more complex systems; often union-represented |
| Industrial / refrigeration tech | $68,000 – $90,000 | Specialized knowledge, critical infrastructure |
| Building automation/controls | $70,000 – $95,000 | High technical skill, growing demand for smart systems |
| Residential HVAC technician | $50,000 – $68,000 | Broader market, but simpler systems |
| HVAC service manager | $80,000 – $105,000 | Management responsibility, business outcomes |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024; industry compensation surveys.
Commercial and industrial work consistently pays more than residential because the systems are more complex, the stakes of failure are higher, and the work often requires specialized licensing beyond standard residential certification.
Building automation and controls is a growing specialization as smart building technology expands, technicians who add controls skills to their HVAC foundation are positioning themselves for the highest-paying segment of the field.
What drives salary differences between states
Understanding why states pay differently helps you make smarter career location decisions. Five factors account for most of the variation:
- Climate intensity. States with extreme heat or cold, such as Alaska, Minnesota, and Texas, have year-round demand for HVAC service and installation. This keeps technicians busier and justifies higher wages.
- Cost of living. States with higher costs of living, like Massachusetts, Connecticut, Hawaii, and New York, require higher wages to attract and retain workers. The purchasing power difference between states narrows considerably after adjusting for local costs.
- Union density. States with strong HVAC union presence like Illinois, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, tend to pay 10–25% more than comparable non-union states. Unions negotiate collectively for wages, benefits, and working conditions that individual workers typically cannot achieve alone.
- Commercial construction volume. States with heavy commercial and industrial construction like Texas, California, New York, Florida, generate steady demand for HVAC installations in new buildings, which tends to sustain wages.
- Labor supply vs. demand. Alaska pays the most partly because so few technicians want to live and work there relative to demand. Markets with technician shortages, and the HVAC field nationally has one, push wages upward for those willing to fill the gap.
How to increase your HVAC salary
Your state sets the floor. Your decisions determine how far above that floor you climb. Here are the most effective levers:
- Get your EPA 608 Universal certification first. Without it, you cannot legally work on most systems. With it, you have cleared the basic entry requirement every employer expects. Read our complete EPA 608 certification guide for everything you need to know.
- Pursue NATE certification. Adding NATE certification after EPA 608 can add a 10–15% pay bump, and certifications broadly can add $5,000–$10,000 annually to a technician’s earnings. NATE is the most widely recognized advanced credential in the field and is strongly associated with higher employer compensation.
- Move toward commercial work. Residential HVAC is a solid career, but commercial and industrial systems pay meaningfully more. If you start residential, plan a path toward commercial work as your experience grows.
- Consider geography strategically. If you are early in your career and have flexibility, a move from a low-wage state to a high-wage state can add $15,000–$25,000 to your annual income immediately, without any additional credentials.
- Explore union apprenticeship programs. If you have not started training yet, a union apprenticeship through SMART or UA typically produces significantly higher long-term earnings than non-union paths, particularly in high-density states.
- Specialize in building controls. Smart building systems are growing rapidly. Technicians who understand building automation and controls are in acute short supply and command the highest wages in the field.
For a full overview of how to become an HVAC technician, including all training paths, certification steps, and career advancement options, see our complete career guide.
What state pays HVAC technicians the most?
Alaska is consistently the highest-paying state for HVAC technicians, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Minnesota round out the top five highest-paying locations.
How much do HVAC technicians make starting out?
Entry-level HVAC technicians nationally earn between $36,000 and $45,000 per year in their first two years.
Can HVAC technicians make $100,000 a year?
Yes, with a combination of factors such as years of experience, a specialization in commercial or industrial systems or building controls, residence in a high-wage state, and often union membership or contractor status.
Conclusion
HVAC technician salaries vary dramatically by state, from around $51,800 in Mississippi to nearly $89,000 in Alaska. The national median of $59,810 places this career well above the US average wage for all occupations.
Experience, specialization, and certification all drive earnings upward regardless of location, giving technicians real control over their income trajectory over time.
If you are choosing where to start or build your HVAC career, the data is clear: northeastern states, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest consistently offer the highest pay.
If geography is fixed, your fastest path to higher earnings is certifications starting with EPA 608 and building toward NATE and commercial specialization.