SOC 49-9021 · BLS occupation: HVAC Mechanic & Installer · May 2025
HVAC Technician Salary
HVAC Mechanic & Installers in the US earn a median of $61,010 a year ($31.14 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average HVAC Mechanic & Installer pay climbed from $51,420 in 2019 to $64,780 in 2025, a +26.0% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$61,010
Half of all HVAC Mechanic & Installers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+26.0% since 2019 · +3.3% YoY
Hourly
$31.14
Job growth 2025-35
+10.9%
US workers
409,670
BLS series
Annual median wage for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for HVAC Mechanic & Installers is $40,050 – $95,210.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$40,050
25th
$48,360
Median
$61,010
75th
$77,060
90th
$95,210
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for HVAC Mechanic & Installers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $40,050 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $48,360 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $61,010 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $77,060 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $95,210 |
Geography
HVAC Mechanic & Installer pay by state
HVAC Mechanic & Installers earn the most in D.C. ($84,390, +38% against the national median) and the least in Arkansas ($48,110). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$61,010
Highest-paying states for hvac mechanic & installers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $84,390 | +38% | 400 |
| Alaska | $77,430 | +27% | 610 |
| Illinois | $77,410 | +27% | 9,740 |
| Massachusetts | $77,300 | +27% | 8,200 |
| Connecticut | $76,610 | +26% | 3,800 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 | +25% | 4,200 |
| Washington | $75,660 | +24% | 7,370 |
| North Dakota | $74,490 | +22% | 970 |
| New Jersey | $74,450 | +22% | 10,330 |
| New York | $74,430 | +22% | 24,430 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $84,390 | 400 |
| Alaska | $77,430 | 610 |
| Illinois | $77,410 | 9,740 |
| Massachusetts | $77,300 | 8,200 |
| Connecticut | $76,610 | 3,800 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 | 4,200 |
| Washington | $75,660 | 7,370 |
| North Dakota | $74,490 | 970 |
| New Jersey | $74,450 | 10,330 |
| New York | $74,430 | 24,430 |
| New Hampshire | $73,850 | 2,560 |
| California | $72,560 | 35,130 |
| Maryland | $70,020 | 8,560 |
| Rhode Island | $67,370 | 1,450 |
| Hawaii | $65,450 | 1,300 |
| Colorado | $65,200 | 8,940 |
| Maine | $63,170 | 2,250 |
| Oregon | $62,940 | 3,980 |
| Ohio | $62,510 | 14,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 | 15,880 |
| Delaware | $62,320 | 1,730 |
| Vermont | $62,150 | 970 |
| Wisconsin | $61,710 | 6,630 |
| South Dakota | $61,390 | 1,610 |
| Montana | $60,850 | 1,230 |
| Michigan | $60,850 | 12,590 |
| Iowa | $60,680 | 3,840 |
| Nevada | $60,510 | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $60,460 | 3,770 |
| Indiana | $60,430 | 8,530 |
| Missouri | $59,950 | 7,220 |
| Nebraska | $59,850 | 3,020 |
| Virginia | $59,730 | 14,690 |
| Arizona | $59,400 | 10,860 |
| Utah | $58,730 | 5,580 |
| Louisiana | $58,650 | 5,380 |
| Kentucky | $58,620 | 5,100 |
| Texas | $57,760 | 34,730 |
| Oklahoma | $57,560 | 5,650 |
| North Carolina | $57,260 | 15,230 |
| Florida | $56,670 | 39,160 |
| South Carolina | $56,610 | 6,920 |
| Georgia | $56,390 | 12,290 |
| Idaho | $56,240 | 4,550 |
| Tennessee | $55,490 | 9,740 |
| Wyoming | $54,700 | 690 |
| New Mexico | $50,270 | 1,950 |
| West Virginia | $48,850 | 1,690 |
| Mississippi | $48,680 | 2,700 |
| Alabama | $48,370 | 8,260 |
| Arkansas | $48,110 | 4,960 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for HVAC Mechanic & Installers
HVAC technicians install, maintain, and repair heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Entry usually requires a postsecondary certificate or apprenticeship plus EPA Section 608 certification for handling refrigerants.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $40,050 – $95,210. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., Alaska and Illinois. Pay in D.C. runs 1.8 times the level in Arkansas, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as postsecondary nondegree award, and projects about 40,600 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 10.9% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average HVAC Mechanic & Installer salary in the US?
How much does a HVAC Mechanic & Installer make an hour?
How much do HVAC Mechanic & Installers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays HVAC Mechanic & Installers the most?
Is the average HVAC Mechanic & Installer salary higher than the median?
Is HVAC Mechanic & Installer a growing career?
Open positions
Open HVAC Mechanic & Installer roles hiring now
Browse current HVAC Mechanic & Installer listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 49-9021. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.