HVAC technician jobs are in high demand, and that increased demand translates into well-paying salaries and excellent job security. But how much do they make? 

Here, we share the average salary for HVAC technicians by experience, position, industry, and location.

What is the average salary for an HVAC Technician?

The average salary for an HVAC technician depends on experience level. For entry-level HVAC technicians, the average annual base salary is $35,110. Intermediate technicians average $58,100. The average salary for senior technicians with 4-6 years of experience grows to 65,400 per year. 

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics

How much do HVAC technicians make per hour?

The average technician starting salary for recent grads of Northwestern Technological Institute in the United States is $16.88 per hour for entry-level HVAC technicians. The average salary rises quickly for HVAC technicians with intermediate experience (2-4 years) up to an average of $27.93 per hour. Senior HVAC technicians, on average, make $31.44 per hour.

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics

What is the highest-paying HVAC position?

Like most industries, your level of experience in HVAC will determine your salary. Therefore, HVAC technicians with many years of experience have the highest salaries. The average salary for  HVAC supervisors with seven or more years of experience is $85,100.

The HVAC technician jobs that pay the most occur in the heavy/civil engineering construction and aerospace industries. The average annual salary for heavy/civil engineering construction industry technicians is $85,940, while the aerospace industry pays an average wage of $77,180 annually.

Source: CHRON News

Where do HVAC technicians earn the highest salaries?

While HVAC technicians’ salaries primarily depend on experience level and job title, there are some states and metropolitan areas where HVAC technicians earn more than those in the rest of the country. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the higher-paying states for HVAC technicians are the following:

• District of Columbia’s annual mean wage is $74,660, or $35.89 per hour
• Alaska’s annual mean salary is $72,200, or $34.71 per hour
• Hawaii’s annual mean wage is $71,310, or $34.29 per hour
• Minnesota’s annual mean salary is $70,080, or $33.69 per hour
• Massachusetts’ annual mean wage is $70,010, or $33.66 per hour
• Michigan’s annual mean wage is $57,090, or $27.45 per hour

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, these metropolitan areas are some of the higher-paying locations for HVAC technicians:

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: The annual mean wage is $88,990, or $42.79 per hour
• Oakland-San Francisco-Hayward, CA: The mean annual salary is $80,300, or $38.61 per hour
• Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: The mean yearly wage is $75,490, or $36.29 per hour
• Fairbanks, AK: The mean annual salary is $74,990, or $36.05 per hour
• Anchorage, AK: The annual mean wage is $73,660, or $35.42 per hour
• Ann Arbor, MI: The annual mean wage is $71,450, or $34.35 per hour

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Nonmetropolitan areas that pay higher HVAC technician salaries include:

• Western North Dakota non-metropolitan area: The annual mean wage is $ 70,730, or $34.00 per hour
• Alaska nonmetropolitan area: The mean annual salary is $66,120, or $31.79 per hour
• Connecticut nonmetropolitan area: The mean annual salary is $64,520, or $31.02 per hour
• Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area: The mean yearly salary is $63,270, or $30.42 per hour
• Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area: The annual mean wage is $62,780, or $30.18 per hour

Start your HVAC Career at Northwestern Tech

If you’re interested in a well-paying career in the HVAC industry, Northwestern Tech’s 10.5-month HVAC program will get you to work in an HVAC field in under a year. Register today