How Much Does an HVAC Tech Make?

How much do HVAC techs make is a general question for many people looking to get into the trade as a career and those already working in the HVAC field. The answer to this question is relatively complex and depends mainly on education, experience, and the desire to advance into other facets of the trade.

Asking how much does an HVAC tech makes is a comprehensive and variable question. The HVAC/R trade in and of itself is a very diverse and extensive industry encompassing several different sectors and markets. All of which is highly dependent on the geographic area and the industry you are in. The hourly rates can vary from the national minimum wage of $7.25 to $77.12 an hour or $14,500 - $154,240 per year. These rates can be much higher when including other fringe benefits such as 401ks, healthcare, and pension plans.

What Determines How Much an HVAC Technician Makes?

The income potential will largely depend on which sector of the industry an HVAC tech will be working in and the experience level. For example, a new tech, helper, or apprentice working in the residential market will make less than a more experienced tech working in a commercial setting. As you gain experience and certifications and branch into more specialized subfields, such as centrifugal chiller mechanics, ammonia, absorption, industrial boilers, clean rooms, ultra-low systems, etc., the income potential rises significantly. As you can see from the screenshot here, there are active HVAC technician job postings advertising open positions paying up to $150,000. Industry, experience, and geographic location will be the most significant factors determining income potential. Large metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle will likely have much higher income opportunities than smaller cities in the Midwest.

What Research Says About How Much HVAC Techs Make.

When trying to determine an income potential, people will go to google and search that question. The top results are likely from sites such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed, Payscale.com, etc. The problem with sites like these is that they rely on employees entering their salary information into the website for the site to gather enough data for their statistics. Looking at the screenshot from Indeed below, you can see how many people have reported their salaries for each company in Alaska.

If we then go to Payscale.com and search the income for an HVAC Tech, we find that the average hourly rate is $21.30 with a range of $14-$32. At the bottom of the graphic, you can see that this information is compiled from the 8,261 individuals reporting their data. We also just saw that there were six salaries reported on indeed, with individuals reporting making much higher hourly rates of $59.17. Those hourly rates are not compiled into the data for payscale because they were never reported there. Many of the pay rates reported to these sites are also only the base salary which does not include any fringe benefits or commissions that could be earned. Many HVAC jobs are highly commission-based, which can skew the numbers while doing income research

These websites are often helpful for determining which states have the highest average Income potential. Which states HVAC techs make the most?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as salary varies depending on several factors, including experience, qualifications, and geographical location. However, according to the website HVAC Tech Salary, the states with the highest average salary for HVAC technicians are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington, and Oregon. In general, technicians in these states earn an average salary of $60,000-$70,000 per year.

There are several reasons why these states have higher-than-average salaries for HVAC technicians. For example, California, Washington, and Oregon have a high cost of living, which means that employers have to pay more to attract and retain qualified workers. In addition, Alaska and Hawaii have a much smaller pool of skilled workers to choose from, which also drives up wages.

Colorado is an interesting case, as the state has a relatively low cost of living but still has a high average salary for HVAC technicians. This is likely due to the state's booming

Union vs Non-Union HVAC Tech Salary

When it comes to wages and salaries, most workers in the United States are unionized. That means they belong to a labor union, which bargains on their behalf with their employers to secure a fair wage and workplace safety. Non-union workers, on the other hand, are not part of a labor union and are not able to collectively bargain for better pay and conditions.

Even though unions often enjoy higher wages and benefits than their non-union counterparts, there is no guarantee that will always be the case. The percentage of workers in the United States who are unionized has been declining for the past several decades. This is in part because many workers feel that they don't need a union to protect them since their employers are generally required to comply with labor laws and regulations.

Nonetheless, unions continue to be an important part of the American labor landscape, and they have had a significant impact on the pay and working conditions of workers in the United States.

By searching the prevailing wages and union wage sheets around the country, we can find many higher-paying HVAC jobs than on any of the websites mentioned above. Typically, Unions will have some of the highest paying hourly rates vs. most non-union companies. That’s not to say that will always be the case. I’ve seen guys working for non-union shops, making well over what their union counterpart is making. The wage sheet below is one of the highest I could find, with a commercial HVAC Journeyman making $63.31 an hour or $126,620 per year. Including the additional income from the benefits package is $226,180 for an HVAC technician.

HVAC Industry Jobs and Wage Growth Outlook

As the HVAC industry continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled labor, and how much HVAC techs make is expected to grow. The National Association of Home Builders reports a projected shortage of 1.5 million HVAC technicians by the year 2022. This number is anticipated to grow in 2023.

This shortage is likely due to the growing popularity of HVAC systems. According to the National Association of Home Builders, threading through employment reports and occupations’ potential analysis, the HVAC industry is among the sectors with solid outlooks. Over the last few years, the number of jobs for HVAC technicians has increased tremendously and is set to continue to grow at a rate of twenty percent in the next ten years. Some factors that have fueled and will continue to drive HVAC job growth include a generally positive economic outlook, an increase in commercial and residential construction, environmental awareness, and the need to improve energy efficiency, equipment upgrades, replacements/repairs, and technological advancement in the HVAC Industry.

A survey carried out by Contractingbusiness.com found that sixty-one percent of HVAC professionals and entrepreneurs feel that the most crucial factor in earning a higher salary is getting further education, training, and certification. The same survey found that those with an undergraduate degree in an HVAC-related field had a relatively higher median salary, approximately 30% higher than those with the EPA 608 universal certification alone. According to Careerexplorer.com, a career as an HVAC tech ranks pretty high among other building trades, earning slightly less than a pipefitter but much higher than plasterers, electricians, drywall, and masonry workers.

Conclusion

Conclusions can be made from analyzing cities across the country: At the same time, the major urban areas command relatively higher salaries; one can still earn a great wage in a small city. An advantage of working in a small town is that cost of living may be relatively low, which can lead to a more comfortable lifestyle than someone working the same job in a large city making a much higher salary. Comparing state-earning figures across the country, it makes sense to think that moving to a higher-earning state may increase what you take home, but that may not always be the case. Look at Nerd Wallets’ cost of living comparative calculator tel help make an informed decision before rushing into anything.

The above screenshot shows that the cost of living in San Francisco is 119% higher than in Omaha. If you were working as an HVAC tech currently making $50,000 per year, you would need to find a job in San Francisco making at least $109,464 to afford a comparable lifestyle to the one you live in Nebraska, making $50k. This great tool will help you determine if a “high-paying” job is worth pursuing.

How much do HVAC techs make? I think we have shown there is not a simple answer to this question. Leave a comment below if you feel comfortable sharing how much you make working as an HVAC Tech.

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