HVAC technician pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical hvac technician pay ranges from $48,740 in Birmingham, AL to $82,050 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in Seattle, WA, Hartford, CT, Chicago, IL.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, SOC 49-9021).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $80,100 | $58,700 |
| 2 | Hartford, CT | $76,180 | $58,200 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $77,960 | $57,900 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $82,050 | $57,200 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $77,490 | $56,900 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $78,530 | $55,700 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $62,680 | $54,000 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $64,440 | $53,800 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $71,580 | $53,600 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $60,120 | $53,500 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $62,790 | $53,400 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $67,380 | $53,400 |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $78,490 | $52,700 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $63,000 | $52,700 |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,240 | $52,600 |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | $60,270 | $52,600 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $74,880 | $52,500 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,930 | $52,400 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $60,820 | $52,000 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $58,590 | $52,000 |
| 21 | Memphis, TN | $56,780 | $51,800 |
| 22 | Washington, DC | $71,920 | $51,600 |
| 23 | Buffalo, NY | $62,180 | $51,500 |
| 24 | Indianapolis, IN | $62,160 | $51,300 |
| 25 | New York, NY | $77,990 | $51,100 |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $73,830 | $51,100 |
| 27 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,140 | $51,000 |
| 28 | Las Vegas, NV | $60,240 | $50,500 |
| 29 | Houston, TX | $58,940 | $50,200 |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $66,670 | $50,200 |
| 31 | Charlotte, NC | $59,840 | $49,700 |
| 32 | Louisville, KY | $58,930 | $49,700 |
| 33 | Grand Rapids, MI | $60,190 | $49,600 |
| 34 | Jacksonville, FL | $58,590 | $49,500 |
| 35 | Detroit, MI | $63,170 | $48,800 |
| 36 | Riverside, CA | $64,300 | $48,800 |
| 37 | Dallas, TX | $59,560 | $48,500 |
| 38 | Raleigh, NC | $58,900 | $48,500 |
| 39 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,580 | $48,400 |
| 40 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,170 | $48,400 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | $59,470 | $48,400 |
| 42 | Richmond, VA | $59,130 | $48,100 |
| 43 | Salt Lake City, UT | $60,790 | $47,900 |
| 44 | Atlanta, GA | $58,970 | $47,100 |
| 45 | Portland, OR | $65,260 | $47,100 |
| 46 | Baltimore, MD | $63,180 | $46,200 |
| 47 | Orlando, FL | $51,460 | $42,900 |
| 48 | Miami, FL | $58,040 | $42,700 |
| 49 | Tampa, FL | $50,540 | $42,400 |
| 50 | Birmingham, AL | $48,740 | $42,200 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays HVAC technicians the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical hvac technician pay among the 50 largest US metros: $82,050 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $48,740. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does hvac technician pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical hvac technician pay goes furthest in Seattle, WA, Hartford, CT, Chicago, IL. It goes the least far in Birmingham, AL, where it's worth about $42,200 in typical-US-city dollars.