HVAC technicians: licensing, jobs and pay in the United States
396,870 people work as HVAC technicians in the United States, and the median pay is $59,810 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 111,207 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor businesses with employees, with 1,214,761 employees and a payroll of $89,519,407,000 a year (2023 County Business Patterns).
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 396,870
- Median pay, a year
- $59,810
- Businesses with employees
- 111,207
HVAC technicians by state
| State | Jobs | Median pay, a year | Businesses with employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 38,290 | $50,580 | 9,353 | 9.1 |
| California | 34,020 | $65,290 | 11,686 | 8.0 |
| Texas | 32,070 | $54,050 | 8,966 | 7.4 |
| New York | 22,710 | $66,670 | 7,061 | 8.2 |
| Pennsylvania | 16,930 | $61,120 | 4,154 | 7.2 |
| North Carolina | 13,750 | $51,940 | 3,973 | 8.1 |
| Michigan | 13,720 | $60,090 | 2,661 | 5.8 |
| Virginia | 13,640 | $60,630 | 2,765 | 7.5 |
| Ohio | 13,570 | $60,490 | 2,970 | 5.6 |
| Georgia | 12,210 | $55,020 | 3,101 | 6.8 |
| Arizona | 10,850 | $56,580 | 2,567 | 8.0 |
| New Jersey | 10,680 | $69,800 | 3,454 | 9.1 |
| Tennessee | 10,510 | $51,480 | 1,899 | 6.0 |
| Colorado | 8,870 | $63,420 | 2,620 | 10.1 |
| Illinois | 8,510 | $71,620 | 4,070 | 7.5 |
| Missouri | 8,360 | $60,330 | 1,915 | 6.8 |
| Massachusetts | 7,960 | $76,990 | 3,069 | 10.1 |
| Indiana | 7,620 | $60,310 | 2,008 | 6.7 |
| Alabama | 7,330 | $49,290 | 1,647 | 7.0 |
| Washington | 7,090 | $67,630 | 2,242 | 6.8 |
| Maryland | 6,380 | $65,000 | 1,986 | 7.8 |
| South Carolina | 6,370 | $55,260 | 1,685 | 6.9 |
| Kentucky | 6,230 | $58,880 | 1,379 | 6.8 |
| Wisconsin | 5,930 | $62,030 | 1,944 | 7.0 |
| Utah | 5,370 | $56,200 | 1,443 | 11.8 |
| Minnesota | 5,190 | $73,390 | 1,816 | 7.1 |
| Louisiana | 5,040 | $53,510 | 1,623 | 7.7 |
| Arkansas | 4,890 | $47,240 | 1,145 | 8.2 |
| Oklahoma | 4,820 | $50,920 | 1,592 | 9.0 |
| Connecticut | 4,440 | $73,910 | 1,318 | 8.5 |
| Nevada | 4,240 | $59,230 | 909 | 6.9 |
| Kansas | 4,100 | $56,750 | 1,028 | 7.9 |
| Iowa | 3,990 | $59,490 | 1,108 | 7.7 |
| Oregon | 3,690 | $62,740 | 1,337 | 7.2 |
| Idaho | 3,570 | $52,730 | 904 | 11.4 |
| Nebraska | 3,080 | $59,690 | 837 | 9.7 |
| Mississippi | 2,960 | $47,270 | 709 | 5.3 |
| New Hampshire | 2,120 | $64,410 | 776 | 12.0 |
| Maine | 2,110 | $62,130 | 781 | 10.4 |
| New Mexico | 1,820 | $55,020 | 691 | 7.2 |
| Delaware | 1,790 | $59,940 | 344 | 7.4 |
| West Virginia | 1,450 | $46,040 | 406 | 4.7 |
| Rhode Island | 1,320 | $63,580 | 494 | 10.2 |
| South Dakota | 1,130 | $59,460 | 401 | 9.8 |
| Hawaii | 1,110 | $63,780 | 403 | 7.1 |
| North Dakota | 1,100 | $66,770 | 336 | 8.9 |
| Montana | 1,050 | $58,600 | 712 | 13.5 |
| Vermont | 1,050 | $60,170 | 303 | 8.9 |
| Alaska | 790 | $83,660 | 264 | 8.0 |
| Wyoming | 570 | $50,920 | 315 | 11.4 |
| District of Columbia | 370 | $83,390 | 37 | 1.0 |
The highest median pay is in Alaska ($83,660), District of Columbia ($83,390), Massachusetts ($76,990).
The lowest is in West Virginia ($46,040), Arkansas ($47,240), Mississippi ($47,270).
What HVAC technicians earn
| United States | |
|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $59,810 |
| Median pay, an hour | $28.75 |
| 10th percentile | $39,130 |
| 25th percentile | $47,850 |
| 75th percentile | $74,820 |
| 90th percentile | $91,020 |
| Average pay, a year | $62,690 |
Federal rules and model codes for HVAC technicians
A technician who opens an appliance’s refrigerant circuit, or who services or disposes of equipment containing refrigerant, must hold an EPA section 608 certification of the type for that equipment (40 CFR part 82, subpart F).
Work for pay that disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint inside, or 20 square feet outside, in a home or child-occupied facility built before 1978 must be done by an EPA- or state-certified firm, directed by a certified renovator and done with lead-safe work practices; replacing windows always counts (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).
On a construction job, a worker 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or a personal fall arrest system, with the rules for roofs in OSHA’s fall protection standard (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M).
Heating, cooling and ventilation work is inspected against a mechanical code adopted from the International or Uniform Mechanical Code, with state and local amendments.
A model code becomes law only where a state or city adopts it; the building or licensing department says which edition applies.
- EPA refrigerant management, Clean Air Act section 608 (40 CFR part 82, subpart F)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
- International Mechanical Code (ICC) and Uniform Mechanical Code (IAPMO)
Licenses for HVAC technicians
Licensing for this trade is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; each state’s page links the official license lookup for it.
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Questions about HVAC technicians
How much do HVAC technicians make?
The median pay for HVAC technicians in the United States is $59,810 a year, and half earn between $47,850 and $74,820 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many HVAC technicians are there in the United States?
396,870 people work as HVAC technicians, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
Where do HVAC technicians earn the most?
The highest median pay is in Alaska ($83,660), District of Columbia ($83,390), Massachusetts ($76,990).
Do HVAC technicians need a license?
Licensing is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists the licenses each state requires and the agency that issues each.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop License Finder
- EPA refrigerant management, Clean Air Act section 608 (40 CFR part 82, subpart F)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .