Compiled by Pricebookr. Published and sources checked September 25, 2026. 109 dated figures from four original publishers. Download CSV · Evidence ledger.
HVAC technician pay
The national median annual HVAC technician wage was $61,010 in May 2025. The employer-industry medians below describe technicians working in each industry; they are not customer billing rates.
BLS wage estimates; United States; May 2025. Occupational code 49-9021 unless another occupation is named.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technician median # | $61,010 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technician 10th-percentile threshold # | $40,050 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technician 90th-percentile threshold # | $95,210 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technicians at plumbing / HVAC contractors # | $60,030 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technicians in wholesale trade # | $71,190 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technicians in retail trade # | $62,830 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technicians in educational services # | $62,520 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Installation, maintenance and repair occupations: median # | $59,620 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| All occupations: median # | $50,980 | May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
HVAC employment and outlook
BLS projects 40,600 HVAC technician openings per year over 2025–2035. That includes replacements for people leaving the occupation; it is not a count of currently unfilled jobs.
United States; BLS Employment Projections. Forecasts are rounded and are not guarantees.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technician employment # | 440,900 jobs | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Projected HVAC technician employment # | 489,100 jobs | 2035 projection U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Average annual HVAC technician openings # | 40,600 openings/year | 2025–2035 projection U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| HVAC technician employment growth # | 11% | 2025–2035 projection U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Installation, maintenance and repair employment growth # | 5% | 2025–2035 projection U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| All-occupation employment growth # | 3% | 2025–2035 projection U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Where HVAC technicians work
Contracting businesses employ the largest published share of HVAC technicians. These selected employer categories do not cover the entire workforce.
United States; HVAC mechanics and installers; 2025 employment share.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing, heating and AC contractors # | 68% | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Self-employed # | 6% | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Wholesale trade # | 3% | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Educational services # | 3% | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Retail trade # | 3% | 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
How large is the plumbing and HVAC contractor industry?
The 2023 Census benchmark counts 111,207 paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting across the United States. A business with several locations can have several establishments.
Paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting (2017 NAICS 238220); all legal forms; all employee roles; excludes nonemployers. This industry includes commercial work as well as residential service.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. contractor establishments # | 111,207 establishments | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| U.S. contractor industry employment # | 1,214,761 employees | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| U.S. contractor industry annual payroll # | $89,519,407,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
Contractor annual payroll by state
Compare the size of contractor payrolls across all 50 states and DC. These are annual industry payroll totals, not average technician salaries or recommended wages.
Paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting (2017 NAICS 238220); all legal forms; all employee roles; excludes nonemployers. Data year: 2023.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama # | $1,061,270,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Alaska # | $165,695,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Arizona # | $2,281,316,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Arkansas # | $655,116,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| California # | $10,859,374,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Colorado # | $1,738,728,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Connecticut # | $902,470,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Delaware # | $338,069,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| District of Columbia # | $132,953,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Florida # | $5,766,710,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Georgia # | $2,279,675,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Hawaii # | $335,032,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Idaho # | $625,447,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Illinois # | $3,491,463,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Indiana # | $2,024,104,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Iowa # | $1,050,811,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Kansas # | $799,069,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Kentucky # | $1,019,332,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Louisiana # | $877,165,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Maine # | $316,882,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Maryland # | $2,260,094,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Massachusetts # | $2,713,661,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Michigan # | $2,318,259,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Minnesota # | $1,796,193,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Mississippi # | $417,667,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Missouri # | $1,780,340,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Montana # | $297,247,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Nebraska # | $706,575,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Nevada # | $1,341,743,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| New Hampshire # | $437,045,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| New Jersey # | $2,387,839,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| New Mexico # | $396,093,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| New York # | $5,224,688,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| North Carolina # | $2,788,002,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| North Dakota # | $239,479,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Ohio # | $2,685,594,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Oklahoma # | $749,597,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Oregon # | $1,336,889,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Pennsylvania # | $3,364,780,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Rhode Island # | $335,763,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| South Carolina # | $1,173,905,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| South Dakota # | $269,874,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Tennessee # | $1,667,081,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Texas # | $7,377,017,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Utah # | $1,061,237,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Vermont # | $162,121,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Virginia # | $2,379,111,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Washington # | $2,964,140,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| West Virginia # | $165,427,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Wisconsin # | $1,849,380,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| Wyoming # | $151,885,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
Contractor payroll by establishment size
Size classes refer to employment at each establishment. They do not describe the employee count of an entire multi-location company.
Paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting (2017 NAICS 238220); all legal forms; all employee roles; excludes nonemployers. National totals; 2023.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 employees # | $6,262,088,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 5–9 employees # | $7,601,440,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 10–19 employees # | $11,259,372,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 20–49 employees # | $18,452,857,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 50–99 employees # | $13,952,774,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 100–249 employees # | $16,262,770,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 250–499 employees # | $7,919,082,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 500–999 employees # | $4,521,691,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
| 1,000+ employees # | $3,287,333,000 | 2023 U.S. Census Bureau (ZIP) |
Home-service price changes
Jobber’s owner survey separates reported price changes by trade and revenue. Use these results as context when reviewing a pricebook; they do not establish what any shop should charge.
December 2025; U.S. owner survey; n=1,050 overall. Subgroup sizes unspecified. Price-change question refers to the preceding year.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| All businesses # | 65% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| HVAC # | 83% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| Roofing # | 74% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| Cleaning # | 55% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| $500K+ revenue # | 80% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| Under $100K revenue # | 54% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
| New businesses # | 42% | Dec 2025 survey Jobber |
How confident are owners in their pricing?
Confidence is a self-assessment. It does not show that a price covers labor burden, overhead, callbacks or profit.
Jobber owner survey; December 2025; n=1,050 overall. Displayed percentages total 99% because of rounding.
How many quotes do homeowners compare?
Two quotes was the most common answer in this Modernize question. These are intended comparisons for an upcoming project, not a measured close rate.
Homeowners answering how many contractors’ quotes they will compare. Modernize 2025 report; n=10,353 for this question. Fieldwork: July–October 2025.
How much of a project would homeowners finance?
Respondents selected how much of an upcoming project they would want to finance if financing were available. These responses are preferences, not loan approvals or borrowing outcomes.
Homeowners answering a hypothetical project-financing question. Modernize 2025 report; n=12,269 for this question. Fieldwork: July–October 2025.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 25% of project # | 23.59% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Up to 50% of project # | 31.68% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Up to 75% of project # | 3.28% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Entire project # | 18.77% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| None of project # | 22.68% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
What discourages homeowners from hiring?
These selected responses identify friction in a contractor’s sales process. Respondents could choose multiple answers; the results cannot be added into a rejection rate.
Homeowners selecting sales attributes that make them least likely to hire. Modernize 2025 report; n=8,258 for this question. Fieldwork: July–October 2025.
| Measure / group | Figure | Period / original source |
|---|---|---|
| Sales pressure # | 37.9% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Unclear quote # | 32.6% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Needs not addressed # | 31.4% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Unprofessional conduct # | 30.4% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Missing completion timeline # | 28.9% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
| Communication gap # | 25.4% | Jul–Oct 2025 Modernize |
What do recent homebuyers want before hiring?
A written price can help a homeowner understand the proposed work. The finding below concerns expressed priorities in a survey, not the effect of any quoting software.
U.S. recent single-family homebuyers; Jobber-commissioned survey; May 2026; n=800, with equal generation groups.
Methodology and source notes
This is a curated reference compiled by Pricebookr. The organizations below collected or published the underlying data. Pricebookr has not conducted a new industry survey. Each distinct measure, population and period counts once; charts and headline cards repeat existing entries.
Industry boundaries matter. Census NAICS 238220 combines plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, including commercial work and all employee roles. BLS occupation 49-9021 describes HVAC mechanics and installers across industries. Those are different populations. An establishment is a business location, not necessarily an independent company.
Payroll is not labor burden. Census payroll is converted from thousands of dollars to dollars by multiplying by 1,000. It is not revenue, an hourly service rate or a technician wage estimate. State payroll rows carry the Census low-noise flag G. No suppressed value is treated as zero. See the 2023 release and field definitions.
Survey limits. Owner and homeowner responses describe the stated samples. Subgroup results are not population forecasts. Multiple-choice percentages and rounded figures may not sum to 100. Modernize collected its 2025 responses during July–October; a country breakdown is not disclosed in the report. The Census tables are explicitly the 2023 vintage, not 2026 measurements.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — HVAC mechanics and installers: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Published or updated: 2026-08-27. Checked: 2026-09-25.
OEWS wages (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025–2035). Wage estimates exclude self-employed workers; projections include them. Openings include replacement needs.
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2023 County Business Patterns: United States
Published or updated: 2025-06-26. Checked: 2026-09-25.
Paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting (2017 NAICS 238220); all legal forms; all employee roles; excludes nonemployers. Employment is mid-March. Payroll is annual, reported in thousands of dollars. Disclosure noise applies.
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2023 County Business Patterns: states and DC
Published or updated: 2025-06-26. Checked: 2026-09-25.
Paid-employee establishments in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contracting (2017 NAICS 238220); all legal forms; all employee roles; excludes nonemployers. Employment is mid-March. Payroll is annual, reported in thousands of dollars. Disclosure noise applies.
- Jobber — 2026 Home Service Trends Report
Published or updated: 2026 report; day not stated. Checked: 2026-09-25.
Conjointly surveyed 1,050 U.S. home-service owners in December 2025. Self-reports; subgroup sample sizes unspecified.
- Jobber — Recent Homebuyer Reality Check
Published or updated: 2026 report; day not stated. Checked: 2026-09-25.
Coleman Parkes, May 2026: 800 U.S. single-family homebuyers from the preceding two years, equally split across four generations.
- Modernize — 2025 Homeowner Insights Report
Published or updated: 2025 report; day not stated. Checked: 2026-09-25.
Home-improvement audience surveyed July–October 2025 (PDF page 4). Each question has its own response count; probability sampling and country breakdown are not disclosed.
Every source link was opened during compilation; the government ZIP files and Modernize PDF were downloaded and inspected. The evidence ledger includes table or page locations and retrieval notes. Next editorial review is targeted for December 15, 2026; the check date changes only after a fresh source review.
How to cite these statistics
Keep the data year, population and original publisher with the figure. Link to the original source for its finding and to the relevant section here for the compiled comparison.
Pricebookr. 109 HVAC Statistics: Pay, Payroll & Pricing. September 25, 2026.
https://www.pricebookr.com/statistics/hvac-contractor-statisticsUsing the numbers in a pricebook
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