HVAC Tech Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Job Numbers and Growth

There are about 292,000 jobs for HVAC techs in the US. The unemployment ranking for this career was low, compared to other occupations. About 4% of employees were without employment in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

HVAC techs are most common in Panama City (Florida), Wichita Falls (Texas), and Lakeland (Florida), and least common in Valdosta (Georgia), San Jose (California), and San Francisco (California).

Workers are paid the most in Yuba City (California), San Jose (California), and Oakland (California), and the least in McAllen (Texas), Flagstaff (Arizona), and Laredo (Texas).

Training and Education

Most employees have long-term on-the-job training. Approximately 3% of HVAC techs have a bachelor's degree. About 39% of workers have been to college without getting a degree. About 58% of employees obtain jobs with only a high-school diploma or GED. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Among HVAC techs, 4% work less than full-time. Some 13% of workers work for themselves.

HVAC Techs: An Introductory Video

HVAC Techs Around the Country

In the list below, each metro area is rated for the relative popularity of HVAC techs compared to other locations (that is, jobs per population). Single or double up or down arrows indicate the relative popularity in that location. Within each state listing, metro areas are sorted by the actual number of jobs for HVAC techs.

Alabama

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Birmingham	$38,000	1,210
Mobile	$31,000	690
Montgomery	$32,000	400
Huntsville	$38,000	330
Dothan	$28,000	250
Anniston	$28,000	190
Tuscaloosa	$34,000	160
Auburn	$31,000	90

Alaska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Fairbanks	$54,000	110

Arizona

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Phoenix	$41,000	3,520
Tucson	$39,000	630
Yuma	$35,000	140
Flagstaff	$29,000	120
Kingman	$39,000	100

Arkansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Little Rock	$41,000	660
Fayetteville	$34,000	290
Fort Smith	$32,000	250
Jonesboro	$31,000	140
Hot Springs	$32,000	80
Pine Bluff	$34,000	50

California

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Riverside	$42,000	2,160
Santa Ana	$51,000	1,780
San Diego	$49,000	1,260
Sacramento	$45,000	1,090
Oakland	$60,000	880
San Jose	$61,000	560
Fresno	$36,000	540
San Francisco	$57,000	360
Bakersfield	$41,000	300
Stockton	$49,000	220
Modesto	$40,000	170
Santa Rosa	$54,000	160
Santa Barbara	$51,000	150
Visalia	$38,000	120
Salinas	$58,000	110
Chico	$32,000	90
Hanford	$34,000	80
El Centro	$41,000	60
Santa Cruz	$52,000	60
Yuba City	$63,000	50
Merced	$45,000	50

Colorado

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Denver	$47,000	2,390
Colorado Springs	$41,000	390
Boulder	$48,000	240
Pueblo	$40,000	110

Connecticut

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Hartford	$48,000	1,340
Bridgeport	$54,000	960
New Haven	$50,000	700
Danbury	$49,000	350
Norwich	$47,000	170
Waterbury	$48,000	140

Delaware

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wilmington	$45,000	1,100

District of Columbia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Washington	$51,000	4,510

Florida

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Tampa	$36,000	4,650
Orlando	$35,000	3,080
Fort Lauderdale	$42,000	2,570
Miami	$43,000	2,240
West Palm Beach	$39,000	1,860
Jacksonville	$40,000	1,640
Lakeland	$31,000	1,060
Cape Coral	$37,000	1,050
Sarasota	$38,000	710
Palm Bay	$37,000	700
Pensacola	$35,000	640
Panama City	$42,000	540
Tallahassee	$36,000	530
Deltona	$37,000	470
Ocala	$35,000	420
Gainesville	$34,000	420
Naples	$42,000	300
Fort Walton Beach	$37,000	250
Sebastian	$37,000	170
Punta Gorda	$35,000	160

Georgia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Atlanta	$39,000	4,590
Savannah	$34,000	460
Augusta	$29,000	420
Macon	$36,000	170
Columbus	$35,000	150
Warner Robins	$35,000	110
Brunswick	$34,000	100
Gainesville	$43,000	70
Rome	$39,000	70
Albany	$29,000	70
Valdosta	$33,000	30

Hawaii

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Honolulu	$46,000	610

Idaho

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Boise	$37,000	670
Idaho Falls	$40,000	100

Illinois

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Chicago	$54,000	3,680
Peoria	$43,000	280
Champaign		150
Bloomington	$43,000	100
Kankakee	$46,000	40

Indiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Indianapolis	$45,000	1,480
Fort Wayne	$40,000	570
Gary	$43,000	570
Evansville	$41,000	440
Bloomington	$35,000	300
Kokomo	$50,000	160
Muncie	$38,000	130
Elkhart	$51,000	110
Columbus	$38,000	110
Anderson	$39,000	70
Michigan City	$45,000	50

Iowa

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Des Moines	$38,000	780
Cedar Rapids	$41,000	360
Iowa City	$39,000	190
Ames	$33,000	180
Waterloo	$35,000	170
Dubuque	$38,000	120
Sioux City	$40,000	90

Kansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wichita	$41,000	520
Topeka	$45,000	130
Lawrence	$41,000	100

Kentucky

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Louisville	$35,000	830
Lexington	$39,000	630
Bowling Green	$35,000	210
Elizabethtown	$33,000	130

Louisiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
New Orleans	$37,000	1,640
Baton Rouge	$37,000	790
Shreveport	$34,000	420
Lafayette	$28,000	190
Monroe	$36,000	160
Lake Charles	$57,000	110
Alexandria	$34,000	90

Maine

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Portland	$47,000	520
Lewiston	$42,000	140
Bangor	$38,000	60

Maryland

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Baltimore	$49,000	2,450
Bethesda	$45,000	1,170
Salisbury	$38,000	160
Cumberland	$34,000	90
Hagerstown	$34,000	60

Massachusetts

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Boston	$56,000	4,070
Springfield	$48,000	640
Worcester	$45,000	490
Framingham	$45,000	480
Lowell	$62,000	420
Barnstable Town	$48,000	410
Haverhill	$49,000	260
Lawrence	$54,000	190
Brockton	$51,000	160
Leominster	$45,000	110
New Bedford	$39,000	60

Michigan

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Detroit	$54,000	1,920
Warren	$46,000	1,900
Grand Rapids	$41,000	750
Flint	$49,000	350
Lansing	$50,000	330
Kalamazoo	$44,000	290
Battle Creek	$38,000	220
Ann Arbor	$57,000	190
Holland	$50,000	170
Saginaw	$40,000	160
Jackson	$47,000	90
Bay City	$43,000	60

Minnesota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Minneapolis	$54,000	1,500
St Cloud	$51,000	120
Duluth	$52,000	120
Rochester	$42,000	80

Mississippi

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Jackson	$37,000	400
Gulfport	$37,000	180

Missouri

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
St Louis	$47,000	2,120
Kansas City	$47,000	1,510
Springfield	$41,000	320
Jefferson City	$34,000	260
Columbia	$52,000	160
Joplin	$33,000	70

Montana

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Missoula	$44,000	30

Nebraska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Omaha	$47,000	1,030
Lincoln	$43,000	290

Nevada

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Las Vegas	$44,000	1,810
Reno	$51,000	450
Carson City	$47,000	30

New Hampshire

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Manchester	$41,000	230
Rochester	$43,000	200
Portsmouth	$49,000	170

New Jersey

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Newark	$51,000	2,710
Edison	$48,000	2,590
Camden	$50,000	970
Trenton	$52,000	360
Atlantic City	$49,000	310
Vineland	$44,000	90

New Mexico

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Santa Fe	$37,000	70

New York

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
New York	$51,000	9,650
Nassau	$51,000	3,330
Rochester	$39,000	1,230
Poughkeepsie	$46,000	1,120
Albany	$40,000	1,030
Buffalo	$41,000	680
Syracuse	$44,000	600
Binghamton	$37,000	390
Utica	$40,000	260
Kingston	$38,000	220
Glens Falls	$39,000	130
Ithaca	$37,000	40
Elmira	$48,000	40

North Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Charlotte	$42,000	1,980
Raleigh	$43,000	1,270
Greensboro	$40,000	800
Durham	$39,000	560
Winston Salem	$36,000	500
Asheville	$38,000	400
Fayetteville	$40,000	350
Wilmington	$34,000	350
Greenville	$38,000	200
Hickory	$38,000	100
Jacksonville	$36,000	90
Goldsboro	$36,000	70

North Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Fargo	$47,000	160
Grand Forks	$43,000	60

Ohio

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Cincinnati	$42,000	2,310
Cleveland	$57,000	2,130
Columbus	$44,000	2,010
Dayton	$38,000	1,040
Toledo	$42,000	610
Akron	$40,000	550
Canton	$39,000	380
Youngstown	$37,000	360
Springfield	$37,000	110
Sandusky	$39,000	70
Mansfield	$35,000	70

Oklahoma

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Oklahoma City	$36,000	940
Tulsa	$37,000	940
Lawton	$46,000	50

Oregon

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Portland	$48,000	1,920
Eugene	$40,000	330
Salem	$40,000	210
Medford	$42,000	80
Corvallis	$43,000	40

Pennsylvania

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Philadelphia	$48,000	4,320
Pittsburgh	$37,000	2,280
Allentown	$42,000	900
Scranton	$40,000	770
Harrisburg	$41,000	680
Lancaster	$41,000	620
York	$44,000	490
Reading	$45,000	310
Erie	$38,000	210
State College	$39,000	190
Lebanon	$51,000	180
Johnstown	$40,000	140
Altoona	$32,000	110
Williamsport	$36,000	90

Rhode Island

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Providence	$48,000	1,290

South Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Columbia	$34,000	1,110
Charleston	$38,000	810
Greenville	$39,000	740
Myrtle Beach	$32,000	390
Sumter	$32,000	120
Florence	$38,000	90

South Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Sioux Falls	$38,000	310
Rapid City	$35,000	80

Tennessee

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Nashville	$39,000	1,390
Memphis	$41,000	1,040
Knoxville	$34,000	1,040
Chattanooga	$35,000	510
Kingsport	$31,000	370
Johnson City	$29,000	90

Texas

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Dallas	$42,000	4,390
Houston	$42,000	4,180
San Antonio	$35,000	2,590
Fort Worth	$37,000	2,520
Austin	$37,000	2,120
Corpus Christi	$40,000	640
Mcallen	$26,000	610
Beaumont	$42,000	560
El Paso	$33,000	520
Wichita Falls	$42,000	390
Amarillo	$40,000	380
Brownsville	$25,000	360
Tyler	$35,000	270
Killeen	$33,000	210
Lubbock	$37,000	200
Laredo	$24,000	190
Abilene	$32,000	160
Victoria	$32,000	150
Texarkana	$37,000	100
Midland	$49,000	80
Odessa	$30,000	60

Utah

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Salt Lake City	$40,000	1,190
Ogden	$39,000	820
Provo	$38,000	350
Logan	$35,000	130

Vermont

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Burlington	$38,000	380

Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Virginia Beach	$37,000	2,360
Richmond	$41,000	1,610
Roanoke	$39,000	560
Lynchburg	$35,000	340
Charlottesville	$37,000	340
Harrisonburg	$38,000	250
Winchester	$37,000	170
Danville	$34,000	130
Blacksburg	$37,000	90

Washington

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Seattle	$59,000	1,910
Tacoma	$51,000	710
Spokane	$43,000	580
Kennewick	$41,000	190
Bremerton	$44,000	160
Bellingham	$46,000	160
Longview	$35,000	100

West Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Charleston	$35,000	680
Huntington	$33,000	180
Parkersburg	$30,000	130
Wheeling	$31,000	100
Morgantown	$35,000	100
Weirton	$36,000	60

Wisconsin

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Milwaukee	$50,000	1,400
Green Bay	$39,000	640
Madison	$41,000	560
Appleton	$45,000	330
Sheboygan	$44,000	180
Racine	$51,000	180
Eau Claire	$42,000	150
Wausau	$42,000	130
La Crosse	$47,000	130

Wyoming

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Casper	$37,000	100
Cheyenne	$43,000	30

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