FairangeData report · Nov 3, 2026
HVAC tech hourly cost by metro
OEWS HVAC tech (49-9021) mainland hourly means from $21.97/hr (Sebring, FL) to $43.89/hr (San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA); spread ~$21.92/hr.
Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09
Central AC and furnace replacements get the equipment headlines. The wage line underneath still decides how painful a service call feels. Here we rank metros on the BLS OEWS May 2025 mean for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) — straight hourly means, no Fairange hours or markup layered on.
Mainland metros with a published local cell run from about $21.97/hr in Sebring, FL to $43.89/hr in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (spread ~$21.92/hr). That gap is real money on multi-hour diagnostics and changeouts, even when the condenser dominates the invoice.
For planning dollars on a full swap, use the job reports that apply our published hours and materials: AC replacement by metro and furnace by metro. This page is the wage map those estimates sit on.
State notes: in the twelve highest mainland HVAC wage metros, states show up as CA (6), WA (2), AK (2), MA (1). Lowest-wage mainland group: AL (4), WV (3), GA (2), FL (1). High-cost coastal metros dominate the top; smaller Southern and Appalachian metros appear more often near the bottom — still metro OEWS cells, not statewide bids.
Highest HVAC tech wage metros (mainland)
| # | Metro | St | Mean $/hr | Median | p10–p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | CA | $43.89 | $39.45 | $27.49–$65.70 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | CA | $41.61 | $37.73 | $23.64–$62.20 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | WA | $41.07 | $38.51 | $24.70–$62.21 |
| 4 | Anchorage | AK | $41.01 | $41.16 | $27.92–$50.55 |
| 5 | Fairbanks-College | AK | $40.78 | $45.11 | $26.11–$50.86 |
| 6 | Napa | CA | $40.70 | $40.66 | $24.71–$52.33 |
| 7 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma | CA | $40.50 | $38.23 | $23.65–$58.94 |
| 8 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville | CA | $38.72 | $37.66 | $22.96–$55.67 |
| 9 | Salinas | CA | $38.71 | $34.88 | $23.84–$55.77 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton | MA | $38.41 | $37.75 | $24.46–$49.54 |
| 11 | New York-Newark-Jersey City | NY | $38.33 | $37.50 | $24.37–$52.30 |
| 12 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | WA | $38.31 | $36.66 | $22.59–$65.19 |
Lowest HVAC tech wage metros (mainland)
| # | Metro | St | Mean $/hr | Median | p10–p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebring | FL | $21.97 | $21.50 | $16.00–$30.00 |
| 2 | Parkersburg-Vienna | WV | $22.00 | $21.93 | $16.14–$29.27 |
| 3 | Beckley | WV | $22.04 | $21.44 | $16.44–$29.72 |
| 4 | Dothan | AL | $22.91 | $22.22 | $16.94–$29.67 |
| 5 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | AL | $23.30 | $22.54 | $17.26–$29.61 |
| 6 | Florence-Muscle Shoals | AL | $23.47 | $22.38 | $16.91–$29.70 |
| 7 | Anniston-Oxford | AL | $23.52 | $22.97 | $16.77–$31.21 |
| 8 | Hot Springs | AR | $23.54 | $22.42 | $17.56–$31.53 |
| 9 | Valdosta | GA | $23.60 | $22.61 | $16.59–$31.79 |
| 10 | Morgantown | WV | $23.65 | $23.06 | $17.07–$30.45 |
| 11 | El Paso | TX | $23.70 | $22.73 | $13.52–$34.91 |
| 12 | Columbus | GA | $23.90 | $22.49 | $16.19–$31.82 |
Related: heat pump vs furnace by region · repair labor composite · AC calculator · methodology.
Also: ZIP calculator · trades · city guides · how we estimate · press & data · embeds · all reports
By The Fairange team · [email protected]