TL;DR — The most reliable pay figures for HVAC technicians come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nationally, the median was $61,010 a year in May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent under $40,050 and the highest 10 percent over $95,210. California’s average has run above the national figure. What you personally earn depends on experience, employer, region and specialty, and no school can promise a number.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which surveys employers and publishes wage estimates for the occupation it calls Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021). Two things to know about that data:
- It covers wage-and-salary employees, not self-employed technicians or business owners.
- It’s published roughly a year after collection, so the “May 2025” figures reflect wages from that survey period.
We don’t publish pay ranges by experience level or by city. BLS doesn’t measure those, and numbers without a source aren’t worth reading.
National pay for HVAC technicians
Per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025:
- Median annual wage: $61,010 — half of technicians earned more, half earned less
- Lowest 10 percent: less than $40,050
- Highest 10 percent: more than $95,210
- Median for all U.S. occupations, for comparison: $50,980
Most HVAC technicians work full time. Schedules can include evenings, weekends, on-call work and overtime during peak heating and cooling seasons, which affects take-home pay in ways the annual figure doesn’t show.
California
California has consistently paid above the national figure for this occupation. In BLS’s May 2023 state estimates, the annual mean wage for HVAC technicians in California was $70,050 ($33.68 per hour), with about 35,630 employed statewide.
For the current California figure and estimates for specific metro areas — Los Angeles, Riverside–San Bernardino, the Bay Area, Sacramento — use the BLS OEWS data tool for California, or the California EDD Labor Market Information occupation profiles. Both publish the same survey; EDD adds county-level detail.
What moves pay
Within the range BLS reports, four things account for most of the spread:
- Experience. Entry-level installers and helpers sit toward the low end; technicians who diagnose and service complex systems on their own sit higher. BLS doesn’t publish a breakdown by years of experience, so we don’t either.
- Sector. Commercial and industrial work — rooftop units, chillers, refrigeration for cold storage and food processing — generally pays more than residential service and requires more training.
- Region. Coastal and Bay Area markets tend to pay more than inland markets, roughly tracking cost of living. The BLS metro tables linked above have the actual figures.
- Credentials. Federal law requires EPA Section 608 certification for anyone who handles refrigerants. A technician who holds Universal 608 can work on every system class; one without it can’t legally handle refrigerant at all.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of HVAC technicians to grow 11 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 40,600 openings a year on average over the decade — most of them from workers retiring or changing occupations. In California, building electrification, heat-pump adoption and the transition to A2L refrigerants under the federal AIM Act are adding retrofit and new-install work on top of that.
Licensing in California
California licenses HVAC contractors, not technicians. The Contractors State License Board issues the C-20 classification to businesses and qualifying individuals; a technician employed by a licensed contractor doesn’t need a personal state license. The C-20 requires journey-level experience and the CSLB exams, and it’s the usual path for technicians who go on to run their own shops.
Where training fits
Our HVAC Technician program covers refrigeration fundamentals, HVAC electrical systems, heating systems, heat pumps, commercial equipment, controls and diagnostics, with hands-on lab time and preparation for the EPA Section 608 exam. Program length, schedule and campus availability are in the school catalog and on the program page.
Completion, placement and wage data for graduates of this program are published in the School Performance Fact Sheet required by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Review it before you enroll: Performance Fact Sheets.
InterCoast Colleges does not guarantee employment, a specific wage, or any particular outcome. Labor market conditions vary.
Frequently asked questions
How long does HVAC school take? It depends on the program. Ours is listed in the catalog with academic credits and weeks; other schools’ programs run from a few months to two years.
Is HVAC physically demanding? Yes. Ladders, rooftops, attics, crawl spaces and equipment that has to be carried. It’s a physical trade.
Can I work while I train? Many students do. Ask about schedule options for the program and campus you’re considering.
Is there seasonal work? Residential cooling-only shops can slow in winter. Commercial, refrigeration and full-service residential contractors tend to work year-round.
Do I need math? Basic arithmetic and algebra to start. Ohm’s law, refrigerant pressure-temperature charts and load calculations are taught in the program.
InterCoast Colleges is a private institution approved to operate by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as cited and are not a promise of earnings.