HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in the United States was $39,630 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $34,910 and $46,890.
Closest proxy Our title "HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper" is reported by BLS as SOC 49-9098 Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers. Closest proxy: Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers. This published occupation covers only part of HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
Annual wages
HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $29,310, half earned less than the median of $39,630, 90% earned less than $55,890 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,310 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $34,910 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $39,630 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $46,890 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $55,890 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $41,490 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $14.09, half earned less than the median of $19.05, 90% earned less than $26.87 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.09 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $16.78 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $19.05 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $22.55 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $26.87 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $19.95 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 95,580 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 49-9098 Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $38,990 | $36,520 to $44,580 | 1,460 | 0.84 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $38,470 | $35,840 to $45,830 | 670 | 0.75 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $37,470 | $34,340 to $43,700 | 730 | 0.84 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $38,680 | $35,000 to $45,600 | 710 | 1.55 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $43,870 | $41,230 to $51,310 | 5,700 | 0.98 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $43,870 | $41,230 to $51,310 | 5,700 | 0.98 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,250 | $34,920 to $45,590 | 4,150 | 1.67 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $37,470 | $31,970 to $43,840 | 4,440 | 2.19 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $38,730 | $34,880 to $46,820 | 1,430 | 0.52 |
How does HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 49-9098, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $58,730 | Annual | 1,290 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $58,730 | Annual | 1,290 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $60,960 | Annual | 980 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $58,330 | Annual | 180 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $45,350 | Annual | 140 |
| Construction | 23 | $40,360 | Annual | 34,460 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $44,580 | Annual | 1,040 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $43,760 | Annual | 440 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $44,580 | Annual | 600 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $45,090 | Annual | 2,580 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $45,090 | Annual | 1,830 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $43,950 | Annual | 580 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $49,990 | Annual | 150 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $39,850 | Annual | 30,840 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $40,040 | Annual | 560 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $39,860 | Annual | 28,350 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $42,590 | Annual | 650 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $38,040 | Annual | 1,280 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $44,390 | Annual | 850 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 311300 | $39,430 | Annual | 320 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 311400 | $49,630 | Annual | 90 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 311500 | $54,350 | Annual | 70 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 311600 | $43,940 | Annual | 150 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 311700 | $38,710 | Annual | 50 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 311800 | $49,170 | Annual | 60 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 311900 | $45,080 | Annual | 90 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 312000 | $51,820 | Annual | 40 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | 312100 | $54,300 | Annual | 40 |
| Textile Mills | 313000 | $35,870 | Annual | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $43,370 | Annual | 6,310 |
| Textile Product Mills | 314000 | $39,390 | Annual | 80 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | 314900 | $38,720 | Annual | 60 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $50,160 | Annual | 320 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 321100 | $47,790 | Annual | 160 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 321200 | $50,440 | Annual | 80 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $49,090 | Annual | 80 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $47,690 | Annual | 140 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 322100 | $60,230 | Annual | 50 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 322200 | $44,710 | Annual | 90 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $44,330 | Annual | 140 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $42,700 | Annual | 90 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $42,360 | Annual | 40 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $43,710 | Annual | 270 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $43,470 | Annual | 240 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $44,370 | Annual | 30 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $44,520 | Annual | 400 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $50,890 | Annual | 230 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 331100 | $47,780 | Annual | 40 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 331200 | $50,890 | Annual | 40 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 331300 | $60,500 | Annual | 40 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 331400 | $57,200 | Annual | 60 |
| Foundries | 331500 | $47,910 | Annual | 50 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $39,120 | Annual | 950 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $38,930 | Annual | 200 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $37,610 | Annual | 440 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $40,710 | Annual | 230 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 332800 | $39,990 | Annual | 80 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $45,870 | Annual | 920 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $45,690 | Annual | 810 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $57,990 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 333500 | $38,620 | Annual | 40 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $41,910 | Annual | 100 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $45,590 | Annual | 40 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $49,710 | Annual | 30 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $53,150 | Annual | 30 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $45,200 | Annual | 830 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $47,760 | Annual | 60 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $44,870 | Annual | 190 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $45,200 | Annual | 280 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $39,590 | Annual | 220 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $37,400 | Annual | 280 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $37,400 | Annual | 280 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $42,180 | Annual | 600 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 339100 | $37,850 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $42,530 | Annual | 560 |
| Air Transportation | 481000 | $45,560 | Annual | 110 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 481100 | $42,540 | Annual | 50 |
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation | 481200 | $45,840 | Annual | 60 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $53,280 | Annual | 130 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $53,280 | Annual | 130 |
| Water Transportation | 483000 | $37,450 | Annual | 30 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $38,870 | Annual | 1,480 |
| Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | 485000 | $40,740 | Annual | 320 |
| Urban Transit Systems | 485100 | $41,940 | Annual | 40 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation | 485400 | $40,740 | Annual | 190 |
| Charter Bus Industry | 485500 | $44,980 | Annual | 50 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | 487000 | $40,780 | Annual | 40 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $37,840 | Annual | 1,940 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $37,690 | Annual | 1,350 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation | 488200 | $41,470 | Annual | 240 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 488300 | $41,960 | Annual | 50 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation | 488400 | $33,650 | Annual | 270 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 488500 | $49,200 | Annual | 30 |
| Couriers and Messengers | 492000 | $51,730 | Annual | 40 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 492100 | $51,730 | Annual | 40 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $45,960 | Annual | 430 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $45,960 | Annual | 430 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $38,890 | Annual | 3,020 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $37,570 | Annual | 1,740 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $41,290 | Annual | 1,280 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $41,290 | Annual | 960 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing | 532100 | $41,630 | Annual | 320 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $45,940 | Annual | 770 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $45,940 | Annual | 770 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $46,830 | Annual | 330 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $37,300 | Annual | 70 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $41,630 | Annual | 70 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $45,190 | Annual | 100 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $46,720 | Annual | 40 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 541800 | $48,410 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $43,120 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $39,540 | Annual | 730 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $41,770 | Annual | 470 |
| Waste Collection | 562100 | $43,680 | Annual | 280 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 562200 | $50,490 | Annual | 40 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $37,770 | Annual | 150 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | 721200 | $37,290 | Annual | 50 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $37,440 | Annual | 18,930 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 811100 | $36,540 | Annual | 15,010 |
| Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance | 811200 | $45,760 | Annual | 350 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $42,990 | Annual | 2,990 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $41,600 | Annual | 580 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $64,620 | 40 | 1.1 | 1.46 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $55,100 | 430 | 0.62 | 0.66 |
| Twin Falls, ID | $51,490 | 70 | 2.12 | 1.13 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $51,000 | 70 | 0.92 | 0.82 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $50,230 | 30 | 1.22 | 0.87 |
| Madison, WI | $50,170 | 230 | 0.93 | 0.86 |
| Napa, CA | $50,150 | 30 | 0.68 | 0.91 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,580 | 660 | 0.67 | 0.78 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $48,000 | 50 | 0.76 | 0.88 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,460 | 1,010 | 0.69 | 0.64 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $29,560 | 190 | 3.16 | 0.72 |
| Laredo, TX | $29,080 | 130 | 2 | 0.78 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $29,070 | 110 | 1.12 | 0.80 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $27,870 | 30 | 1.45 | 0.76 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $27,420 | 50 | 1.35 | 0.69 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $25,200 | 1,790 | 4.21 | 0.86 |
| Arecibo, PR | $22,880 | 50 | 2.57 | 0.88 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $21,840 | 90 | 3.13 | 0.82 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $21,840 | 100 | 3.03 | 0.86 |
| Ponce, PR | $21,840 | 110 | 2.78 | 0.81 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National, the published median for SOC 49-9098, Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, is $39,630 per year. The middle half of the HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National wage distribution runs from $34,910 to $46,890, a width of $11,980 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $43,870 per year while Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX reports $37,470 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, read alongside HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National, are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $60,960 per year (NAICS 221100); Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing at $60,500 per year (NAICS 331300); Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills at $60,230 per year (NAICS 322100). Those HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National median was $38,860 per year in May 2024, compared with $39,630 in May 2025, a published difference of $770. That HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $38,860 and $39,630 HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $39,630 per year for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National is proxy: Closest proxy: Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers; This published occupation covers only part of HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role. For a HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National buyer?
HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National has a published middle-half band of $34,910 to $46,890, a width of $11,980 per year, with median $39,630. An offer inside that HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National. Comparing those Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers tables with the $39,630 HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National?
HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National uses national industry rows for SOC 49-9098, not local sector-specific wages. Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution leads the selected sortable rows at $60,960 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National.
What changed between the releases for HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National?
HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National moved from $38,860 in May 2024 to $39,630 in May 2025. These HVAC Apprentice / Install Helper in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 49-9098. Published annual median: $38,860 (May 2024) and $39,630 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.