HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in the United States was $61,010 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers in this occupation and area earned between $48,360 and $77,060. This is the broader occupation used for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician, not a separately surveyed rate for that title or credential.
Broader occupation Our title "HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician" is reported by BLS as SOC 49-9021 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. BLS groups HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician within Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021)
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $40,050, half earned less than the median of $61,010, 90% earned less than $95,210 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,050 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $48,360 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $61,010 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $77,060 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $95,210 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $64,780 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021)
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $19.25, half earned less than the median of $29.33, 90% earned less than $45.78 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.25 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.25 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $29.33 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $37.05 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $45.78 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $31.14 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 409,670 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 49-9021 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, National.
What BLS wages measure. OEWS estimates describe straight-time gross wages, not just base salary and not total compensation. They include commissions and production bonuses. They exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. Discuss travel, per diem, tool and truck allowances separately. Percentiles describe the occupation's wage distribution, not seniority, plant size, job complexity or credentials. Licensing, union agreements and prevailing-wage obligations depend on the work and assignment; these figures do not establish a premium for them.
Official BLS wage definitions | Source dates and methodology
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
New York City and Northern New Jersey share the New York-Newark-Jersey City BLS area and one estimate, shown once below.
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $58,040 | $48,440 to $72,580 | 9,140 | 1.23 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $50,540 | $46,740 to $61,820 | 6,090 | 1.6 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $51,460 | $46,370 to $63,150 | 5,140 | 1.38 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $58,900 | $47,480 to $65,350 | 2,550 | 1.3 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,990 | $61,350 to $93,340 | 21,820 | 0.87 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $59,560 | $47,860 to $74,270 | 10,910 | 1.02 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $58,940 | $47,040 to $73,900 | 7,680 | 0.89 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77,960 | $61,050 to $96,790 | 7,210 | 0.61 |
How does HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 49-9021, 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 | $101,420 | Annual | 1,220 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $101,420 | Annual | 1,220 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $78,970 | Annual | 400 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $105,630 | Annual | 720 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $62,100 | Annual | 100 |
| Construction | 23 | $60,070 | Annual | 310,000 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $59,680 | Annual | 3,120 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $57,610 | Annual | 1,620 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $63,290 | Annual | 1,490 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $75,600 | Annual | 170 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $73,890 | Annual | 90 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $82,590 | Annual | 70 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $60,070 | Annual | 306,710 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $51,070 | Annual | 340 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $60,070 | Annual | 305,330 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $50,100 | Annual | 480 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $66,140 | Annual | 550 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $64,760 | Annual | 3,200 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | 311100 | $64,450 | Annual | 30 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 311400 | $73,970 | Annual | 450 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 311500 | $74,880 | Annual | 150 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 311600 | $63,930 | Annual | 2,220 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 311700 | $56,840 | Annual | 120 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 311800 | $75,970 | Annual | 120 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 311900 | $77,580 | Annual | 70 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 312000 | $58,870 | Annual | 520 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | 312100 | $58,450 | Annual | 490 |
| Tobacco Manufacturing | 312200 | $80,080 | Annual | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $65,670 | Annual | 10,350 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $49,450 | Annual | 50 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $47,680 | Annual | 40 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $85,100 | Annual | 330 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $75,720 | Annual | 80 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $95,650 | Annual | 240 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $53,760 | Annual | 30 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $72,910 | Annual | 60 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $56,980 | Annual | 590 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $64,530 | Annual | 40 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $55,180 | Annual | 560 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $62,730 | Annual | 3,730 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $62,810 | Annual | 3,590 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $53,480 | Annual | 100 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $75,870 | Annual | 330 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $75,870 | Annual | 80 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $76,440 | Annual | 240 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $96,680 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $79,170 | Annual | 100 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $100,350 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $81,150 | Annual | 830 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $90,310 | Annual | 40 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $56,410 | Annual | 60 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $91,830 | Annual | 110 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $93,090 | Annual | 450 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $66,210 | Annual | 160 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $67,060 | Annual | 70 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 339100 | $64,690 | Annual | 60 |
| Air Transportation | 481000 | $113,960 | Annual | 70 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 481100 | $114,080 | Annual | 70 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $103,840 | Annual | 40 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $103,840 | Annual | 40 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $55,010 | Annual | 80 |
| Pipeline Transportation | 486000 | $100,390 | Annual | 50 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $55,470 | Annual | 60 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $55,470 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Couriers and Messengers | 492000 | $87,980 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 492100 | $87,980 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $66,150 | Annual | 1,320 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $66,150 | Annual | 1,320 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $68,620 | Annual | 3,640 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $69,870 | Annual | 3,130 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $63,720 | Annual | 510 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $62,450 | Annual | 390 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing | 532100 | $79,510 | Annual | 120 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $74,980 | Annual | 2,900 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $74,980 | Annual | 2,900 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $49,850 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $83,930 | Annual | 1,200 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $115,910 | Annual | 200 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $49,710 | Annual | 540 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $83,770 | Annual | 460 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $50,320 | Annual | 2,130 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $42,630 | Annual | 150 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $42,630 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $61,290 | Annual | 10,130 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 811100 | $48,920 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $64,710 | Annual | 6,790 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $54,030 | Annual | 2,840 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
HVAC Foreman (47-1011)Sheet Metal Foreman (47-1011)HVAC Superintendent (11-9021)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $93,820 | 90 | 0.96 | 1.52 |
| Anchorage, AK | $85,620 | 330 | 0.71 | 1.42 |
| Napa, CA | $84,570 | 70 | 0.36 | 1.53 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $82,050 | 1,740 | 0.58 | 0.98 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,100 | 3,940 | 0.72 | 1.10 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,510 | 560 | 1.04 | 1.40 |
| Peoria, IL | $78,710 | 370 | 0.85 | 1.59 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $78,640 | 260 | 0.5 | 1.52 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,530 | 6,050 | 0.85 | 1.18 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,490 | 3,980 | 0.64 | 1.06 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $46,590 | 100 | 0.63 | 1.23 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $46,560 | 250 | 1.66 | 1.17 |
| Dothan, AL | $46,210 | 250 | 1.57 | 1.21 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $45,600 | 90 | 0.95 | 1.09 |
| Sebring, FL | $44,720 | 170 | 2.25 | 1.11 |
| Beckley, WV | $44,600 | 100 | 0.85 | 1.07 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $32,380 | 920 | 0.5 | 1.10 |
| Ponce, PR | $29,970 | 50 | 0.32 | 1.11 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $29,530 | 70 | 0.52 | 1.17 |
| Arecibo, PR | $29,140 | 30 | 0.37 | 1.12 |
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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician), the published median for SOC 49-9021, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, is $61,010 per year. The middle half of the Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) wage distribution runs from $48,360 to $77,060, a width of $28,700 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) comparison used for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $77,990 per year while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports $59,560 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, read alongside Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician), are Computer Systems Design and Related Services at $115,910 per year (NAICS 541500); Scheduled Air Transportation at $114,080 per year (NAICS 481100); Air Transportation at $113,960 per year (NAICS 481000). Those Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) median was $59,810 per year in May 2024, compared with $61,010 in May 2025, a published difference of $1,200. That Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $59,810 and $61,010 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before using $61,010 per year from Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) to calibrate an offer, 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) BLS comparison measures straight-time gross wages, including commissions and production bonuses, but excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) is broader: BLS groups HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician within Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) buyer?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) has a published middle-half band of $48,360 to $77,060, a width of $28,700 per year, with median $61,010. An offer inside that Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician)?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician). Comparing those Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers tables with the $61,010 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician)?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) uses national industry rows for SOC 49-9021, not local sector-specific wages. Computer Systems Design and Related Services leads the selected sortable rows at $115,910 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician).
What changed between the releases for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician)?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) moved from $59,810 in May 2024 to $61,010 in May 2025. These Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in National (reference for HVAC Maintenance / PM Technician) published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 49-9021. Published annual median: $59,810 (May 2024) and $61,010 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.