Skilled Wages

HVAC technician vs electrician: who earns more

Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

HVAC technician vs electrician: the numbers

Wage percentiles, HVAC technicianHVAC technicians, 10th-90th pctElectricians$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrHVAC technician: 10th $19.25 · 25th $23.25 · median $29.33 · 75th $37.05 · 90th $45.78HVAC technician$29.33$19.25$45.78Electrician: 10th $20.50 · 25th $23.76 · median $30.38 · 75th $40.36 · 90th $52.17Electrician$30.38
Hourly wage percentiles for HVAC technicians (blue) and electricians (grey), United States, May 2025. Thin track: 10th to 90th percentile; bar: 25th to 75th; dot: median.
HVAC technicianElectrician
Median hourly wage$29.33$30.38
Median annual pay$61,010$63,190
10th percentile (entry)$19.25$20.50
90th percentile (top)$45.78$52.17
Jobs nationwide409,670757,220
Projected growth 2025-35+10.9%+9.2%
Openings per year40,60072,700
10-year real wage change-0.4%-10.3%
States where this trade pays more439
States about even (within $0.50)88

Which pays more where you live

Which pays more by state: HVAC technicians or electriciansAlaska: Electricians +$5.77/hrAKAlabama: Electricians +$3.52/hrALArkansas: About evenARArizona: Electricians +$0.80/hrAZCalifornia: Electricians +$1.74/hrCAColorado: HVAC technicians +$1.43/hrCOConnecticut: About evenDistrict of Columbia: HVAC technicians +$2.60/hrDelaware: Electricians +$0.67/hrFlorida: About evenFLGeorgia: Electricians +$0.93/hrGAHawaii: Electricians +$14.91/hrHIIowa: About evenIAIdaho: Electricians +$3.25/hrIDIllinois: Electricians +$10.66/hrILIndiana: Electricians +$3.88/hrINKansas: Electricians +$2.59/hrKSKentucky: Electricians +$0.53/hrKYLouisiana: Electricians +$1.39/hrLAMassachusetts: Electricians +$1.02/hrMaryland: Electricians +$1.66/hrMaine: Electricians +$5.87/hrMEMichigan: Electricians +$7.41/hrMIMinnesota: Electricians +$0.87/hrMNMissouri: Electricians +$2.63/hrMOMississippi: Electricians +$5.85/hrMSMontana: Electricians +$7.64/hrMTNorth Carolina: About evenNCNorth Dakota: HVAC technicians +$4.22/hrNDNebraska: About evenNENew Hampshire: HVAC technicians +$5.30/hrNew Jersey: Electricians +$1.35/hrNew Mexico: Electricians +$3.90/hrNMNevada: Electricians +$6.28/hrNVNew York: Electricians +$2.08/hrNYOhio: Electricians +$1.05/hrOHOklahoma: Electricians +$1.66/hrOKOregon: Electricians +$18.45/hrORPennsylvania: Electricians +$2.50/hrPARhode Island: Electricians +$3.23/hrSouth Carolina: Electricians +$1.02/hrSCSouth Dakota: About evenSDTennessee: Electricians +$2.69/hrTNTexas: About evenTXUtah: Electricians +$1.57/hrUTVirginia: Electricians +$1.52/hrVAVermont: Electricians +$0.61/hrWashington: Electricians +$9.40/hrWAWisconsin: Electricians +$7.13/hrWIWest Virginia: Electricians +$7.67/hrWVWyoming: Electricians +$10.29/hrWYSmall statesCT $0.45DC $2.60DE $0.67MA $1.02MD $1.66NH $5.30NJ $1.35RI $3.23VT $0.61HVAC technicians earn moreElectricians earn more$9.22$0.50$0.50$9.22about even
Which trade's median hourly wage is higher in each state, May 2025: blue where HVAC technicians earn more, orange where electricians earn more, cream where the two are within $0.50. Hover or tap a state for the gap; hatched states have no BLS estimate for one of the two trades. Links go to the higher-paying trade's state page.
Median hourly wage by state for both trades, with the trade that pays more and the gap
StateHVAC technician $/hrElectrician $/hrPays more, by how much
Oregon$30.26$48.71Electrician +$18.45
Hawaii$31.47$46.38Electrician +$14.91
Illinois$37.21$47.87Electrician +$10.66
Wyoming$26.30$36.59Electrician +$10.29
Washington$36.38$45.78Electrician +$9.40
West Virginia$23.49$31.16Electrician +$7.67
Montana$29.26$36.90Electrician +$7.64
Michigan$29.26$36.67Electrician +$7.41
Wisconsin$29.67$36.80Electrician +$7.13
Nevada$29.09$35.37Electrician +$6.28
Maine$30.37$36.24Electrician +$5.87
Mississippi$23.41$29.26Electrician +$5.85
Alaska$37.23$43.00Electrician +$5.77
New Hampshire$35.51$30.21HVAC technician +$5.30
North Dakota$35.81$31.59HVAC technician +$4.22

Questions this page answers

Who makes more, HVAC technicians or electricians?

Nationally, Electricians: a median of $30.38 an hour against $29.33 for HVAC technicians, a gap of $1.05 an hour in May 2025. HVAC and refrigeration technicians earn more in 4 states, electricians in 39, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 8.

Which has the better outlook, HVAC technicians or electricians?

BLS projects +10.9% growth for HVAC technicians and +9.2% for electricians over 2025-35, with 40,600 and 72,700 openings a year respectively.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.