Plumber vs HVAC technician: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Plumber vs HVAC technician: the numbers
| Plumber | HVAC technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.67 | $29.33 |
| Median annual pay | $63,800 | $61,010 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $21.22 | $19.25 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $52.13 | $45.78 |
| Jobs nationwide | 465,840 | 409,670 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +6.8% | +10.9% |
| Openings per year | 42,000 | 40,600 |
| 10-year real wage change | -7.2% | -0.4% |
| States where this trade pays more | 33 | 8 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 10 | 10 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Plumber $/hr | HVAC technician $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $46.66 | $30.26 | Plumber +$16.40 |
| Illinois | $48.05 | $37.21 | Plumber +$10.84 |
| Wisconsin | $39.04 | $29.67 | Plumber +$9.37 |
| Michigan | $38.56 | $29.26 | Plumber +$9.30 |
| Montana | $38.44 | $29.26 | Plumber +$9.18 |
| Minnesota | $45.39 | $36.71 | Plumber +$8.68 |
| District of Columbia | $48.57 | $40.57 | Plumber +$8.00 |
| Massachusetts | $45.14 | $37.16 | Plumber +$7.98 |
| Alaska | $45.15 | $37.23 | Plumber +$7.92 |
| Indiana | $36.69 | $29.05 | Plumber +$7.64 |
| Hawaii | $37.53 | $31.47 | Plumber +$6.06 |
| New Mexico | $29.54 | $24.17 | Plumber +$5.37 |
| North Dakota | $30.56 | $35.81 | HVAC technician +$5.25 |
| Alabama | $28.21 | $23.26 | Plumber +$4.95 |
| South Dakota | $24.82 | $29.51 | HVAC technician +$4.69 |
| Rhode Island | $36.77 | $32.39 | Plumber +$4.38 |
| West Virginia | $27.39 | $23.49 | Plumber +$3.90 |
| Wyoming | $30.01 | $26.30 | Plumber +$3.71 |
| New Hampshire | $32.12 | $35.51 | HVAC technician +$3.39 |
| Missouri | $32.11 | $28.82 | Plumber +$3.29 |
| Mississippi | $26.67 | $23.41 | Plumber +$3.26 |
| Pennsylvania | $32.73 | $30.00 | Plumber +$2.73 |
| Kentucky | $30.84 | $28.18 | Plumber +$2.66 |
| Washington | $38.96 | $36.38 | Plumber +$2.58 |
| Louisiana | $30.62 | $28.20 | Plumber +$2.42 |
| Kansas | $31.36 | $29.07 | Plumber +$2.29 |
| Maryland | $31.44 | $33.67 | HVAC technician +$2.23 |
| Idaho | $25.18 | $27.04 | HVAC technician +$1.86 |
| New Jersey | $37.61 | $35.79 | Plumber +$1.82 |
| Florida | $25.44 | $27.24 | HVAC technician +$1.80 |
| Iowa | $30.72 | $29.17 | Plumber +$1.55 |
| Utah | $29.76 | $28.24 | Plumber +$1.52 |
| Tennessee | $28.17 | $26.68 | Plumber +$1.49 |
| New York | $37.26 | $35.78 | Plumber +$1.48 |
| South Carolina | $25.93 | $27.22 | HVAC technician +$1.29 |
| Arizona | $29.84 | $28.56 | Plumber +$1.28 |
| Delaware | $31.11 | $29.96 | Plumber +$1.15 |
| Texas | $28.77 | $27.77 | Plumber +$1.00 |
| Colorado | $30.40 | $31.35 | HVAC technician +$0.95 |
| Nebraska | $29.31 | $28.77 | Plumber +$0.54 |
| Nevada | $29.62 | $29.09 | Plumber +$0.53 |
| Maine | $30.77 | $30.37 | About even ($0.40) |
| Georgia | $27.50 | $27.11 | About even ($0.39) |
| Ohio | $30.45 | $30.06 | About even ($0.39) |
| Virginia | $29.07 | $28.72 | About even ($0.35) |
| Connecticut | $37.16 | $36.83 | About even ($0.33) |
| Arkansas | $23.39 | $23.13 | About even ($0.26) |
| Oklahoma | $27.87 | $27.67 | About even ($0.20) |
| California | $35.01 | $34.88 | About even ($0.13) |
| North Carolina | $27.44 | $27.53 | About even ($0.09) |
| Vermont | $29.89 | $29.88 | About even ($0.01) |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, plumbers or HVAC technicians?
Nationally, Plumbers: a median of $30.67 an hour against $29.33 for HVAC technicians, a gap of $1.34 an hour in May 2025. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn more in 33 states, HVAC technicians in 8, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 10.
Which has the better outlook, plumbers or HVAC technicians?
BLS projects +6.8% growth for plumbers and +10.9% for HVAC technicians over 2025-35, with 42,000 and 40,600 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.