HVAC technician salary in Alabama
Median $23.26 an hour for 8,260 hvac and refrigeration technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
HVAC technician pay in Alabama: the full range
Alabama ranks 50th of 51 states for median hvac technician pay, and 51st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.19). 8,260 hvac and refrigeration technicians work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $17.56 – $19.39 | $36,510 – $40,340 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $19.39 – $28.86 | $40,340 – $60,020 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $28.86 – $31.58 | $60,020 – $65,690 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in Alabama
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $18.07 | $24.01 | $35.11 | 770 | 3% above |
| Gadsden | $16.52 | $23.70 | $34.18 | 120 | 2% above |
| Decatur | $17.71 | $23.44 | $36.37 | 330 | 1% above |
| Birmingham | $18.00 | $23.43 | $33.57 | 2,370 | 1% above |
| Montgomery | $17.25 | $23.40 | $31.71 | 540 | 1% above |
| Tuscaloosa | $17.21 | $23.29 | $29.70 | 450 | about the same as |
| Auburn | $17.37 | $23.16 | $30.92 | 260 | about the same as |
| Mobile | $17.41 | $23.06 | $34.00 | 820 | 1% below |
| Anniston | $16.77 | $22.97 | $31.21 | 130 | 1% below |
| Daphne | $17.26 | $22.54 | $29.61 | 540 | 3% below |
| Columbus | $16.19 | $22.49 | $31.82 | 330 | 3% below |
| Florence | $16.91 | $22.38 | $29.70 | 250 | 4% below |
| Dothan | $16.94 | $22.22 | $29.67 | 250 | 4% below |
HVAC technician wages in Alabama over time
Table
| Year | Alabama $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.70 | $22.61 | $14.50 | 2,940 |
| 2000 | $13.42 | $25.09 | $15.76 | 4,520 |
| 2001 | $13.47 | $24.49 | $16.35 | 4,400 |
| 2002 | $14.42 | $25.81 | $16.78 | 4,680 |
| 2003 | $14.20 | $24.85 | $16.90 | 5,010 |
| 2004 | $14.24 | $24.27 | $17.43 | 4,260 |
| 2005 | $14.50 | $23.90 | $17.81 | 4,000 |
| 2006 | $14.18 | $22.64 | $18.11 | 4,020 |
| 2007 | $14.87 | $23.09 | $18.44 | 4,100 |
| 2008 | $15.41 | $23.04 | $19.08 | 4,290 |
| 2009 | $16.03 | $24.06 | $19.76 | 4,060 |
| 2010 | $17.03 | $25.14 | $20.45 | 3,790 |
| 2011 | $17.55 | $25.12 | $20.86 | 4,350 |
| 2012 | $18.07 | $25.34 | $20.98 | 4,510 |
| 2013 | $17.92 | $24.77 | $21.10 | 4,440 |
| 2014 | $18.04 | $24.53 | $21.46 | 4,240 |
| 2015 | $17.73 | $24.08 | $21.69 | 4,660 |
| 2016 | $18.09 | $24.27 | $22.07 | 5,190 |
| 2017 | $18.68 | $24.53 | $22.64 | 5,040 |
| 2018 | $19.10 | $24.49 | $22.89 | 5,520 |
| 2019 | $19.87 | $25.02 | $23.43 | 6,430 |
| 2020 | $20.52 | $25.53 | $24.32 | 6,740 |
| 2021 | $22.57 | $26.82 | $23.38 | 5,700 |
| 2022 | $22.34 | $24.58 | $24.71 | 5,920 |
| 2023 | $22.62 | $23.90 | $27.55 | 6,900 |
| 2024 | $23.70 | $24.32 | $28.75 | 7,330 |
| 2025 | $23.26 | $23.26 | $29.33 | 8,260 |
In today's dollars, the median hvac technician wage in Alabama changed by -3.4% over the last ten years of data.
Union scale and prevailing wage for hvac technicians in Alabama
On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay hvac technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 17 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $22.62). 17 of the 17 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Chambers County at $22.62). The market median for the state is $23.26.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambers | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Cherokee | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Clay | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Cleburne | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Coosa | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Cullman | Survey SUAL2015-002 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260074 |
| DeKalb | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Fayette | Survey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260081 |
| Franklin | Survey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260081 |
| Jackson | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Lamar | Survey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260081 |
| Marion | Survey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260081 |
| Marshall | Survey SUAL2015-004 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260076 |
| Randolph | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Talladega | Survey SUAL2015-005 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260077 |
| Tallapoosa | Survey SUAL2015-007 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260079 |
| Winston | Survey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02 | $20.50 | $2.12 | $22.62 | AL20260081 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Alabama?
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just hvac technicians), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
| County | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 3,486 | $82,619 | $1,589 |
| Montgomery County | 942 | $80,917 | $1,556 |
| Mobile County | 2,421 | $79,111 | $1,521 |
| Shelby County | 1,098 | $77,131 | $1,483 |
| Lauderdale County | 680 | $75,453 | $1,451 |
| Morgan County | 687 | $74,931 | $1,441 |
| Franklin County | 40 | $71,058 | $1,366 |
| Madison County | 1,486 | $70,148 | $1,349 |
| Limestone County | 512 | $69,230 | $1,331 |
| Hale County | 122 | $68,934 | $1,326 |
| Elmore County | 268 | $68,137 | $1,310 |
| Cullman County | 362 | $64,152 | $1,234 |
| Baldwin County | 1,149 | $63,803 | $1,227 |
| St. Clair County | 446 | $63,705 | $1,225 |
| Crenshaw County | 50 | $62,581 | $1,203 |
| Lawrence County | 104 | $62,529 | $1,202 |
| Randolph County | 63 | $58,805 | $1,131 |
| Russell County | 144 | $58,678 | $1,128 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 647 | $58,539 | $1,126 |
| Talladega County | 163 | $55,884 | $1,075 |
| Blount County | 96 | $53,915 | $1,037 |
| Calhoun County | 278 | $53,703 | $1,033 |
| Chambers County | 55 | $53,220 | $1,023 |
| Winston County | 44 | $52,797 | $1,015 |
| Marengo County | 32 | $52,126 | $1,002 |
| Dale County | 74 | $51,920 | $998 |
| Covington County | 57 | $51,548 | $991 |
| Washington County | 27 | $50,836 | $978 |
| Jackson County | 147 | $50,498 | $971 |
| Conecuh County | 44 | $49,247 | $947 |
| Etowah County | 245 | $48,681 | $936 |
| Coffee County | 154 | $47,689 | $917 |
| Bibb County | 40 | $47,241 | $908 |
| DeKalb County | 75 | $45,713 | $879 |
| Dallas County | 78 | $42,140 | $810 |
| Lamar County | 5 | $21,013 | $404 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Alabama
Questions this page answers
How much do hvac technicians make in Alabama?
The median hvac technician in Alabama earned $23.26 an hour ($48,370 a year) in May 2025, 21% below the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $19.39–$28.86; the top 10% earn more than $31.58.
Where does Alabama rank for hvac technician pay?
Alabama ranks 50th of 51 states for hvac technician pay, with a median of $23.26 an hour, and 51st after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).
What is the union hvac technician rate in Alabama?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a hvac technician classification for most Alabama counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many hvac technicians work in Alabama?
BLS counted 8,260 hvac and refrigeration technicians in Alabama in May 2025, 3.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.48; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 49-9021.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.