Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in California

Median $34.88 an hour for 35,130 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$34.88/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$72,560/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.57 – $52.4410th to 90th percentilehourly range
35,130Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

HVAC technician pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.57 · 25th $28.02 · median $34.88 · 75th $43.65 · 90th $52.44California$34.88$22.57$52.44United States: 10th $19.25 · 25th $23.25 · median $29.33 · 75th $37.05 · 90th $45.78United States$29.33
Hourly wage percentiles for HVAC technicians: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 12th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 23rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.51). 35,130 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.57 – $28.02$46,950 – $58,280roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.02 – $43.65$58,280 – $90,780the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$43.65 – $52.44$90,780 – $109,060the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrNapa: $40.66Napa$40.66San Jose: $39.45San Jose$39.45Santa Rosa: $38.23Santa Rosa$38.23Santa Maria: $37.81Santa Maria$37.81San Francisco: $37.73San Francisco$37.73Santa Cruz: $37.66Santa Cruz$37.66Stockton: $36.40Stockton$36.40El Centro: $36.16El Centro$36.16San Luis Obispo: $36.14San Luis Obispo$36.14San Diego: $36.00San Diego$36.00Los Angeles: $35.49Los Angeles$35.49Salinas: $34.88Salinas$34.88
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Napa$24.71$40.66$36.11$52.337017% above
San Jose$27.49$39.45$35.73$65.701,74013% above
Santa Rosa$23.65$38.23$35.46$58.9456010% above
Santa Maria$23.34$37.81$34.75$57.902608% above
San Francisco$23.64$37.73$32.64$62.203,9808% above
Santa Cruz$22.96$37.66$34.27$55.672108% above
Stockton$22.85$36.40$34.63$49.293904% above
El Centro$22.78$36.16$37.98$53.421204% above
San Luis Obispo$23.17$36.14$33.28$54.072004% above
San Diego$22.46$36.00$32.17$54.803,2103% above
Los Angeles$22.40$35.49$31.24$52.4110,7202% above
Salinas$23.84$34.88$32.00$55.77300about the same as
Oxnard$22.07$33.52$30.33$48.187504% below
Vallejo$23.77$32.67$30.11$47.504906% below
Sacramento$22.41$32.06$30.05$48.682,9408% below
Bakersfield$22.22$31.92$31.64$46.026808% below
Visalia$21.50$31.24$31.30$48.9333010% below
Modesto$22.99$31.13$29.90$43.5047011% below
Riverside$22.48$30.92$29.06$46.114,82011% below
Merced$22.83$30.79$31.32$47.0819012% below
Redding$22.43$30.30$30.09$45.0016013% below
Chico$21.02$30.25$29.89$45.3312013% below
Yuba City$22.47$30.22$29.00$42.729013% below
Hanford$21.76$30.13$29.66$47.758014% below
Fresno$21.12$30.09$29.44$48.891,30014% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

HVAC technician wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$34.88California$29.33United States
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.77$34.34$14.5013,650
2000$17.57$32.85$15.7615,880
2001$18.89$34.34$16.3512,990
2002$19.67$35.20$16.7812,840
2003$20.45$35.78$16.9011,580
2004$20.93$35.67$17.4311,990
2005$21.86$36.04$17.8115,190
2006$21.31$34.03$18.1117,060
2007$21.84$33.91$18.4416,070
2008$21.99$32.88$19.0814,990
2009$23.20$34.81$19.7615,550
2010$23.95$35.36$20.4515,870
2011$24.35$34.85$20.8617,260
2012$24.37$34.17$20.9818,410
2013$24.90$34.41$21.1019,010
2014$25.46$34.62$21.4619,660
2015$24.58$33.39$21.6921,280
2016$24.76$33.21$22.0725,360
2017$25.79$33.87$22.6425,010
2018$26.51$33.99$22.8927,720
2019$27.26$34.33$23.4329,650
2020$28.75$35.76$24.3232,410
2021$28.73$34.13$23.3832,640
2022$29.24$32.17$24.7138,370
2023$29.92$31.61$27.5535,630
2024$31.39$32.22$28.7534,020
2025$34.88$34.88$29.3335,130

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in California changed by +4.5% over the last ten years of data and by +1.6% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in California?

+18.5%Jobs since 201929,650 then, 35,130 in 2025
+65.1%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.9Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 47th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in California has changed by +157.4%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +18.5%.

HVAC and refrigeration technicians in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages0100200300400200020052010201520202025257California218United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199913,650100100
200015,880116105
200112,99095108
200212,84094110
200311,58085113
200411,99088120
200515,190111128
200617,060125134
200716,070118140
200814,990110139
200915,550114130
201015,870116119
201117,260126123
201218,410135128
201319,010139134
201419,660144139
201521,280156146
201625,360186157
201725,010183164
201827,720203173
201929,650217182
202032,410237183
202132,640239190
202238,370281200
202335,630261212
202434,020249211
202535,130257218

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for HVAC technicians in California

+12.8%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
3,770Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
37,400Jobs in 202442,200 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +12.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 37,400 to 42,200, with about 3,770 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 35,130 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

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. Across the 54 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 473,902 in 2015 to 577,497 in 2025, +21.9%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
San Francisco County1791,646$129,468$2,490
Alameda County4237,792$118,700$2,283
Santa Clara County5487,833$118,066$2,271
San Mateo County2522,454$111,096$2,136
Contra Costa County3423,535$104,357$2,007
Orange County1,15615,786$98,548$1,895
Sonoma County2782,094$93,066$1,790
Inyo County652$89,882$1,728
Sacramento County4946,629$89,749$1,726
San Diego County1,17313,107$87,605$1,685
Placer County2112,787$86,152$1,657
Tulare County1201,662$83,474$1,605

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in California?

The median HVAC technician in California earned $34.88 an hour ($72,560 a year) in May 2025, 19% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $28.02–$43.65; the top 10% earn more than $52.44.

Where does California rank for HVAC technician pay?

California ranks 12th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $34.88 an hour, and 23rd after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a HVAC technician classification for most California counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many HVAC technicians work in California?

BLS counted 35,130 HVAC technicians in California in May 2025, 1.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.73; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is HVAC technician work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in California went from 21,280 in 2015 to 35,130 in 2025, +65.1%, and +18.5% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +12.8% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 37,400 to 42,200 jobs.

How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 3,770 openings a year for HVAC technicians over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 40,600 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 49-9021. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.