Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in Colorado

Median $31.35 an hour for 8,940 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$31.35/hrMedian hourly wageColorado, May data
$65,200/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.18 – $49.8310th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,940Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

HVAC technician pay in Colorado: the full range

Wage percentiles, ColoradoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrColorado: 10th $23.18 · 25th $27.91 · median $31.35 · 75th $39.43 · 90th $49.83Colorado$31.35$23.18$49.83United 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: Colorado vs United States, May 2025.

Colorado ranks 16th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 31st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.41). 8,940 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.18 – $27.91$48,220 – $58,050roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$27.91 – $39.43$58,050 – $82,010the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$39.43 – $49.83$82,010 – $103,640the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in Colorado

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrDenver: $34.41Denver$34.41Boulder: $34.17Boulder$34.17Fort Collins: $31.87Fort Collins$31.87Greeley: $29.82Greeley$29.82Colorado Springs: $29.55Colorado Springs$29.55Grand Junction: $29.11Grand Junction$29.11Pueblo: $28.42Pueblo$28.42
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in Colorado, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Denver$23.56$34.41$32.52$50.434,36010% above
Boulder$23.51$34.17$32.48$54.653409% above
Fort Collins$23.21$31.87$31.52$50.499302% above
Greeley$23.02$29.82$29.76$45.524105% below
Colorado Springs$22.86$29.55$29.34$45.679506% below
Grand Junction$22.01$29.11$30.48$44.532607% below
Pueblo$22.14$28.42$30.96$44.161609% below

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

HVAC technician wages in Colorado over time

Colorado, 1999-2025ColoradoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$31.35Colorado$29.33United States
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, Colorado vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearColorado $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.83$30.59$14.502,560
2000$14.29$26.72$15.764,780
2001$15.56$28.29$16.354,950
2002$16.23$29.04$16.784,700
2003$16.40$28.69$16.904,280
2004$18.48$31.50$17.432,920
2005$18.77$30.94$17.813,200
2006$18.80$30.02$18.113,580
2007$19.89$30.88$18.443,640
2008$20.04$29.97$19.083,980
2009$21.59$32.40$19.763,900
2010$22.37$33.03$20.453,700
2011$23.32$33.38$20.863,620
2012$22.78$31.94$20.983,640
2013$22.19$30.67$21.103,610
2014$23.44$31.88$21.464,440
2015$26.08$35.42$21.694,990
2016$26.20$35.14$22.074,880
2017$26.82$35.23$22.645,430
2018$24.94$31.98$22.896,060
2019$25.52$32.14$23.437,610
2020$26.03$32.38$24.326,850
2021$27.52$32.70$23.388,530
2022$27.62$30.38$24.716,990
2023$29.48$31.15$27.557,410
2024$30.49$31.29$28.758,870
2025$31.35$31.35$29.338,940

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Colorado changed by -11.5% over the last ten years of data and by -2.4% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Colorado?

+17.5%Jobs since 20197,610 then, 8,940 in 2025
+79.2%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.2× the US share, 14th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in Colorado has changed by +249.2%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +17.5%.

HVAC and refrigeration technicians in Colorado vs United States, 1999 = 100ColoradoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages0100200300400200020052010201520202025349Colorado218United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Colorado vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearColorado jobsColorado indexUS index
19992,560100100
20004,780187105
20014,950193108
20024,700184110
20034,280167113
20042,920114120
20053,200125128
20063,580140134
20073,640142140
20083,980156139
20093,900152130
20103,700144119
20113,620141123
20123,640142128
20133,610141134
20144,440173139
20154,990195146
20164,880191157
20175,430212164
20186,060237173
20197,610297182
20206,850268183
20218,530333190
20226,990273200
20237,410290212
20248,870346211
20258,940349218

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 Colorado

+28.3%Projected growth in Colorado2024–2034, state agency
1,120Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
9,440Jobs in 202412,110 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Colorado's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +28.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 9,440 to 12,110, with about 1,120 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 8,940 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for HVAC technicians in Colorado

On federally funded construction in Colorado, contractors must pay HVAC technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 6 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $33.47). 6 of the 6 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Boulder County at $34.59). The market median for the state is $31.35.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, COAdams: n/aAlamosa: n/aArapahoe: n/aArchuleta: n/aBaca: n/aBent: n/aBoulder: $34.59 (survey)Broomfield: $33.38 (survey)Chaffee: n/aCheyenne: n/aClear Creek: n/aConejos: n/aCostilla: n/aCrowley: n/aCuster: n/aDelta: n/aDenver: n/aDolores: n/aDouglas: $33.56 (survey)Eagle: n/aElbert: n/aEl Paso: $26.18 (survey)Fremont: n/aGarfield: n/aGilpin: n/aGrand: n/aGunnison: n/aHinsdale: n/aHuerfano: n/aJackson: n/aJefferson: n/aKiowa: n/aKit Carson: n/aLake: n/aLa Plata: n/aLarimer: n/aLas Animas: n/aLincoln: n/aLogan: n/aMesa: $34.92 (survey)Mineral: n/aMoffat: n/aMontezuma: n/aMontrose: n/aMorgan: n/aOtero: n/aOuray: n/aPark: n/aPhillips: n/aPitkin: n/aProwers: n/aPueblo: n/aRio Blanco: n/aRio Grande: n/aRoutt: n/aSaguache: n/aSan Juan: n/aSan Miguel: n/aSedgwick: n/aSummit: n/aTeller: $26.18 (survey)Washington: n/aWeld: n/aYuma: n/aUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$33.38$33.56$34.59n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for HVAC technicians by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$25$30$35$40/hrMesa (Grand Junction): market median $29.11, prevailing (survey) $34.92, gap +$5.81Mesa (Grand Junction)+$5.81Boulder (Boulder): market median $34.17, prevailing (survey) $34.59, gap +$0.42Boulder (Boulder)+$0.42Douglas (Denver): market median $34.41, prevailing (survey) $33.56, gap −$0.85Douglas (Denver)−$0.85El Paso (Colorado Springs): market median $29.55, prevailing (survey) $26.18, gap −$3.37El Paso (Colorado Springs)−$3.37
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for HVAC technicians, metro counties in Colorado.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
MesaSurvey SUCO2013-011 2015-07-31$24.26$10.66$34.92CO20260025
BoulderSurvey SUCO2013-003 2015-07-31$25.23$9.36$34.59CO20260017
DouglasSurvey SUCO2013-007 2015-07-31$24.96$8.60$33.56CO20260021
BroomfieldSurvey SUCO2013-004 2015-07-31$25.66$7.72$33.38CO20260018
El PasoSurvey SUCO2013-008 2015-07-31$24.00$2.18$26.18CO20260022
TellerSurvey SUCO2013-014 2015-07-31$24.00$2.18$26.18CO20260028

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Colorado prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Colorado?

193.6kConstruction jobsColorado, 2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025194kSep 2026
Construction employment in Colorado (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 48 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 96,806 in 2015 to 118,768 in 2025, +22.7%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Denver County1863,822$96,160$1,849
Adams County2804,433$91,222$1,754
Jefferson County3052,896$89,541$1,722
Eagle County78693$87,820$1,689
Arapahoe County2613,020$86,895$1,671
Boulder County911,046$85,478$1,644
Gilpin County310$84,381$1,623
Archuleta County12136$83,473$1,605
Larimer County2012,702$80,576$1,550
Douglas County142998$79,351$1,526
Summit County40193$78,598$1,512
San Miguel County880$76,335$1,468

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Colorado

More on Colorado

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in Colorado?

The median HVAC technician in Colorado earned $31.35 an hour ($65,200 a year) in May 2025, 7% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $27.91–$39.43; the top 10% earn more than $49.83.

Where does Colorado rank for HVAC technician pay?

Colorado ranks 16th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $31.35 an hour, and 31st after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.1, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in Colorado?

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

How many HVAC technicians work in Colorado?

BLS counted 8,940 HVAC technicians in Colorado in May 2025, 3.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.18; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is HVAC technician work growing in Colorado?

The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in Colorado went from 4,990 in 2015 to 8,940 in 2025, +79.2%, and +17.5% since 2019. Colorado's labor market agency projects +28.3% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 9,440 to 12,110 jobs.

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

Colorado projects about 1,120 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, Colorado 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.