HVAC technician salary in Connecticut
Median $36.83 an hour for 3,800 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
HVAC technician pay in Connecticut: the full range
Connecticut ranks 5th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 6th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $35.55). 3,800 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.77 – $29.02 | $45,280 – $60,360 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $29.02 – $41.66 | $60,360 – $86,650 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $41.66 – $48.15 | $86,650 – $100,160 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in Connecticut
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | $21.74 | $37.25 | $34.85 | $48.25 | 1,050 | 1% above |
| New Haven | $20.77 | $36.96 | $35.33 | $49.01 | 550 | about the same as |
| Hartford | $22.21 | $36.63 | $35.67 | $48.29 | 1,320 | 1% below |
| Norwich | $22.04 | $36.05 | $35.91 | $45.26 | 250 | 2% below |
| Waterbury | $21.56 | $34.96 | $35.03 | $45.38 | 390 | 5% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
HVAC technician wages in Connecticut over time
Table
| Year | Connecticut $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $17.93 | $34.65 | $14.50 | 2,290 |
| 2000 | $19.30 | $36.08 | $15.76 | 3,290 |
| 2001 | $19.39 | $35.25 | $16.35 | 3,420 |
| 2002 | $19.77 | $35.38 | $16.78 | 3,650 |
| 2003 | $20.53 | $35.92 | $16.90 | 4,030 |
| 2004 | $20.94 | $35.69 | $17.43 | 4,570 |
| 2005 | $22.54 | $37.16 | $17.81 | 4,050 |
| 2006 | $23.23 | $37.10 | $18.11 | 3,730 |
| 2007 | $23.65 | $36.72 | $18.44 | 3,780 |
| 2008 | $24.23 | $36.23 | $19.08 | 3,980 |
| 2009 | $25.87 | $38.82 | $19.76 | 3,860 |
| 2010 | $25.73 | $37.99 | $20.45 | 3,520 |
| 2011 | $26.53 | $37.97 | $20.86 | 3,260 |
| 2012 | $26.11 | $36.61 | $20.98 | 3,340 |
| 2013 | $26.25 | $36.28 | $21.10 | 3,130 |
| 2014 | $25.82 | $35.11 | $21.46 | 3,580 |
| 2015 | $26.28 | $35.70 | $21.69 | 3,330 |
| 2016 | $27.18 | $36.46 | $22.07 | 3,840 |
| 2017 | $28.73 | $37.73 | $22.64 | 3,870 |
| 2018 | $29.94 | $38.39 | $22.89 | 4,170 |
| 2019 | $30.14 | $37.95 | $23.43 | 4,780 |
| 2020 | $30.15 | $37.50 | $24.32 | 4,760 |
| 2021 | $29.45 | $34.99 | $23.38 | 4,360 |
| 2022 | $32.25 | $35.48 | $24.71 | 4,890 |
| 2023 | $31.15 | $32.91 | $27.55 | 4,720 |
| 2024 | $35.53 | $36.46 | $28.75 | 4,440 |
| 2025 | $36.83 | $36.83 | $29.33 | 3,800 |
In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Connecticut changed by +3.2% over the last ten years of data and by -3.0% since 2019.
Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Connecticut?
Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in Connecticut has changed by +65.9%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -20.5%.
Table
| Year | Connecticut jobs | Connecticut index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,290 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 3,290 | 144 | 105 |
| 2001 | 3,420 | 149 | 108 |
| 2002 | 3,650 | 159 | 110 |
| 2003 | 4,030 | 176 | 113 |
| 2004 | 4,570 | 200 | 120 |
| 2005 | 4,050 | 177 | 128 |
| 2006 | 3,730 | 163 | 134 |
| 2007 | 3,780 | 165 | 140 |
| 2008 | 3,980 | 174 | 139 |
| 2009 | 3,860 | 169 | 130 |
| 2010 | 3,520 | 154 | 119 |
| 2011 | 3,260 | 142 | 123 |
| 2012 | 3,340 | 146 | 128 |
| 2013 | 3,130 | 137 | 134 |
| 2014 | 3,580 | 156 | 139 |
| 2015 | 3,330 | 145 | 146 |
| 2016 | 3,840 | 168 | 157 |
| 2017 | 3,870 | 169 | 164 |
| 2018 | 4,170 | 182 | 173 |
| 2019 | 4,780 | 209 | 182 |
| 2020 | 4,760 | 208 | 183 |
| 2021 | 4,360 | 190 | 190 |
| 2022 | 4,890 | 214 | 200 |
| 2023 | 4,720 | 206 | 212 |
| 2024 | 4,440 | 194 | 211 |
| 2025 | 3,800 | 166 | 218 |
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 Connecticut
Connecticut's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +7.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 4,730 to 5,080, with about 440 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,800 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Connecticut labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for HVAC technicians in Connecticut
On federally funded construction in Connecticut, contractors must pay HVAC technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 1 of the 1 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $86.43 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $36.83.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | Union PLUM0777-009 2025-06-01 | $50.58 | $35.85 | $86.43 | CT20260020 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Connecticut prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination. Davis-Bacon determinations still use Connecticut's eight historical counties; employment data uses the nine 2022 planning regions.
Is construction work growing in Connecticut?
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 | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | 71 | 844 | $106,907 | $2,056 |
| Capitol Planning Region | 367 | 4,151 | $93,278 | $1,794 |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region | 97 | 954 | $91,148 | $1,753 |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 215 | 2,099 | $90,673 | $1,744 |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 204 | 1,982 | $87,471 | $1,682 |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region | 274 | 1,796 | $85,179 | $1,638 |
| Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 103 | 531 | $83,298 | $1,602 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Connecticut
More on Connecticut
Questions this page answers
How much do HVAC technicians make in Connecticut?
The median HVAC technician in Connecticut earned $36.83 an hour ($76,610 a year) in May 2025, 26% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $29.02–$41.66; the top 10% earn more than $48.15.
Where does Connecticut rank for HVAC technician pay?
Connecticut ranks 5th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $36.83 an hour, and 6th after adjusting for Connecticut's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.6, US = 100).
What is the union HVAC technician rate in Connecticut?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for HVAC technicians in 1 counties, with a typical package of $86.43 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many HVAC technicians work in Connecticut?
BLS counted 3,800 HVAC technicians in Connecticut in May 2025, 2.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.85; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is HVAC technician work growing in Connecticut?
The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in Connecticut went from 3,330 in 2015 to 3,800 in 2025, +14.1%, and -20.5% since 2019. Connecticut's labor market agency projects +7.3% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 4,730 to 5,080 jobs.
How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in Connecticut?
Connecticut projects about 440 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, Connecticut 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: Connecticut labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.