HVAC technician salary in Hawaii
Median $31.47 an hour for 1,300 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 Hawaii: the full range
Hawaii ranks 15th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.61). 1,300 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $20.73 – $26.75 | $43,120 – $55,630 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $26.75 – $37.11 | $55,630 – $77,190 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $37.11 – $47.80 | $77,190 – $99,430 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in Hawaii
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului | $24.53 | $35.92 | $32.83 | $56.04 | 110 | 14% above |
| Honolulu | $20.73 | $31.47 | $28.35 | $47.64 | 1,060 | about the same as |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
HVAC technician wages in Hawaii over time
Table
| Year | Hawaii $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $19.32 | $37.33 | $14.50 | 740 |
| 2000 | $20.60 | $38.51 | $15.76 | 640 |
| 2001 | $21.60 | $39.27 | $16.35 | 730 |
| 2002 | $21.03 | $37.63 | $16.78 | 690 |
| 2003 | $21.30 | $37.27 | $16.90 | 740 |
| 2004 | $23.14 | $39.44 | $17.43 | 570 |
| 2005 | $23.55 | $38.82 | $17.81 | 460 |
| 2006 | $22.62 | $36.12 | $18.11 | 610 |
| 2007 | $21.76 | $33.79 | $18.44 | 680 |
| 2008 | $22.26 | $33.29 | $19.08 | 770 |
| 2009 | $24.19 | $36.30 | $19.76 | 690 |
| 2010 | $27.23 | $40.20 | $20.45 | 720 |
| 2011 | $25.69 | $36.77 | $20.86 | 930 |
| 2012 | $23.61 | $33.11 | $20.98 | 950 |
| 2013 | $22.52 | $31.12 | $21.10 | 950 |
| 2014 | $25.70 | $34.95 | $21.46 | 760 |
| 2015 | $29.49 | $40.06 | $21.69 | 730 |
| 2016 | $33.03 | $44.31 | $22.07 | 800 |
| 2017 | $29.74 | $39.06 | $22.64 | 1,140 |
| 2018 | $28.88 | $37.03 | $22.89 | 1,050 |
| 2019 | $28.58 | $35.99 | $23.43 | 1,080 |
| 2020 | $30.37 | $37.78 | $24.32 | 910 |
| 2021 | $29.88 | $35.50 | $23.38 | 1,360 |
| 2022 | $31.37 | $34.51 | $24.71 | 1,260 |
| 2023 | $32.53 | $34.37 | $27.55 | 810 |
| 2024 | $30.67 | $31.48 | $28.75 | 1,110 |
| 2025 | $31.47 | $31.47 | $29.33 | 1,300 |
In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Hawaii changed by -21.4% over the last ten years of data and by -12.6% since 2019.
Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Hawaii?
BLS counted 1,300 HVAC technicians in Hawaii in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 20%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for HVAC technicians in Hawaii
Hawaii's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +7.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,200 to 1,280, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 1,300 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Hawaii?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu County | 336 | 3,696 | $91,644 | $1,762 |
| Maui County | 81 | 657 | $85,459 | $1,643 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Hawaii
More on Hawaii
Questions this page answers
How much do HVAC technicians make in Hawaii?
The median HVAC technician in Hawaii earned $31.47 an hour ($65,450 a year) in May 2025, 7% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $26.75–$37.11; the top 10% earn more than $47.80.
Where does Hawaii rank for HVAC technician pay?
Hawaii ranks 15th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $31.47 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for Hawaii's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.0, US = 100).
What is the union HVAC technician rate in Hawaii?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a HVAC technician classification for most Hawaii counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many HVAC technicians work in Hawaii?
BLS counted 1,300 HVAC technicians in Hawaii in May 2025, 2.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.79; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is HVAC technician work growing in Hawaii?
Hawaii's labor market agency projects +7.2% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 1,200 to 1,280 jobs.
How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in Hawaii?
Hawaii projects about 110 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, Hawaii 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: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.