Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in Missouri

Median $28.82 an hour for 7,220 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.82/hrMedian hourly wageMissouri, May data
$59,950/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.84 – $42.6810th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,220Jobs countedemployer survey

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

HVAC technician pay in Missouri: the full range

Wage percentiles, MissouriMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrMissouri: 10th $18.84 · 25th $22.61 · median $28.82 · 75th $35.87 · 90th $42.68Missouri$28.82$18.84$42.68United 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: Missouri vs United States, May 2025.

Missouri ranks 31st of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.74). 7,220 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$18.84 – $22.61$39,180 – $47,040roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.61 – $35.87$47,040 – $74,610the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.87 – $42.68$74,610 – $88,760the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in Missouri

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSt. Louis: $30.29St. Louis$30.29Kansas City: $30.14Kansas City$30.14St. Joseph: $29.77St. Joseph$29.77Columbia: $28.31Columbia$28.31Jefferson City: $27.97Jefferson City$27.97Springfield: $27.12Springfield$27.12Joplin: $26.61Joplin$26.61Cape Girardeau: $22.67Cape Girardeau$22.67
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in Missouri, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
St. Louis$22.05$30.29$31.85$48.172,9805% above
Kansas City$21.94$30.14$32.58$42.683,0105% above
St. Joseph$20.50$29.77$34.46$41.291703% above
Columbia$18.96$28.31$31.67$39.843302% below
Jefferson City$18.47$27.97$31.78$51.561903% below
Springfield$18.63$27.12$30.61$37.846906% below
Joplin$18.54$26.61$31.05$39.412108% below
Cape Girardeau$18.25$22.67$26.33$34.9511021% below

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

HVAC technician wages in Missouri over time

Missouri, 1999-2025MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.33United States$28.82Missouri
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, Missouri vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMissouri $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.77$26.61$14.503,140
2000$15.77$29.48$15.762,710
2001$17.46$31.74$16.353,240
2002$18.54$33.18$16.783,700
2003$17.51$30.64$16.904,240
2004$18.52$31.56$17.435,790
2005$17.97$29.62$17.816,130
2006$18.54$29.61$18.115,700
2007$18.41$28.59$18.444,970
2008$18.28$27.33$19.084,440
2009$18.81$28.23$19.764,000
2010$18.66$27.55$20.454,100
2011$19.87$28.44$20.864,480
2012$21.64$30.34$20.984,160
2013$22.09$30.53$21.103,810
2014$22.96$31.22$21.464,440
2015$22.16$30.10$21.694,280
2016$22.19$29.77$22.075,520
2017$21.42$28.13$22.645,720
2018$21.81$27.96$22.896,600
2019$22.88$28.81$23.435,650
2020$21.72$27.02$24.325,660
2021$23.09$27.43$23.386,600
2022$24.11$26.52$24.717,580
2023$27.82$29.39$27.558,840
2024$29.00$29.76$28.758,360
2025$28.82$28.82$29.337,220

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Missouri changed by -4.3% over the last ten years of data and by 0.0% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Missouri?

+27.8%Jobs since 20195,650 then, 7,220 in 2025
+68.7%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 33rd of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in Missouri has changed by +129.9%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +27.8%.

HVAC and refrigeration technicians in Missouri vs United States, 1999 = 100MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages0100200300400200020052010201520202025230Missouri218United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Missouri vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMissouri jobsMissouri indexUS index
19993,140100100
20002,71086105
20013,240103108
20023,700118110
20034,240135113
20045,790184120
20056,130195128
20065,700182134
20074,970158140
20084,440141139
20094,000127130
20104,100131119
20114,480143123
20124,160132128
20133,810121134
20144,440141139
20154,280136146
20165,520176157
20175,720182164
20186,600210173
20195,650180182
20205,660180183
20216,600210190
20227,580241200
20238,840282212
20248,360266211
20257,220230218

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 Missouri

+5.1%Projected growth in Missouri2024–2034, state agency
580Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
6,510Jobs in 20246,840 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Missouri's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +5.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,510 to 6,840, with about 580 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 7,220 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Is construction work growing in Missouri?

163.2kConstruction jobsMissouri, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025163kSep 2026
Construction employment in Missouri (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 91 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 71,820 in 2015 to 91,804 in 2025, +27.8%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
St. Louis County2865,620$100,096$1,925
St. Louis city541,365$99,493$1,913
Jackson County1933,417$97,528$1,876
Buchanan County37605$92,647$1,782
St. Francois County28447$87,477$1,682
Ray County652$84,153$1,618
Clay County76917$82,348$1,584
Jefferson County82716$81,939$1,576
St. Charles County1291,144$80,080$1,540
Warren County13123$76,928$1,479
Cole County46665$75,472$1,451
Audrain County556$73,063$1,405

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Missouri

More on Missouri

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in Missouri?

The median HVAC technician in Missouri earned $28.82 an hour ($59,950 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $22.61–$35.87; the top 10% earn more than $42.68.

Where does Missouri rank for HVAC technician pay?

Missouri ranks 31st of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $28.82 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in Missouri?

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

How many HVAC technicians work in Missouri?

BLS counted 7,220 HVAC technicians in Missouri in May 2025, 2.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.93; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is HVAC technician work growing in Missouri?

The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in Missouri went from 4,280 in 2015 to 7,220 in 2025, +68.7%, and +27.8% since 2019. Missouri's labor market agency projects +5.1% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 6,510 to 6,840 jobs.

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

Missouri projects about 580 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, Missouri 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: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.