Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in New Jersey

Median $35.79 an hour for 10,330 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$35.79/hrMedian hourly wageNew Jersey, May data
$74,450/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.09 – $56.0310th to 90th percentilehourly range
10,330Jobs countedemployer survey

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

HVAC technician pay in New Jersey: the full range

Wage percentiles, New JerseyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrNew Jersey: 10th $23.09 · 25th $27.26 · median $35.79 · 75th $46.59 · 90th $56.03New Jersey$35.79$23.09$56.03United 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: New Jersey vs United States, May 2025.

New Jersey ranks 9th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 13th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.90). 10,330 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.09 – $27.26$48,020 – $56,700roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$27.26 – $46.59$56,700 – $96,910the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$46.59 – $56.03$96,910 – $116,550the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in New Jersey

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNew York City: $37.50New York City$37.50Trenton: $36.17Trenton$36.17Vineland: $32.81Vineland$32.81Philadelphia: $31.05Philadelphia$31.05Allentown: $30.35Allentown$30.35Atlantic City: $29.15Atlantic City$29.15
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in New Jersey, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
New York City$24.37$37.50$33.30$52.3021,8205% above
Trenton$22.95$36.17$35.05$53.714301% above
Vineland$21.88$32.81$34.18$57.312908% below
Philadelphia$21.88$31.05$30.26$48.468,61013% below
Allentown$23.27$30.35$30.35$45.471,00015% below
Atlantic City$21.42$29.15$29.47$42.7548019% below

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

HVAC technician wages in New Jersey over time

New Jersey, 1999-2025New JerseyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$35.79New Jersey$29.33United States
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, New Jersey vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew Jersey $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.32$35.40$14.506,740
2000$18.72$35.00$15.767,600
2001$19.04$34.61$16.359,280
2002$19.67$35.20$16.787,750
2003$19.78$34.61$16.907,200
2004$20.57$35.06$17.436,140
2005$21.76$35.87$17.817,260
2006$22.58$36.06$18.117,850
2007$22.81$35.42$18.449,640
2008$23.07$34.50$19.088,760
2009$24.87$37.32$19.768,320
2010$25.29$37.34$20.458,460
2011$26.36$37.73$20.869,160
2012$25.68$36.01$20.989,290
2013$26.34$36.40$21.109,170
2014$26.69$36.30$21.4610,030
2015$26.91$36.55$21.6910,410
2016$27.20$36.49$22.0710,110
2017$27.00$35.46$22.649,680
2018$27.71$35.53$22.899,510
2019$27.34$34.43$23.4310,430
2020$30.06$37.39$24.3210,340
2021$30.00$35.64$23.389,160
2022$33.30$36.63$24.719,300
2023$29.78$31.47$27.5510,360
2024$33.56$34.44$28.7510,680
2025$35.79$35.79$29.3310,330

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in New Jersey changed by -2.1% over the last ten years of data and by +4.0% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in New Jersey?

-1.0%Jobs since 201910,430 then, 10,330 in 2025
-0.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 35th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in New Jersey has changed by +53.3%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -1.0%.

HVAC and refrigeration technicians in New Jersey vs United States, 1999 = 100New JerseyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200250200020052010201520202025218United States153New Jersey
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, New Jersey vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearNew Jersey jobsNew Jersey indexUS index
19996,740100100
20007,600113105
20019,280138108
20027,750115110
20037,200107113
20046,14091120
20057,260108128
20067,850116134
20079,640143140
20088,760130139
20098,320123130
20108,460126119
20119,160136123
20129,290138128
20139,170136134
201410,030149139
201510,410154146
201610,110150157
20179,680144164
20189,510141173
201910,430155182
202010,340153183
20219,160136190
20229,300138200
202310,360154212
202410,680158211
202510,330153218

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 New Jersey

+9.7%Projected growth in New Jersey2024–2034, state agency
1,090Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
11,290Jobs in 202412,380 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

New Jersey's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +9.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 11,290 to 12,380, with about 1,090 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 10,330 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Is construction work growing in New Jersey?

167.0kConstruction jobsNew Jersey, 2026-09
-1.7%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kSep 2026
Construction employment in New Jersey (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 21 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 89,656 in 2015 to 102,779 in 2025, +14.6%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Hudson County84924$110,130$2,118
Gloucester County1311,460$96,534$1,856
Middlesex County2522,806$95,567$1,838
Somerset County1161,143$95,362$1,834
Union County1951,760$95,332$1,833
Cumberland County45934$92,743$1,784
Essex County1851,545$92,442$1,778
Morris County2382,412$92,107$1,771
Monmouth County3243,960$91,453$1,759
Passaic County2191,327$88,845$1,709
Bergen County3962,944$87,600$1,685
Camden County1932,136$87,076$1,675

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Jersey

More on New Jersey

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in New Jersey?

The median HVAC technician in New Jersey earned $35.79 an hour ($74,450 a year) in May 2025, 22% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $27.26–$46.59; the top 10% earn more than $56.03.

Where does New Jersey rank for HVAC technician pay?

New Jersey ranks 9th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $35.79 an hour, and 13th after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in New Jersey?

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

How many HVAC technicians work in New Jersey?

BLS counted 10,330 HVAC technicians in New Jersey in May 2025, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.92; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is HVAC technician work growing in New Jersey?

The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in New Jersey went from 10,410 in 2015 to 10,330 in 2025, -0.8%, and -1.0% since 2019. New Jersey's labor market agency projects +9.7% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 11,290 to 12,380 jobs.

How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in New Jersey?

New Jersey projects about 1,090 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, New Jersey 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: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.