Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in North Dakota

Median $35.81 an hour for 970 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$35.81/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Dakota, May data
$74,490/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.41 – $45.2210th to 90th percentilehourly range
970Jobs countedemployer survey

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

HVAC technician pay in North Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, North DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrNorth Dakota: 10th $22.41 · 25th $27.29 · median $35.81 · 75th $37.94 · 90th $45.22North Dakota$35.81$22.41$45.22United 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: North Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

North Dakota ranks 8th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $40.24). 970 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.41 – $27.29$46,610 – $56,770roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$27.29 – $37.94$56,770 – $78,920the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.94 – $45.22$78,920 – $94,060the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in North Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrFargo: $36.50Fargo$36.50Grand Forks: $36.28Grand Forks$36.28Bismarck: $31.14Bismarck$31.14Minot: $30.74Minot$30.74
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in North Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Fargo$22.33$36.50$40.15$46.133702% above
Grand Forks$22.41$36.28$41.85$46.011301% above
Bismarck$22.47$31.14$34.22$47.1320013% below
Minot$21.59$30.74$35.33$44.586014% below

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

HVAC technician wages in North Dakota over time

North Dakota, 1999-2025North DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$35.81North Dakota$29.33United States
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, North Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.64$26.36$14.50530
2000$15.87$29.67$15.76350
2001$14.99$27.25$16.35410
2002$16.66$29.81$16.78430
2003$16.58$29.01$16.90360
2004$16.02$27.30$17.43670
2005$15.23$25.11$17.81830
2006$15.57$24.86$18.11810
2007$17.15$26.63$18.44850
2008$23.24$34.75$19.08530
2009$21.58$32.38$19.76470
2010$19.71$29.10$20.45400
2011$18.86$26.99$20.86500
2012$21.43$30.05$20.98620
2013$21.06$29.10$21.10970
2014$24.16$32.86$21.46870
2015$24.69$33.54$21.69930
2016$28.12$37.72$22.07970
2017$26.65$35.00$22.64830
2018$25.37$32.53$22.891,130
2019$24.51$30.86$23.431,020
2020$25.04$31.15$24.321,100
2021$29.04$34.50$23.381,140
2022$29.23$32.16$24.71830
2023$30.30$32.01$27.55940
2024$32.10$32.94$28.751,100
2025$35.81$35.81$29.33970

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in North Dakota changed by +6.8% over the last ten years of data and by +16.0% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in North Dakota?

2.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 43rd of 51 states

BLS counted 970 HVAC technicians in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. 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 North Dakota

+12.4%Projected growth in North Dakota2024–2034, state agency
120Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,170Jobs in 20241,310 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +12.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,170 to 1,310, with about 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 970 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for HVAC technicians in North Dakota

On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay HVAC technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 35 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $37.08). 35 of the 35 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Adams County at $38.09). The market median for the state is $35.81.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NDAdams: $38.09 (survey)Barnes: $37.08 (survey)Benson: $37.08 (survey)Billings: $34.31 (survey)Bottineau: n/aBowman: $38.09 (survey)Burke: n/aBurleigh: $29.93 (survey)Cass: n/aCavalier: $37.08 (survey)Dickey: n/aDivide: $38.09 (survey)Dunn: $38.09 (survey)Eddy: $37.08 (survey)Emmons: n/aFoster: $37.08 (survey)Golden Valley: $38.09 (survey)Grand Forks: n/aGrant: n/aGriggs: $37.08 (survey)Hettinger: $38.09 (survey)Kidder: $37.08 (survey)LaMoure: $37.08 (survey)Logan: $37.08 (survey)McHenry: n/aMcIntosh: $37.08 (survey)McKenzie: $38.09 (survey)McLean: n/aMercer: n/aMorton: $29.93 (survey)Mountrail: n/aNelson: $37.08 (survey)Oliver: $29.93 (survey)Pembina: $37.08 (survey)Pierce: n/aRamsey: $37.08 (survey)Ransom: n/aRenville: n/aRichland: n/aRolette: $37.08 (survey)Sargent: n/aSheridan: n/aSioux: $29.93 (survey)Slope: $38.09 (survey)Stark: $38.09 (survey)Steele: $37.08 (survey)Stutsman: $37.08 (survey)Towner: $37.08 (survey)Traill: $37.08 (survey)Walsh: $37.08 (survey)Ward: n/aWells: $37.08 (survey)Williams: $38.09 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$37.08n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for HVAC technicians by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsSurvey SUND2012-007 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260018
BowmanSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
DivideSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
DunnSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
Golden ValleySurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
HettingerSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
McKenzieSurvey SUND2012-011 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260022
SlopeSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
StarkSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260034
WilliamsSurvey SUND2012-021 2014-08-18$25.29$12.80$38.09ND20260032
BarnesSurvey SUND2012-008 2014-08-18$28.88$8.20$37.08ND20260019
BensonSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$28.88$8.20$37.08ND20260033
CavalierSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$28.88$8.20$37.08ND20260033
EddySurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$28.88$8.20$37.08ND20260033
FosterSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$28.88$8.20$37.08ND20260033

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

Is construction work growing in North Dakota?

33.7kConstruction jobsNorth Dakota, 2026-09
-0.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202534kSep 2026
Construction employment in North Dakota (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 33 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 17,862 in 2015 to 17,468 in 2025, -2.2%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Dickey County10199$115,265$2,217
Mercer County750$114,141$2,195
Morton County17112$111,244$2,139
Grand Forks County39539$81,163$1,561
Cass County951,510$81,018$1,558
Burleigh County50486$78,300$1,506
Barnes County547$71,515$1,375
Ward County36306$68,842$1,324
Rolette County518$64,647$1,243
Traill County515$59,500$1,144
Stark County2294$58,251$1,120
McLean County419$26,557$511

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Dakota

More on North Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in North Dakota?

The median HVAC technician in North Dakota earned $35.81 an hour ($74,490 a year) in May 2025, 22% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $27.29–$37.94; the top 10% earn more than $45.22.

Where does North Dakota rank for HVAC technician pay?

North Dakota ranks 8th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $35.81 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in North Dakota?

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

How many HVAC technicians work in North Dakota?

BLS counted 970 HVAC technicians in North Dakota 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 North Dakota?

North Dakota's labor market agency projects +12.4% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 1,170 to 1,310 jobs.

How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in North Dakota?

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