Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in Pennsylvania

Median $30.00 an hour for 15,880 hvac and refrigeration technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$30.00/hrMedian hourly wagePennsylvania, May data
$62,400/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.10 – $43.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
15,880Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

HVAC technician pay in Pennsylvania: the full range

Wage percentiles, PennsylvaniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrPennsylvania: 10th $22.10 · 25th $24.44 · median $30.00 · 75th $35.88 · 90th $43.00Pennsylvania$30.00$22.10$43.00United States: 10th $19.25 · 25th $23.25 · median $29.33 · 75th $37.05 · 90th $45.78United States$29.33
Hourly wage percentiles for hvac and refrigeration technicians: Pennsylvania vs United States, May 2025.

Pennsylvania ranks 20th of 51 states for median hvac technician pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.74). 15,880 hvac and refrigeration technicians work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.10 – $24.44$45,970 – $50,840roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.44 – $35.88$50,840 – $74,620the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.88 – $43.00$74,620 – $89,440the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in Pennsylvania

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPhiladelphia: $31.05Philadelphia$31.05Allentown: $30.35Allentown$30.35Harrisburg: $30.08Harrisburg$30.08Lebanon: $29.99Lebanon$29.99Pittsburgh: $29.87Pittsburgh$29.87Chambersburg: $29.85Chambersburg$29.85York: $29.79York$29.79Scranton: $29.69Scranton$29.69Reading: $29.68Reading$29.68Gettysburg: $29.10Gettysburg$29.10Lancaster: $29.10Lancaster$29.10Williamsport: $28.49Williamsport$28.49
Median hourly wage for hvac and refrigeration technicians by metro area in Pennsylvania, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$21.88$31.05$48.468,6103% above
Allentown$23.27$30.35$45.471,0001% above
Harrisburg$23.09$30.08$41.78910about the same as
Lebanon$22.52$29.99$39.57200about the same as
Pittsburgh$22.35$29.87$44.572,680about the same as
Chambersburg$22.28$29.85$38.452301% below
York$21.99$29.79$43.885601% below
Scranton$22.15$29.69$43.036501% below
Reading$22.58$29.68$39.185101% below
Gettysburg$23.09$29.10$36.57903% below
Lancaster$22.77$29.10$38.219403% below
Williamsport$21.30$28.49$38.281205% below
Erie$18.96$28.36$39.682305% below
Altoona$18.65$28.15$39.881006% below
State College$21.76$27.87$35.241907% below
Johnstown$18.93$25.99$35.8014013% below

HVAC technician wages in Pennsylvania over time

Pennsylvania, 1999-2025PennsylvaniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.00Pennsylvania$29.33United States
Median hourly wage for hvac and refrigeration technicians, Pennsylvania vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearPennsylvania $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.28$29.53$14.5010,030
2000$16.43$30.72$15.7610,260
2001$17.33$31.50$16.3510,190
2002$17.53$31.37$16.7811,310
2003$17.34$30.34$16.9012,200
2004$18.35$31.27$17.4312,500
2005$18.74$30.89$17.8113,540
2006$18.94$30.25$18.1112,000
2007$19.42$30.15$18.4412,710
2008$19.52$29.19$19.0813,190
2009$19.79$29.70$19.7614,300
2010$20.31$29.99$20.4513,190
2011$21.09$30.18$20.8612,710
2012$21.34$29.92$20.9811,480
2013$21.33$29.48$21.1012,420
2014$21.68$29.48$21.4612,360
2015$22.12$30.05$21.6912,700
2016$22.79$30.57$22.0713,160
2017$23.71$31.14$22.6414,120
2018$24.00$30.77$22.8915,330
2019$24.07$30.31$23.4315,630
2020$25.24$31.40$24.3214,900
2021$23.42$27.83$23.3818,110
2022$24.45$26.90$24.7117,730
2023$28.00$29.58$27.5518,980
2024$29.38$30.15$28.7516,930
2025$30.00$30.00$29.3315,880

In today's dollars, the median hvac technician wage in Pennsylvania changed by -0.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for hvac technicians in Pennsylvania

On federally funded construction in Pennsylvania, contractors must pay hvac technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 22 of the 31 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $77.32 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $42.66). 8 of the 31 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Cambria County at $49.17). The market median for the state is $30.00.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, PAAdams: —Allegheny: —Armstrong: —Beaver: —Bedford: —Berks: —Blair: —Bradford: —Bucks: $117.10 (union)Butler: —Cambria: $49.17 (survey)Cameron: —Carbon: $102.43 (union)Centre: —Chester: $117.10 (union)Clarion: $77.32 (union)Clearfield: —Clinton: $70.81 (union)Columbia: —Crawford: $77.32 (union)Cumberland: $42.66 (survey)Dauphin: $37.11 (survey)Delaware: $117.10 (union)Elk: —Erie: —Fayette: —Forest: $77.32 (union)Franklin: —Fulton: $70.81 (union)Greene: $77.32 (union)Huntingdon: —Indiana: $77.32 (union)Jefferson: $77.32 (union)Juniata: $70.81 (union)Lackawanna: —Lancaster: $28.18 (survey)Lawrence: $77.32 (union)Lebanon: $54.27 (survey)Lehigh: $87.89 (survey)Luzerne: —Lycoming: —McKean: $77.32 (union)Mercer: —Mifflin: $70.81 (union)Monroe: —Montgomery: $117.10 (union)Montour: —Northampton: $102.43 (union)Northumberland: $19.35 (survey)Perry: $40.04 (survey)Philadelphia: —Pike: —Potter: —Schuylkill: —Snyder: $70.81 (union)Somerset: —Sullivan: —Susquehanna: —Tioga: —Union: $70.81 (union)Venango: $77.32 (union)Warren: $77.32 (union)Washington: —Wayne: —Westmoreland: —Wyoming: —York: $53.38 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$53.38$70.81$77.32$87.89n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for hvac technicians by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$0$50$100$150/hrBucks (Philadelphia): market median $31.05, prevailing (union) $117.10, gap +$86.05Bucks (Philadelphia)+$86.05Carbon (Allentown): market median $30.35, prevailing (union) $102.43, gap +$72.08Carbon (Allentown)+$72.08Lawrence (Pittsburgh): market median $29.87, prevailing (union) $77.32, gap +$47.45Lawrence (Pittsburgh)+$47.45Lebanon (Lebanon): market median $29.99, prevailing (survey) $54.27, gap +$24.28Lebanon (Lebanon)+$24.28York (York): market median $29.79, prevailing (survey) $53.38, gap +$23.59York (York)+$23.59Cambria (Johnstown): market median $25.99, prevailing (survey) $49.17, gap +$23.18Cambria (Johnstown)+$23.18Cumberland (Harrisburg): market median $30.08, prevailing (survey) $42.66, gap +$12.58Cumberland (Harrisburg)+$12.58Lancaster (Lancaster): market median $29.10, prevailing (survey) $28.18, gap −$0.92Lancaster (Lancaster)−$0.92
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for hvac technicians, metro counties in Pennsylvania.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BucksUnion PLUM0420-013 2025-05-01$72.52$44.58$117.10PA20260078
ChesterUnion PLUM0420-013 2025-05-01$72.52$44.58$117.10PA20260083
DelawareUnion PLUM0420-013 2025-05-01$72.52$44.58$117.10PA20260087
MontgomeryUnion PLUM0420-013 2025-05-01$72.52$44.58$117.10PA20260099
CarbonUnion PLUM0420-014 2024-05-01$59.65$42.78$102.43PA20260081
NorthamptonUnion PLUM0420-014 2024-05-01$59.65$42.78$102.43PA20260101
Lehighuavg UAVGPA0026 2025-01-01$53.09$34.80$87.89PA20260094
ClarionUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260046
CrawfordUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260049
ForestUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260051
GreeneUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260053
IndianaUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260055
JeffersonUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260056
LawrenceUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260058
McKeanUnion PLUM0449-003 2024-06-01$48.15$29.17$77.32PA20260059

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Pennsylvania prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Pennsylvania?

272.7kConstruction jobsPennsylvania, 2026-08
-0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025273kAug 2026
Construction employment in Pennsylvania (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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Philadelphia County2,622$116,311$2,237
Fulton County51$108,936$2,095
Montgomery County4,922$105,041$2,020
Bucks County3,753$101,416$1,950
Dauphin County1,660$94,957$1,826
Lehigh County1,544$92,500$1,779
Delaware County2,341$92,322$1,775
Berks County1,464$88,373$1,699
Chester County1,960$85,595$1,646
Allegheny County5,795$84,545$1,626
Union County173$83,326$1,602
Columbia County191$83,010$1,596

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Pennsylvania

Questions this page answers

How much do hvac technicians make in Pennsylvania?

The median hvac technician in Pennsylvania earned $30.00 an hour ($62,400 a year) in May 2025, 2% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $24.44–$35.88; the top 10% earn more than $43.00.

Where does Pennsylvania rank for hvac technician pay?

Pennsylvania ranks 20th of 51 states for hvac technician pay, with a median of $30.00 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.6, US = 100).

What is the union hvac technician rate in Pennsylvania?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for hvac technicians in 22 counties, with a typical package of $77.32 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many hvac technicians work in Pennsylvania?

BLS counted 15,880 hvac and refrigeration technicians in Pennsylvania in May 2025, 2.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.99; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pennsylvania and metro areas, SOC 49-9021.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.