HVAC technician salary in Rhode Island
Median $32.39 an hour for 1,450 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 Rhode Island: the full range
Rhode Island ranks 14th of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.66). 1,450 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.32 – $23.44 | $38,100 – $48,760 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.44 – $39.23 | $48,760 – $81,610 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $39.23 – $50.04 | $81,610 – $104,080 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in Rhode Island
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $21.62 | $32.39 | $50.04 | 1,930 | about the same as |
HVAC technician wages in Rhode Island over time
Table
| Year | Rhode Island $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.90 | $30.73 | $14.50 | 300 |
| 2000 | $17.67 | $33.04 | $15.76 | 590 |
| 2001 | $17.47 | $31.76 | $16.35 | 630 |
| 2002 | $17.95 | $32.12 | $16.78 | 730 |
| 2003 | $18.20 | $31.84 | $16.90 | — |
| 2004 | $18.47 | $31.48 | $17.43 | — |
| 2005 | $18.88 | $31.12 | $17.81 | 1,140 |
| 2006 | $20.90 | $33.38 | $18.11 | 1,170 |
| 2007 | $21.62 | $33.57 | $18.44 | 1,340 |
| 2008 | $22.56 | $33.73 | $19.08 | 1,070 |
| 2009 | $23.09 | $34.65 | $19.76 | 920 |
| 2010 | $23.28 | $34.37 | $20.45 | 790 |
| 2011 | $24.01 | $34.36 | $20.86 | 740 |
| 2012 | $25.48 | $35.73 | $20.98 | 490 |
| 2013 | $26.20 | $36.21 | $21.10 | 460 |
| 2014 | $25.87 | $35.18 | $21.46 | 580 |
| 2015 | $26.87 | $36.50 | $21.69 | 610 |
| 2016 | $26.14 | $35.06 | $22.07 | 650 |
| 2017 | $25.39 | $33.35 | $22.64 | — |
| 2018 | $25.47 | $32.65 | $22.89 | 1,350 |
| 2019 | $27.42 | $34.53 | $23.43 | 1,610 |
| 2020 | $29.44 | $36.62 | $24.32 | 1,250 |
| 2021 | $29.13 | $34.61 | $23.38 | 1,050 |
| 2022 | $29.81 | $32.79 | $24.71 | 1,240 |
| 2023 | $29.93 | $31.62 | $27.55 | 1,180 |
| 2024 | $30.57 | $31.37 | $28.75 | 1,320 |
| 2025 | $32.39 | $32.39 | $29.33 | 1,450 |
In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Rhode Island changed by -11.3% over the last ten years of data and by -6.2% since 2019.
Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 1,450 HVAC technicians in Rhode Island in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 18%. 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 Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +12.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,420 to 1,600, with about 140 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 1,450 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Rhode Island?
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 5 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 10,457 in 2015 to 14,708 in 2025, +40.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 280 | 2,676 | $89,686 | $1,725 |
| Kent County | 98 | 1,170 | $84,820 | $1,631 |
| Bristol County | 20 | 148 | $81,074 | $1,559 |
| Newport County | 46 | 282 | $75,360 | $1,449 |
| Washington County | 84 | 301 | $65,233 | $1,254 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Rhode Island
More on Rhode Island
Questions this page answers
How much do HVAC technicians make in Rhode Island?
The median HVAC technician in Rhode Island earned $32.39 an hour ($67,370 a year) in May 2025, 10% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $23.44–$39.23; the top 10% earn more than $50.04.
Where does Rhode Island rank for HVAC technician pay?
Rhode Island ranks 14th of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $32.39 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.3, US = 100).
What is the union HVAC technician rate in Rhode Island?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a HVAC technician classification for most Rhode Island counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many HVAC technicians work in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 1,450 HVAC technicians in Rhode Island in May 2025, 2.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.10; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is HVAC technician work growing in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects +12.8% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 1,420 to 1,600 jobs.
How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island projects about 140 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, Rhode Island 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: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.