Skilled Wages

HVAC technician salary in Virginia

Median $28.72 an hour for 14,690 HVAC technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.72/hrMedian hourly wageVirginia, May data
$59,730/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.12 – $40.1110th to 90th percentilehourly range
14,690Jobs countedemployer survey

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

HVAC technician pay in Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrVirginia: 10th $19.12 · 25th $23.03 · median $28.72 · 75th $35.31 · 90th $40.11Virginia$28.72$19.12$40.11United 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: Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

Virginia ranks 33rd of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 41st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.41). 14,690 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.12 – $23.03$39,760 – $47,910roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.03 – $35.31$47,910 – $73,440the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.31 – $40.11$73,440 – $83,420the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



HVAC technician pay by metro in Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrWashington DC: $34.58Washington DC$34.58Staunton: $29.98Staunton$29.98Harrisonburg: $28.95Harrisonburg$28.95Charlottesville: $28.63Charlottesville$28.63Virginia Beach: $28.59Virginia Beach$28.59Richmond: $28.43Richmond$28.43Lynchburg: $28.13Lynchburg$28.13Winchester: $27.04Winchester$27.04Blacksburg: $24.05Blacksburg$24.05Roanoke: $23.67Roanoke$23.67Kingsport: $23.54Kingsport$23.54
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians by metro area in Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$22.56$34.58$31.75$50.578,73020% above
Staunton$18.81$29.98$32.91$38.822304% above
Harrisonburg$18.92$28.95$30.51$37.403401% above
Charlottesville$20.73$28.63$28.89$36.95420about the same as
Virginia Beach$18.85$28.59$29.20$37.002,840about the same as
Richmond$18.40$28.43$29.04$37.802,7001% below
Lynchburg$18.50$28.13$31.47$37.565302% below
Winchester$18.77$27.04$28.02$34.872006% below
Blacksburg$18.89$24.05$25.94$33.0319016% below
Roanoke$18.14$23.67$25.29$36.0866018% below
Kingsport$17.12$23.54$27.25$31.6329018% below

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

HVAC technician wages in Virginia over time

Virginia, 1999-2025VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.33United States$28.72Virginia
Median hourly wage for HVAC technicians, Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearVirginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.02$27.09$14.507,150
2000$15.75$29.45$15.766,770
2001$17.16$31.19$16.357,370
2002$16.57$29.65$16.787,620
2003$16.88$29.53$16.907,260
2004$17.31$29.50$17.437,670
2005$16.63$27.41$17.818,650
2006$17.04$27.21$18.119,190
2007$17.32$26.89$18.4410,470
2008$18.40$27.51$19.089,620
2009$19.18$28.78$19.769,380
2010$19.78$29.20$20.458,280
2011$19.88$28.45$20.868,270
2012$19.51$27.36$20.988,330
2013$20.52$28.36$21.109,080
2014$21.98$29.89$21.469,610
2015$22.77$30.93$21.699,820
2016$22.96$30.80$22.0710,720
2017$23.53$30.90$22.6411,690
2018$24.02$30.80$22.8912,690
2019$23.93$30.13$23.4311,670
2020$24.74$30.77$24.3210,720
2021$23.58$28.02$23.3811,960
2022$25.70$28.27$24.7112,640
2023$27.94$29.52$27.5513,540
2024$29.15$29.92$28.7513,640
2025$28.72$28.72$29.3314,690

In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Virginia changed by -7.1% over the last ten years of data and by -4.7% since 2019.

Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Virginia?

+25.9%Jobs since 201911,670 then, 14,690 in 2025
+49.6%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.4× the US share, 6th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in Virginia has changed by +105.5%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +25.9%.

HVAC and refrigeration technicians in Virginia vs United States, 1999 = 100VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200250200020052010201520202025218United States206Virginia
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Virginia vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearVirginia jobsVirginia indexUS index
19997,150100100
20006,77095105
20017,370103108
20027,620107110
20037,260102113
20047,670107120
20058,650121128
20069,190128134
200710,470146140
20089,620134139
20099,380131130
20108,280116119
20118,270116123
20128,330116128
20139,080127134
20149,610134139
20159,820137146
201610,720150157
201711,690164164
201812,690178173
201911,670163182
202010,720150183
202111,960167190
202212,640177200
202313,540189212
202413,640191211
202514,690206218

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 Virginia

+9.3%Projected growth in Virginia2024–2034, state agency
1,410Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
14,660Jobs in 202416,020 projected for 2034
+10.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +9.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 14,660 to 16,020, with about 1,410 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 14,690 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for HVAC technicians in Virginia

On federally funded construction in Virginia, contractors must pay HVAC technicians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 17 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $23.53). 17 of the 17 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Amelia County at $23.53). The market median for the state is $28.72.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, VAAccomack: n/aAlbemarle: n/aAlleghany: n/aAmelia: $23.53 (survey)Amherst: n/aAppomattox: n/aArlington: n/aAugusta: n/aBath: n/aBedford: n/aBland: n/aBotetourt: n/aBrunswick: n/aBuchanan: n/aBuckingham: n/aCampbell: n/aCaroline: $23.53 (survey)Carroll: n/aCharles City: $23.53 (survey)Charlotte: n/aChesterfield: $23.53 (survey)Clarke: n/aCraig: n/aCulpeper: n/aCumberland: n/aDickenson: n/aDinwiddie: $23.53 (survey)Essex: n/aFairfax: n/aFauquier: n/aFloyd: n/aFluvanna: n/aFranklin: n/aFrederick: n/aGiles: n/aGloucester: n/aGoochland: $23.53 (survey)Grayson: n/aGreene: n/aGreensville: n/aHalifax: n/aHanover: $23.53 (survey)Henrico: $23.53 (survey)Henry: n/aHighland: n/aIsle of Wight: n/aJames City: n/aKing and Queen: n/aKing George: n/aKing William: $23.53 (survey)Lancaster: n/aLee: n/aLoudoun: n/aLouisa: n/aLunenburg: n/aMadison: n/aMathews: n/aMecklenburg: n/aMiddlesex: n/aMontgomery: n/aNelson: n/aNew Kent: $23.53 (survey)Northampton: n/aNorthumberland: n/aNottoway: n/aOrange: n/aPage: n/aPatrick: n/aPittsylvania: n/aPowhatan: $23.53 (survey)Prince Edward: n/aPrince George: $23.53 (survey)Prince William: n/aPulaski: n/aRappahannock: n/aRichmond: n/aRoanoke: n/aRockbridge: n/aRockingham: n/aRussell: n/aScott: n/aShenandoah: n/aSmyth: n/aSouthampton: n/aSpotsylvania: n/aStafford: n/aSurry: n/aSussex: $23.53 (survey)Tazewell: n/aWarren: n/aWashington: n/aWestmoreland: n/aWise: n/aWythe: n/aYork: n/aAlexandria: n/aBristol: n/aBuena Vista: n/aCharlottesville: n/aChesapeake: n/aColonial Heights: $23.53 (survey)Covington: n/aDanville: n/aEmporia: n/aFairfax: n/aFalls Church: n/aFranklin: n/aFredericksburg: n/aGalax: n/aHampton: n/aHarrisonburg: n/aHopewell: $23.53 (survey)Lexington: n/aLynchburg: n/aManassas: n/aManassas Park: n/aMartinsville: n/aNewport News: n/aNorfolk: n/aNorton: n/aPetersburg: $23.53 (survey)Poquoson: n/aPortsmouth: n/aRadford: n/aRichmond: $23.53 (survey)Roanoke: n/aSalem: n/aStaunton: n/aSuffolk: n/aVirginia Beach: n/aWaynesboro: n/aWilliamsburg: n/aWinchester: n/aUnion / prevailing package, $/hrn/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
AmeliaSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
CarolineSurvey SUVA2013-028 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260015
Charles CitySurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
ChesterfieldSurvey SUVA2013-031 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260017
DinwiddieSurvey SUVA2013-033 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260019
GoochlandSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
HanoverSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
HenricoSurvey SUVA2013-038 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260155
King WilliamSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
New KentSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
PowhatanSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
Prince GeorgeSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170
SussexSurvey SUVA2013-051 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260166
Colonial HeightsSurvey SUVA2013-031 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260017
HopewellSurvey SUVA2013-056 2016-01-11$20.60$2.93$23.53VA20260170

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

Is construction work growing in Virginia?

230.8kConstruction jobsVirginia, 2026-09
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025231kSep 2026
Construction employment in Virginia (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 117 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 111,128 in 2015 to 136,979 in 2025, +23.3%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Arlington County18105$159,113$3,060
Manassas city24388$118,692$2,283
Loudoun County1023,600$107,623$2,070
Alexandria city22340$100,711$1,937
Falls Church city6118$86,056$1,655
Fairfax County2493,273$84,525$1,625
Augusta County31735$83,701$1,610
Fredericksburg city9229$83,470$1,605
Prince William County1762,607$83,251$1,601
Hanover County921,313$80,197$1,542
Norfolk city58648$79,984$1,538
Fairfax city758$79,643$1,532

Keep comparing

HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Virginia

More on Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do HVAC technicians make in Virginia?

The median HVAC technician in Virginia earned $28.72 an hour ($59,730 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $23.03–$35.31; the top 10% earn more than $40.11.

Where does Virginia rank for HVAC technician pay?

Virginia ranks 33rd of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $28.72 an hour, and 41st after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).

What is the union HVAC technician rate in Virginia?

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

How many HVAC technicians work in Virginia?

BLS counted 14,690 HVAC technicians in Virginia in May 2025, 3.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.36; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is HVAC technician work growing in Virginia?

The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in Virginia went from 9,820 in 2015 to 14,690 in 2025, +49.6%, and +25.9% since 2019. Virginia's labor market agency projects +9.3% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 14,660 to 16,020 jobs.

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

Virginia projects about 1,410 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, Virginia 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: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.