HVAC technician salary in Wisconsin
Median $29.67 an hour for 6,630 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 Wisconsin: the full range
Wisconsin ranks 23rd of 51 states for median HVAC technician pay, and 21st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.53). 6,630 HVAC technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.08 – $24.44 | $45,930 – $50,840 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.44 – $38.03 | $50,840 – $79,100 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $38.03 – $47.15 | $79,100 – $98,070 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in Wisconsin
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | $23.39 | $37.25 | $35.54 | $48.39 | 2,420 | 26% above |
| Duluth | $23.43 | $36.40 | $40.99 | $47.58 | 170 | 23% above |
| Madison | $21.85 | $30.36 | $31.20 | $48.51 | 1,020 | 2% above |
| Milwaukee | $22.28 | $30.25 | $31.22 | $47.95 | 1,620 | 2% above |
| La Crosse | $22.33 | $30.00 | $32.68 | $45.63 | 270 | 1% above |
| Racine | $21.84 | $29.68 | $30.92 | $48.83 | 170 | about the same as |
| Appleton | $21.65 | $29.62 | $32.06 | $49.09 | 320 | about the same as |
| Sheboygan | $22.42 | $29.61 | $31.50 | $45.77 | 120 | about the same as |
| Green Bay | $21.56 | $29.49 | $31.68 | $48.70 | 420 | 1% below |
| Eau Claire | $21.89 | $29.46 | $31.75 | $46.00 | 150 | 1% below |
| Kenosha | $21.30 | $29.45 | $29.13 | $46.29 | 120 | 1% below |
| Oshkosh | $23.18 | $29.10 | $31.32 | $39.36 | 130 | 2% below |
| Janesville | $19.56 | $28.73 | $30.66 | $43.89 | 150 | 3% below |
| Fond du Lac | $19.17 | $28.61 | $31.23 | $39.63 | 100 | 4% below |
| Wausau | $21.81 | $28.42 | $30.66 | $44.02 | 140 | 4% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
HVAC technician wages in Wisconsin over time
Table
| Year | Wisconsin $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.18 | $29.33 | $14.50 | 4,170 |
| 2000 | $15.89 | $29.71 | $15.76 | 3,630 |
| 2001 | $16.44 | $29.89 | $16.35 | 3,450 |
| 2002 | $16.80 | $30.06 | $16.78 | 3,590 |
| 2003 | $17.35 | $30.36 | $16.90 | 3,520 |
| 2004 | $17.06 | $29.08 | $17.43 | 4,340 |
| 2005 | $18.33 | $30.22 | $17.81 | 5,450 |
| 2006 | $19.34 | $30.88 | $18.11 | 4,830 |
| 2007 | $19.86 | $30.84 | $18.44 | 5,200 |
| 2008 | $18.95 | $28.34 | $19.08 | 5,700 |
| 2009 | $19.66 | $29.50 | $19.76 | 5,230 |
| 2010 | $20.01 | $29.54 | $20.45 | 4,740 |
| 2011 | $22.76 | $32.58 | $20.86 | 3,960 |
| 2012 | $21.54 | $30.20 | $20.98 | 3,960 |
| 2013 | $21.32 | $29.46 | $21.10 | 4,110 |
| 2014 | $21.77 | $29.61 | $21.46 | 4,450 |
| 2015 | $22.48 | $30.53 | $21.69 | 4,540 |
| 2016 | $22.85 | $30.65 | $22.07 | 5,490 |
| 2017 | $23.59 | $30.98 | $22.64 | 4,830 |
| 2018 | $24.53 | $31.45 | $22.89 | 4,900 |
| 2019 | $25.37 | $31.95 | $23.43 | 4,660 |
| 2020 | $25.57 | $31.81 | $24.32 | 5,000 |
| 2021 | $28.21 | $33.52 | $23.38 | 5,350 |
| 2022 | $29.18 | $32.10 | $24.71 | 5,930 |
| 2023 | $28.62 | $30.24 | $27.55 | 6,190 |
| 2024 | $29.82 | $30.60 | $28.75 | 5,930 |
| 2025 | $29.67 | $29.67 | $29.33 | 6,630 |
In today's dollars, the median HVAC technician wage in Wisconsin changed by -2.8% over the last ten years of data and by -7.1% since 2019.
Are there more HVAC technician jobs in Wisconsin?
Since 1999, the number of HVAC technicians counted in Wisconsin has changed by +59.0%, against +118.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +42.3%.
Table
| Year | Wisconsin jobs | Wisconsin index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 4,170 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 3,630 | 87 | 105 |
| 2001 | 3,450 | 83 | 108 |
| 2002 | 3,590 | 86 | 110 |
| 2003 | 3,520 | 84 | 113 |
| 2004 | 4,340 | 104 | 120 |
| 2005 | 5,450 | 131 | 128 |
| 2006 | 4,830 | 116 | 134 |
| 2007 | 5,200 | 125 | 140 |
| 2008 | 5,700 | 137 | 139 |
| 2009 | 5,230 | 125 | 130 |
| 2010 | 4,740 | 114 | 119 |
| 2011 | 3,960 | 95 | 123 |
| 2012 | 3,960 | 95 | 128 |
| 2013 | 4,110 | 99 | 134 |
| 2014 | 4,450 | 107 | 139 |
| 2015 | 4,540 | 109 | 146 |
| 2016 | 5,490 | 132 | 157 |
| 2017 | 4,830 | 116 | 164 |
| 2018 | 4,900 | 118 | 173 |
| 2019 | 4,660 | 112 | 182 |
| 2020 | 5,000 | 120 | 183 |
| 2021 | 5,350 | 128 | 190 |
| 2022 | 5,930 | 142 | 200 |
| 2023 | 6,190 | 148 | 212 |
| 2024 | 5,930 | 142 | 211 |
| 2025 | 6,630 | 159 | 218 |
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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin's labor market agency projects the number of HVAC technicians in the state to change by +13.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,270 to 7,120, with about 640 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 6,630 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Wisconsin labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?
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 65 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 67,193 in 2015 to 92,281 in 2025, +37.3%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racine County | 70 | 976 | $119,609 | $2,300 |
| Milwaukee County | 149 | 3,403 | $105,764 | $2,034 |
| Fond du Lac County | 40 | 860 | $102,582 | $1,973 |
| Outagamie County | 88 | 2,339 | $96,114 | $1,848 |
| Wood County | 24 | 482 | $92,321 | $1,775 |
| Waukesha County | 202 | 3,235 | $91,995 | $1,769 |
| Dane County | 132 | 3,440 | $89,652 | $1,724 |
| Dunn County | 19 | 284 | $89,438 | $1,720 |
| Ozaukee County | 36 | 282 | $87,660 | $1,686 |
| Chippewa County | 22 | 258 | $85,901 | $1,652 |
| Pierce County | 10 | 106 | $85,759 | $1,649 |
| Brown County | 80 | 1,713 | $84,854 | $1,632 |
| Marathon County | 68 | 521 | $77,852 | $1,497 |
| La Crosse County | 53 | 586 | $76,191 | $1,465 |
| Sheboygan County | 36 | 441 | $74,493 | $1,433 |
| Winnebago County | 51 | 448 | $74,362 | $1,430 |
| Door County | 23 | 160 | $73,664 | $1,417 |
| Kenosha County | 38 | 360 | $73,570 | $1,415 |
| Douglas County | 14 | 152 | $71,681 | $1,378 |
| Clark County | 12 | 60 | $70,798 | $1,362 |
| Jefferson County | 35 | 221 | $70,651 | $1,359 |
| Walworth County | 43 | 336 | $70,295 | $1,352 |
| Dodge County | 35 | 224 | $70,292 | $1,352 |
| Washington County | 54 | 278 | $69,933 | $1,345 |
| Barron County | 21 | 140 | $69,024 | $1,327 |
| Portage County | 20 | 213 | $68,403 | $1,315 |
| Manitowoc County | 28 | 209 | $68,324 | $1,314 |
| Sauk County | 38 | 276 | $67,699 | $1,302 |
| Burnett County | 4 | 47 | $67,035 | $1,289 |
| Shawano County | 16 | 65 | $66,962 | $1,288 |
| Ashland County | 10 | 101 | $65,395 | $1,258 |
| Oneida County | 33 | 184 | $65,256 | $1,255 |
| Rock County | 51 | 374 | $64,779 | $1,246 |
| Monroe County | 20 | 134 | $63,639 | $1,224 |
| Lafayette County | 8 | 50 | $62,995 | $1,211 |
| Taylor County | 8 | 30 | $62,845 | $1,209 |
| Trempealeau County | 6 | 22 | $61,895 | $1,190 |
| Waushara County | 9 | 32 | $61,196 | $1,177 |
| Bayfield County | 12 | 51 | $60,716 | $1,168 |
| Iowa County | 11 | 46 | $58,969 | $1,134 |
| Vilas County | 18 | 57 | $58,579 | $1,127 |
| Marinette County | 21 | 150 | $58,039 | $1,116 |
| Crawford County | 6 | 20 | $57,849 | $1,112 |
| Buffalo County | 7 | 34 | $56,504 | $1,087 |
| Juneau County | 9 | 68 | $56,502 | $1,087 |
| Richland County | 11 | 58 | $56,485 | $1,086 |
| Green County | 17 | 77 | $56,053 | $1,078 |
| Waupaca County | 21 | 80 | $55,772 | $1,073 |
| Langlade County | 11 | 82 | $54,381 | $1,046 |
| Washburn County | 11 | 20 | $53,195 | $1,023 |
| Vernon County | 10 | 33 | $52,863 | $1,017 |
| Sawyer County | 10 | 42 | $49,249 | $947 |
| Oconto County | 12 | 27 | $45,876 | $882 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Wisconsin
More on Wisconsin
Questions this page answers
How much do HVAC technicians make in Wisconsin?
The median HVAC technician in Wisconsin earned $29.67 an hour ($61,710 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $24.44–$38.03; the top 10% earn more than $47.15.
Where does Wisconsin rank for HVAC technician pay?
Wisconsin ranks 23rd of 51 states for HVAC technician pay, with a median of $29.67 an hour, and 21st after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).
What is the union HVAC technician rate in Wisconsin?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a HVAC technician classification for most Wisconsin counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many HVAC technicians work in Wisconsin?
BLS counted 6,630 HVAC technicians in Wisconsin in May 2025, 2.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.86; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is HVAC technician work growing in Wisconsin?
The BLS employer survey count of HVAC technicians in Wisconsin went from 4,540 in 2015 to 6,630 in 2025, +46.0%, and +42.3% since 2019. Wisconsin's labor market agency projects +13.5% growth for HVAC technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 6,270 to 7,120 jobs.
How many HVAC technician openings a year are there in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin projects about 640 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, Wisconsin 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: Wisconsin labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.