Can HVAC Techs Make 100k? Expert Explain
When an HVAC tech came to my home recently to fix an AC (Air Conditioning) unit, I wondered how much they earn per year? While many people will think it’s a poorly paid job at first, they will be fooled. As a person who studied at university all my life, I wondered how much people who went to trade school earn. In this article, we’ll explain how much an HVAC tech can actually earn. So, let’s start!
So Can HVAC Techs Make 100k? Yes, HVAC technicians can make $100,000 a year! However, this is not easy to achieve on your own unless you start your own HVAC company. To make 100k per year as an HVAC tech, you’ll need to work overtime and work in a well-paid location.
The conclusion is that even in a situation where HVAC tech has a good run over several years and manages to generate such a large income, in the long run, it is almost impossible to keep generating 100k per year. If an HVAC tech wants to earn $100,000 per year or more, it is much better for him to start his own business and leave freelance work. Below is an overview of the HVAC tech’s salaries.
Here are the average HVAC Tech salaries by state:
| HVAC Tech Salary by State | Average Hourly Rate | Annual Tech Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama – HVAC Tech Salary | $18.77 | $39,042 |
| Colorado – HVAC Tech Salary | $29.33 | $61,006 |
| Florida – HVAC Tech Salary | $19.84 | $41,267 |
| Louisiana – HVAC Tech Salary | $27.11 | $56,400 |
| New Jersey – HVAC Tech Salary | $33.93 | $70,575 |
| Texas – HVAC Tech Salary | $21.37 | $44,452 |
| New York – HVAC Tech Salary | $26.00 | $54,000 |
What Is The Initial Salary For HVAC Techs?
At the beginning of your career as an HVAC tech, without much previous experience, your salary will be around $15 per hour. Usually, HVAC tech’s pay rate mostly depends on a person’s work experience in the industry.
If you make good progress in business, earnings from the starting $15 per hour can increase very quickly. According to research, HVAC tech who gain experience in their work from one to four years earns an average of $19 per hour. The conclusion is that although at the very beginning, an HVAC technician does not earn a lot of money, he can increase that amount over the years. However, if he stays in the HVAC business and improves, over time he can get a decent annual salary.
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What Is The Average Salary For HVAC Techs?
When we talk about the average salary of HVAC technicians, this amount is influenced by a personal experience in the work, location, personal abilities, and characteristics. Also, the average salary depends on whether the HVAC technician works for a basic salary or a commission-based salary.
How much salary an HVAC technician can earn depends largely on several factors, where the most important is the work location. HVAC technicians can make the most money in New York, earning an average of $28 per hour or $54,000 annually. The least money an HVAC technician can earn is in the state of North Carolina, where his salary is $19 per hour or an average of $39,000 a year.
| Average HVAC Tech Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Annual Tech Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Highest New York | $28.00 per hour | $59,000 |
| Lowest North Carolina | $20.00 per hour | $41,400 |
For those who are looking for a job in the HVAC industry and are willing in changing their location, look at the salary overview per state. However, be sure to consider the cost-of-living ratio to assess where it would be best to do an HVAC technician job.
Factors That Affect The HVAC Salary
When thinking about HVAC Tech salary, some factors must be taken into account, which others forget. These are things like the way you sell and communicate with customers and simpler things like when you are starting with the work. These little things make a big difference when a person thinks about what he can expect from a new job.
Everything we have listed strongly affects how you will be able to attract new customers and successfully make a sale with a new customer. This is especially important if part of your salary is based on commission or in a situation when you start your own business in the HVAC industry.
Therefore, it is important to work a lot! Get out of bed early, dress decently, and work on your sales pitch. When you want a job in which you will be successful, you must risk a lot to get the things you’ve never had.
However, these things will not provide you with a salary of $100,000 per year on your own, but success will certainly come if you invest time and effort in them. This advice is valid for everyone, from HVAC technicians to lawyers.
Location of The Work
How much your salary will be as an HVAC tech also depends on your location. But you should know that HVAC technicians have the highest salaries in locations with higher living costs. So a higher salary in one location does not necessarily mean a more comfortable life. The conclusion is that HVAC technicians’ salary varies greatly from location to location depending on the cost of living and the local labor market.
Therefore, the situation is that an HVAC technician in a smaller community has a lower salary than one in a big city. We advise you to consider, in addition to the salary itself, other benefits that come with the job when choosing the location where you want to live and work. We certainly do not recommend opting for relocation and a new job just because of the salary.
HVAC Salary: Commission Based Pay vs Base Salary Pay
A base pay salary is when an HVAC technician works for a company that pays you a fixed amount of money per hour, no matter the effort you have done in one day. On the other hand, commission-based pay is a type of salary whose amount is determined by the commission on the work that is done.
Both models of salary calculation have their advantages and disadvantages that you must consider before accepting a job offer. A base salary is a good choice if you are looking for security in terms of money because you will earn approximately the same amount of money no matter how much work your company has provided for you.
If you want to make as much money as possible, then commission-based play is a good way because the more you work, the more you will earn. However, with this option, you should keep in mind that you can face significantly lower earnings when the slow month comes.
Among HVAC technicians, many point out that working on a commission salary encourages an unfair attitude towards clients. It cannot be said that there is no truth in this, considering that among HVAC technicians, there are certainly those who do not put honesty in the first place but earnings.
Without discussion, it can be concluded that it is certainly possible for one HVAC technician to coordinate sales promotion and customer honesty well. When you are honest with your customers and make recommendations for selling products according to their needs, you can continue to maximize your salary fairly.
Most Paid Job For HVAC Tech
An HVAC technician can make the most money when he works in the heavy manufacturing industry. However, this is a sector in which positions for HAVC technicians are not often opened. But, it is also a good incentive for electric companies to pay their HVAC technicians an average of $70,000 a year.
Opening An HVAC Company
The truth is that the only way to make $100,000 per year as an HVAC technician is to open an HVAC company on your own. Even in a situation where HVAC tech has a good run over a few years and manages to generate such a large income, in the long run, this is almost impossible.
In any case, for $100k per year, an HVAC technician has to work very hard. For those who are young and in good condition, there is no reason not to try it. But you need to be aware that it will be harder and harder for you to work at that pace as you get older.
Note! Making $100,000 per year as an HVAC Technician is a difficult task unless the individual opens an HVAC company.
HVAC Salaries Are Increasing
The good news for those just starting their careers as HVAC technicians is the visible potential for wage growth in this sector in the future. The need for new workers in the HAVC industry grows steadily since 2010.
Compared to all other occupations, the need for HAVC technicians from 2015 to 2022 is more than doubled, referred to as the average. In addition, it should be noted that there is a lack of HVAC technicians in the labor market. Therefore, HVAC technicians may become an even more sought-after workforce in the coming period.
A similar situation is in the trucking industry, where there was a shortage of drivers as shipments began to rise across the country. As a result, truckers became in high demand, and the value of their work in the market increased, so companies had to offer them more money to keep their services.
For those who want to learn more, be sure to read Can Drop Ceiling Be Used In A Bathroom?
Pros and Cons Of Working As An HVAC Technician
PRO: HVAC Jobs Are Increasing
It is clear to everyone that people will be using electrical household appliances such as refrigerators and AC systems for a long time to come, which means that HVAC technicians should not have problems finding a job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – BLS, by 2026, labor market demand for HVAC technicians should increase by 15 % compared to the current situation.
PRO: Possibility To Work and Live Almost Anywhere
In the USA, ventilation, heating, refrigeration air conditioning are utilities that most people use on daily basis, and their number across the country is massive. Keep in mind that someone has to maintain these systems, and HVAC techs are the ones for those jobs.
CON: HVAC Technicians Work a Lot
As in some other industries, HVAC technicians have a huge amount of work to do seasonally. As an HVAC technician, you can expect to be beaten from work in the middle of the cooling and heating season.
CON: Hazards At Work
The fact that the work of HVAC technicians is dangerous should not be overlooked. It is an occupation in which many work-related injuries occur, and to a much greater extent than in many other occupations. The reason for this is the daily use of heavy tools, exposure to hazardous substances, and work in extreme weather conditions.
FAQ: People Also Ask
What is the Starting Salary For an HVAC Technician?
HVAC technicians, on average, earn around $40,396 per year. Starting wage goes from $25,375 up to $64,309. It is the amount that represents 35% below the national average registered in 2019.
Why do People Pay More for HVAC Service?
When you do your job to the highest standards as an HVAC technician, clients will expect to pay you more. Good recommendations on Yelp or Google will set you apart in terms of quality compared to the competition, and the price of your work will be able to be higher without customers complaining.
Is HVAC Job Dangerous?
The job of an HVAC technician comes with risks, some of which can be fatal. Among them is exposure to toxic carbon monoxide. Also, there is the risk of electric shock that comes as expected when handling wiring, as well as the risk of burns and other skin damage.
Final Thoughts
In the end, we can conclude that the annual salary of HVAC technicians has a wide range. If you are just finding your way into this business, for a start as an HVAC technician, you can expect a salary of $15 per hour which is not so bad.
If you stay in this business, you can expect a higher salary in the long run. It is certainly possible that as an HVAC technician you earn an annual salary of $100,000, but for that money you will have to work very hard which is impossible to do in the long run.
