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As of October 2025, Lead HVAC Technicians earn an average of $51,139 per year in the United States. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific employer.
States like California and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for this role. For instance, in California, the average salary can exceed $60,000, while technicians in Texas typically earn around $54,000.
Entry-level technicians may start at around $40,000, but with experience, salaries can rise significantly. For example, those with over 10 years in the field can expect to earn upwards of $70,000.
The demand for skilled HVAC technicians is on the rise, particularly in regions experiencing rapid growth. This trend translates to ample job opportunities, competitive salaries, and the potential for advancement into supervisory roles. Understanding these salary dynamics is essential for career planning and decision-making.
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The highest-paying states for lead hvac technicians are Alaska, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The lowest average lead hvac technician salary states are Texas, Georgia, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $76,358 | $36.71 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $74,336 | $35.74 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $63,926 | $30.73 |
| 4 | Delaware | $61,685 | $29.66 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $74,217 | $35.68 |
| 6 | Maryland | $74,190 | $35.67 |
| 7 | Montana | $57,875 | $27.82 |
| 8 | Nevada | $56,821 | $27.32 |
| 9 | Oregon | $62,586 | $30.09 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $61,452 | $29.54 |
| 11 | California | $71,586 | $34.42 |
| 12 | Washington | $65,098 | $31.30 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $61,279 | $29.46 |
| 14 | Indiana | $56,739 | $27.28 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $61,794 | $29.71 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $72,041 | $34.64 |
| 17 | Maine | $54,385 | $26.15 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $59,363 | $28.54 |
| 19 | New York | $60,981 | $29.32 |
| 20 | Colorado | $57,856 | $27.82 |
| 21 | Virginia | $58,834 | $28.29 |
| 22 | Illinois | $57,638 | $27.71 |
| 23 | Idaho | $52,562 | $25.27 |
| 24 | Missouri | $55,154 | $26.52 |
| 25 | Iowa | $50,850 | $24.45 |
| 26 | Michigan | $54,294 | $26.10 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $54,861 | $26.38 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $55,404 | $26.64 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $51,692 | $24.85 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $55,283 | $26.58 |
| 31 | Arizona | $53,068 | $25.51 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $48,434 | $23.29 |
| 33 | Kansas | $48,975 | $23.55 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $49,488 | $23.79 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $52,418 | $25.20 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $44,829 | $21.55 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $46,463 | $22.34 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,216 | $23.18 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $43,471 | $20.90 |
| 40 | Utah | $48,833 | $23.48 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $43,499 | $20.91 |
| 42 | Georgia | $42,818 | $20.59 |
| 43 | Ohio | $46,904 | $22.55 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $45,800 | $22.02 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $39,151 | $18.82 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $41,361 | $19.89 |
| 47 | Texas | $43,022 | $20.68 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $47,013 | $22.60 |
| 49 | Florida | $42,384 | $20.38 |
| 50 | Alabama | $43,084 | $20.71 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $38,649 | $18.58 |
The highest-paying cities for lead hvac technicians are San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $79,871 | $38.40 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $74,035 | $35.59 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $65,509 | $31.49 |
| 4 | Egg Harbor, NJ | $61,833 | $29.73 |
| 5 | Reston, VA | $60,713 | $29.19 |
| 6 | Norristown, PA | $59,845 | $28.77 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $57,887 | $27.83 |
| 8 | Indianapolis, IN | $56,492 | $27.16 |
| 9 | Appleton, WI | $55,802 | $26.83 |
| 10 | Dearborn, MI | $54,447 | $26.18 |
| 11 | Greenville, SC | $51,926 | $24.96 |
| 12 | Cedar City, UT | $49,313 | $23.71 |
| 13 | Olathe, KS | $49,186 | $23.65 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $48,136 | $23.14 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $46,445 | $22.33 |
| 16 | Chattanooga, TN | $46,195 | $22.21 |
| 17 | Edmond, OK | $43,499 | $20.91 |
| 18 | Gainesville, GA | $43,017 | $20.68 |
| 19 | Fort Myers, FL | $42,653 | $20.51 |
| 20 | Fort Worth, TX | $42,554 | $20.46 |
A lead hvac technician's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,139 | $4,262 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
The highest paying types of lead hvac technicians are hvac technician, hvac-r technician, and air conditioning service technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installer Apprentice | $37,507 | $3,126 | $18.03 | 21,751 |
| Hvac Installer | $44,651 | $3,721 | $21.47 | 28,909 |
| Mechanical Installer | $43,919 | $3,660 | $21.11 | 69,734 |
| Hvac Apprentice | $34,073 | $2,839 | $16.38 | 25,483 |
| Installation And Service Technician | $37,202 | $3,100 | $17.89 | 125,640 |
| Refrigeration Technician | $50,701 | $4,225 | $24.38 | 131,115 |
Top companies hiring lead hvac technicians now:
Lead hvac technician salaries at Carrier and Fluor are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead hvac technician salary at companies like Four Seasons and Bechtel Corporation are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrier | $74,999 | $36.06 |
| 2 | Fluor Corporation | $74,337 | $35.74 |
| 3 | Four Seasons | $73,922 | $35.54 |
| 4 | Bechtel Corporation | $70,645 | $33.96 |
| 5 | HealthTrust | $65,927 | $31.70 |
| 6 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $65,433 | $31.46 |
| 7 | Johnson Controls | $63,781 | $30.66 |
| 8 | Allgeier | $60,910 | $29.28 |
| 9 | RK | $55,794 | $26.82 |
| 10 | EMCOR Group | $54,903 | $26.40 |
| 11 | Bath & Body Works | $53,551 | $25.75 |
| 12 | Hazen and Sawyer | $52,566 | $25.27 |
| 13 | TAD PGS | $51,403 | $24.71 |
| 14 | ATI - Allegheny Technologies Incorporated | $50,514 | $24.29 |
| 15 | Cincinnati Public Schools | $49,139 | $23.62 |
| 16 | Honeywell | $49,057 | $23.59 |
| 17 | Sobieski Services | $48,879 | $23.50 |
| 18 | CGL | $48,815 | $23.47 |
| 19 | Aire Serv | $48,463 | $23.30 |
| 20 | EnviroSafe Demil | $48,419 | $23.28 |
The average lead hvac technician salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $62,126 | $29.87 |
| 2 | Technology | $53,071 | $25.51 |
| 3 | Energy | $52,531 | $25.26 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $48,056 | $23.10 |
The average lead hvac technician salary has risen by $7,288 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead hvac technician earned $43,851 annually, but today, they earn $51,139 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for lead hvac technicians over the last decade.
Compare lead hvac technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare lead hvac technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,100 | $24.59 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $49,300 | $23.68 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $48,100 | $23.14 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $47,600 | $22.88 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $46,400 | $22.31 | +1.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Commercial Facilities Hvac Lead | Indianapolis, IN | 06/24/2025 | $72,800 |
| Tarantino Properties | Lead Maintenance Hvac | McAllen, TX | 06/24/2025 | $50,088 |
| Tarantino Properties | Lead Maintenance Hvac | McAllen, TX | 06/24/2025 | $50,088 |
| Jacksonville State University | Hvac-Lead Technician | Jacksonville, AL | 06/24/2025 | $59,155 |
| Premistar | Hvac Lead Technician | Centennial, CO | 06/24/2025 | $73,045 |
| Rowan University | Hvac/Boiler Lead-Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University | Glassboro, NJ | 06/20/2025 | $67,097 |
| Recruit Ware | Lead Hvac Technician | Fine, NY | 06/20/2025 | $62,610 |
| CBRE Government & Defense Services | Hvac Lead | Pensacola, FL | 06/19/2025 | $86,172 |
| J&J Worldwide Services | Hvac Lead | Pensacola, FL | 06/17/2025 | $86,172 |
| HTS Engineering | Hvac Lead | Houston, TX | 06/14/2025 | $48,001 |
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