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Best states for a technician
Quoted expert
Kathleen Riley
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Are you thinking of becoming a technician and really want to work at HVAC? Turns out, your chances to become a technician are better in some states than others.We wanted to look at the best states for technicians -- where there are plenty of technician jobs to go around and technicians get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for technicians, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for technicians, and the Northeast is the worst. San Jose, CA is the best city in the country for technician jobs, where as Hawaii is the best state in the country.
10 best states for technicians in 2026
1. Hawaii
Total technician jobs: 773 Average annual salary: $56,045 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
2. New Jersey
Total technician jobs: 6,691 Average annual salary: $48,555 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
3. California
Total technician jobs: 23,331 Average annual salary: $52,037 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
4. Connecticut
Total technician jobs: 2,686 Average annual salary: $46,743 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
5. Michigan
Total technician jobs: 7,157 Average annual salary: $38,956 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
6. Wyoming
Total technician jobs: 563 Average annual salary: $38,122 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
7. New Hampshire
Total technician jobs: 1,699 Average annual salary: $38,349 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
8. Arizona
Total technician jobs: 6,037 Average annual salary: $38,046 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
9. Nevada
Total technician jobs: 1,891 Average annual salary: $39,265 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
10. District of Columbia
Total technician jobs: 935 Average annual salary: $49,554 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.63
Technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $56,045 | $41,000 | 1,427,538 | 773 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $48,555 | $30,000 | 9,005,644 | 6,691 |
| 3 | California | $52,037 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 23,331 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $46,743 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,686 |
| 5 | Michigan | $38,956 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 7,157 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $38,122 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 563 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $38,349 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 1,699 |
| 8 | Arizona | $38,046 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 6,037 |
| 9 | Nevada | $39,265 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,891 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $49,554 | $31,000 | 693,972 | 935 |
| 11 | Texas | $38,291 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 18,847 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $41,329 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 903 |
| 13 | Colorado | $38,960 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 5,647 |
| 14 | Illinois | $40,623 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 9,548 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $36,411 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,169 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $36,171 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 869 |
| 17 | Alaska | $39,772 | $32,000 | 739,795 | 774 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $40,629 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 7,518 |
| 19 | Indiana | $35,347 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 6,752 |
| 20 | Maryland | $43,326 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,082 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $37,447 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 9,899 |
| 22 | Ohio | $36,409 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 9,032 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $37,913 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,643 |
| 24 | New York | $42,045 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 10,317 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $35,865 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 3,004 |
| 26 | Virginia | $40,598 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 7,533 |
| 27 | Washington | $39,468 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 6,166 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $33,585 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 5,958 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $35,239 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 8,953 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $34,879 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 4,481 |
| 31 | Delaware | $39,025 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 875 |
| 32 | Florida | $34,972 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 16,328 |
| 33 | Oregon | $36,714 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 3,813 |
| 34 | Iowa | $32,781 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 3,884 |
| 35 | Maine | $33,507 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 1,391 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $35,234 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 2,490 |
| 37 | Montana | $33,170 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 1,248 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $35,302 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,859 |
| 39 | Georgia | $34,243 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 9,197 |
| 40 | Vermont | $35,557 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 634 |
| 41 | Missouri | $34,250 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 4,997 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $32,883 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,781 |
| 43 | Idaho | $31,567 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,625 |
| 44 | Kansas | $33,460 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 2,459 |
| 45 | Utah | $32,455 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,879 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $32,464 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 824 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $31,268 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 3,173 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $30,328 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,953 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,635 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 3,379 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,305 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,152 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $29,564 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,160 |
Highest paying states for technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $56,045 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $48,555 |
| 3 | California | $52,037 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $46,743 |
| 5 | Michigan | $38,956 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $38,122 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $38,349 |
| 8 | Arizona | $38,046 |
| 9 | Nevada | $39,265 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $49,554 |
| 11 | Texas | $38,291 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $41,329 |
| 13 | Colorado | $38,960 |
| 14 | Illinois | $40,623 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $36,411 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $36,171 |
| 17 | Alaska | $39,772 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $40,629 |
| 19 | Indiana | $35,347 |
| 20 | Maryland | $43,326 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $37,447 |
| 22 | Ohio | $36,409 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $37,913 |
| 24 | New York | $42,045 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $35,865 |
| 26 | Virginia | $40,598 |
| 27 | Washington | $39,468 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $33,585 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $35,239 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $34,879 |
| 31 | Delaware | $39,025 |
| 32 | Florida | $34,972 |
| 33 | Oregon | $36,714 |
| 34 | Iowa | $32,781 |
| 35 | Maine | $33,507 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $35,234 |
| 37 | Montana | $33,170 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $35,302 |
| 39 | Georgia | $34,243 |
| 40 | Vermont | $35,557 |
| 41 | Missouri | $34,250 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $32,883 |
| 43 | Idaho | $31,567 |
| 44 | Kansas | $33,460 |
| 45 | Utah | $32,455 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $32,464 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $31,268 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $30,328 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,635 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,305 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $29,564 |
Expert opinions on the best states for technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for technicians to find work opportunities?
Kathleen Riley
Professor, American University
My computer science students from the class of 2020 had a variety of experiences when they entered the job market after graduation. Those who had already signed on at companies like Amazon or Google, whose business stayed strong during the pandemic and whose workplace models adjusted easily to remote work, had a relatively easy time starting their industry jobs. Others, especially those who had planned to work for companies whose business depended on clients or industries which suffered under the pandemic, saw delays, changes in their work plans, and even cancellations of contracts; several found themselves job hunting again over the summer, interviewing remotely and having to assess companies without setting foot outside their own home. Fortunately, there are still a lot of jobs out there for Computer Science graduates, and most of the students I know have found other placements or are well into that process.
We all know about the abundance of computer science opportunities in the Silicon Valley, the Dulles Technology corridor, and other tech hubs, but there is also an abundance of computer science opportunities in large and small cities throughout the country. In addition to businesses whose focus or products are technology-related, many other businesses have significant technology and computer science needs that are provided in-house, and those who thrive and survive will continue to hire.
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Updated January 8, 2025