HVAC technician salary in Arizona
HVAC technicians in Arizona earn a median $28.56 an hour ($59,400 a year), 3% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.25 and $38.54. That ranks Arizona 34th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays the most of its metros at $29.41.
$28.56
Median hourly pay
3% below the US
$59,400
Median annual pay
$58,280 after state income tax
10,860
HVAC techs employed
3.4 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Arizona, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 10,860 HVAC mechanics and installers on Arizona payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($38.54 against $18.25 an hour). The average, $29.28, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.25 | $37,950 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.68 | $47,170 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.56 | $59,400 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.49 | $73,810 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $38.54 | $80,160 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Arizona compares
The $28.56 median is 3% below the national figure and ranks 34th of the 50 states and DC. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs, 27% above the national share. The median worker in Arizona, across every occupation, earns $24.07 an hour, so HVAC pays 19% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Arizona's metro areas
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays the most ($29.41 an hour) and Sierra Vista-Douglas the least ($23.60), a gap of $5.81. Outside the metros, the nonmetropolitan area reports $27.50.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $29.41 | 8,070 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $28.06 | 140 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $28.02 | 260 |
| Yuma, AZ | $27.54 | 280 |
| Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $27.50 | 170 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $27.31 | 270 |
| Tucson, AZ | $26.96 | 1,380 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $23.60 | 120 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Arizona
A tech at the Arizona median earns $28.56 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $110 here ($73–$146), 3% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $110 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage. The other $81 pays for payroll taxes and benefits, insurance, the truck and tools, drive and training time nobody is billed for, and the shop's margin.
Take a typical Arizona AC repair at $390: about $241 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $63.
- AC repair cost in Arizona: typical $390, of which $241 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Arizona: typical $340, of which $241 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Arizona: typical $400, of which $235 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Arizona: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Arizona.
Source: wages, BLS OEWS May 2025; billable rate, HomeGuide HVAC repair costs (2026) scaled by local HVAC wages; repair prices, HVACFIND Price Index 2026Q4.2 (model estimates for a 1,500–2,500 sq ft home).
After state tax and local prices
Arizona's flat 2.5% income tax, after a $14,600 standard deduction, takes about $1,120 of the $59,400 median and leaves $58,280. That leaves Arizona 29th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Arizona sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $58,999 in national terms. On that measure Arizona ranks 43rd of 51.
Source: state income tax at 2026 rates, single filer, standard deduction; federal income tax, FICA and city taxes left out. Price parities: BEA, 2024.
Other trades in Arizona
Next to HVAC techs in Arizona, electricians earn $0.80 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.28 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Arizona) | $28.56 | — |
| Electricians | $29.36 | +$0.80 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $29.84 | +$1.28 |
| Sheet metal workers | $24.16 | −$4.40 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.98 | −$5.58 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.90 | −$5.66 |
| All occupations | $24.07 | −$4.49 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Arizona
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses HVAC contractors across Arizona; the relevant classes are R-39 Residential air conditioning and refrigeration; CR-39 dual (residential + commercial); C-39 commercial.
Refrigerant work also needs EPA Section 608 certification. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award, usually a certificate from a trade school or community college program, as the typical way in, followed by long-term on-the-job training, which BLS defines as more than 12 months. No prior work experience is required. How to check an HVAC contractor's license in Arizona.
Source: HVACFIND licensing list, checked 2026-09-30 (confirm with the board before relying on it); BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Arizona?
A median $28.56 an hour, or $59,400 a year, across 10,860 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.25 and the top tenth over $38.54.
Where in Arizona do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has the highest median ($29.41 an hour) and Sierra Vista-Douglas the lowest ($23.60), among the 7 Arizona metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Arizona income tax?
Arizona's flat 2.5% income tax, after a $14,600 standard deduction, takes about $1,120 of the $59,400 median and leaves $58,280. This uses 2026 rates for a single filer with the standard deduction; federal income tax and FICA are not included.
Do you need a license for HVAC work in Arizona?
Contractors do. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses HVAC contractors across Arizona; the relevant classes are R-39 Residential air conditioning and refrigeration; CR-39 dual (residential + commercial); C-39 commercial. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Arizona?
About $110 in our price model ($73–$146), which scales national billable rates by Arizona HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $390, $241 of it labor.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: HVAC mechanics and installers (49-9021)
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035
- O*NET 31.0: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- EPA Section 608 technician certification
- HomeGuide: HVAC repair cost and hourly rates (2026)
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): license lookup
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