HVAC technician pay
HVACFIND data deskBLS data, May 2025 · 4 minHVAC technician salary in Washington, DC
HVAC technicians in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro earn a median $34.58 an hour ($71,920 a year), 15% below the District of Columbia median and 18% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $27.72–$42.90. Washington ranks the only District of Columbia metro with its own BLS estimate and 50th of 385 US metros.
$34.58
Median hourly pay
15% below District of Columbia
$71,920
Median annual pay
$66,054 at US prices
$133
Billed per HVAC labor hour
in our price model
Pay in Washington, District of Columbia and the US
BLS counts 8,730 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.2 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($50.57 against $22.56 an hour). The average, $35.45, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture. That is 2.8 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share.
| Percentile | Washington | District of Columbia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.56 | $24.01 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $27.72 | $37.37 | $23.25 |
| Median | $34.58 | $40.57 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $42.90 | $49.01 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $50.57 | $52.04 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Washington ranks
At $34.58, Washington is the only District of Columbia metro with its own BLS estimate and 50th of 385 US metros. Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the District of Columbia HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in District of Columbia.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Washington
A tech at the Washington median earns $34.58 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $133 here ($88–$177), 18% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $133 billed, about $35 is the technician's wage and $98 covers the shop's overhead and margin, $17 less than across District of Columbia ($115).
Take a typical Washington AC repair at $450: about $288 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $75.
- AC repair cost in Washington: typical $450, of which $288 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Washington: typical $410, of which $298 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Washington: typical $470, of which $287 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Washington: typical $190, of which $190 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Washington.
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).
Take-home and cost of living
The District of Columbia's graduated income tax (top rate 10.75%) takes about $3,326 of the $71,920 median, leaving $68,594, or 95% of gross. The metro crosses into VA, MD, WV; the figure uses DC tax.
Prices in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area run 9% above the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), which trims the median's buying power to about $66,054 in national terms.
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 Washington
Next to HVAC techs in Washington, electricians earn $1.92 more an hour and plumbers earn about the same. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Washington, across every occupation, earns $34.16 an hour, so HVAC pays 1% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Washington) | $34.58 | — |
| Electricians | $36.50 | +$1.92 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $34.55 | −$0.03 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.46 | −$5.12 |
| Home appliance repairers | $30.69 | −$3.89 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $27.52 | −$7.06 |
| All occupations | $34.16 | −$0.42 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Washington?
A median $34.58 an hour, or $71,920 a year, across 8,730 jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $27.72–$42.90; the top tenth over $50.57.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Washington than elsewhere in District of Columbia?
No. The Washington median of $34.58 is 15% below the District of Columbia figure of $40.57, making it the only District of Columbia metro with its own BLS estimate.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Washington?
About $133 in our price model ($88–$177), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Washington runs $450, $288 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Washington compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $1.92 more an hour and plumbers earn about the same as HVAC techs' $34.58 median.
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)
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