HVAC technician salary in Atlanta, GA
HVAC technicians in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro earn a median $28.35 an hour ($58,970 a year), 5% above the Georgia median and 3% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $22.85–$35.91. Atlanta ranks 3rd of 14 metros in Georgia and 216th of 385 US metros.
$28.35
Median hourly pay
5% above Georgia
$58,970
Median annual pay
$58,935 at US prices
3rd of 14
Among Georgia metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Atlanta, Georgia and the US
BLS counts 7,060 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.2 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($39.78 against $18.42 an hour). The average, $29.07, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture. That is 2.4 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share.
| Percentile | Atlanta | Georgia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.42 | $17.78 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.85 | $22.24 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.35 | $27.11 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.91 | $31.82 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.78 | $38.05 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Atlanta ranks
At $28.35, Atlanta is 3rd of 14 metros in Georgia and 216th of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Georgia: Dalton ($31.52), Hinesville ($28.80) and Gainesville ($25.63). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Georgia HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Georgia.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Atlanta
A tech at the Atlanta median earns $28.35 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $109 here ($72–$145), 3% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $109 billed, about $28 is the technician's wage and $81 covers the shop's overhead and margin, $4 more than across Georgia ($77).
Take a typical Atlanta AC repair at $390: about $236 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $61.
- AC repair cost in Atlanta: typical $390, of which $236 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Atlanta: typical $350, of which $244 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Atlanta: typical $410, of which $235 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Atlanta: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Atlanta.
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
Georgia's flat 5.19% income tax, after a $12,000 standard deduction, takes about $2,438 of the $58,970 median and leaves $56,532.
Prices in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $58,935 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 Atlanta
Next to HVAC techs in Atlanta, electricians earn about the same and plumbers earn $0.28 less an hour. HVAC out-earns four of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Atlanta, across every occupation, earns $24.60 an hour, so HVAC pays 15% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Atlanta) | $28.35 | — |
| Electricians | $28.20 | −$0.15 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $28.07 | −$0.28 |
| Sheet metal workers | $27.28 | −$1.07 |
| Home appliance repairers | $25.00 | −$3.35 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.86 | −$4.49 |
| All occupations | $24.60 | −$3.75 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Atlanta?
A median $28.35 an hour, or $58,970 a year, across 7,060 jobs in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $22.85–$35.91; the top tenth over $39.78.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Atlanta than elsewhere in Georgia?
Yes. The Atlanta median of $28.35 is 5% above the Georgia figure of $27.11, making it 3rd of 14 metros in Georgia.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Atlanta?
About $109 in our price model ($72–$145), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Atlanta runs $390, $236 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Atlanta compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn about the same and plumbers earn $0.28 less an hour than HVAC techs' $28.35 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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