HVAC technician salary in Georgia
HVAC technicians in Georgia earn a median $27.11 an hour ($56,390 a year), 8% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $17.78 and $38.05. That ranks Georgia 43rd of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten by median pay; Dalton pays the most of its metros at $31.52.
$27.11
Median hourly pay
8% below the US
$56,390
Median annual pay
$54,086 after state income tax
12,290
HVAC techs employed
2.5 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Georgia, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 12,290 HVAC mechanics and installers on Georgia payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($38.05 against $17.78 an hour). The average, $27.44, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $17.78 | $36,990 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.24 | $46,250 | $23.25 |
| Median | $27.11 | $56,390 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $31.82 | $66,180 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $38.05 | $79,130 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Georgia compares
The $27.11 median is 8% below the national figure and ranks 43rd of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten. That is 2.5 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Georgia, across every occupation, earns $23.16 an hour, so HVAC pays 17% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Georgia's metro areas
Dalton pays the most ($31.52 an hour) and Columbus the least ($22.49), a gap of $9.03. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $23.06, $23.02, $23.02 and $22.77. The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Dalton, GA | $31.52 | 150 |
| Hinesville, GA | $28.80 | 60 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $28.35 | 7,060 |
| Gainesville, GA | $25.63 | 330 |
| Rome, GA | $25.02 | 80 |
| Savannah, GA | $24.89 | 450 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $24.00 | 140 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $23.55 | 210 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $23.51 | 620 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $23.50 | 240 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $23.40 | 220 |
| Albany, GA | $23.23 | 140 |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $23.06 | 430 |
| South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $23.02 | 560 |
| East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $23.02 | 340 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $22.77 | 560 |
| Valdosta, GA | $22.61 | 100 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $22.49 | 330 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Georgia
A tech at the Georgia median earns $27.11 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $104 here ($69–$139), 8% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $104 billed, about $27 is the technician's wage. The other $77 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 Georgia AC repair at $380: about $227 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $59.
- AC repair cost in Georgia: typical $380, of which $227 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Georgia: typical $330, of which $228 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Georgia: typical $400, of which $227 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Georgia: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Georgia.
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
Georgia's flat 5.19% income tax, after a $12,000 standard deduction, takes about $2,304 of the $56,390 median and leaves $54,086. That leaves Georgia 45th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Georgia run 4% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $56,390 median buys what $58,563 would nationally. On that measure Georgia ranks 45th 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 Georgia
Next to HVAC techs in Georgia, electricians earn $0.93 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.39 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Georgia) | $27.11 | — |
| Electricians | $28.04 | +$0.93 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $27.50 | +$0.39 |
| Sheet metal workers | $27.31 | +$0.20 |
| Home appliance repairers | $23.80 | −$3.31 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.92 | −$4.19 |
| All occupations | $23.16 | −$3.95 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Georgia
Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors (Secretary of State) licenses HVAC contractors across Georgia; the relevant classes are Conditioned Air Class I (restricted: up to 175,000 Btu/h heating and 60,000 Btu/h cooling) and Class II (unrestricted).
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 Georgia.
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 Georgia?
A median $27.11 an hour, or $56,390 a year, across 12,290 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $17.78 and the top tenth over $38.05.
Where in Georgia do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Dalton has the highest median ($31.52 an hour) and Columbus the lowest ($22.49), among the 14 Georgia metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Georgia income tax?
Georgia's flat 5.19% income tax, after a $12,000 standard deduction, takes about $2,304 of the $56,390 median and leaves $54,086. 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 Georgia?
Contractors do. Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors (Secretary of State) licenses HVAC contractors across Georgia; the relevant classes are Conditioned Air Class I (restricted: up to 175,000 Btu/h heating and 60,000 Btu/h cooling) and Class II (unrestricted). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Georgia?
About $104 in our price model ($69–$139), which scales national billable rates by Georgia HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $380, $227 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)
- Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors (Secretary of State): license lookup
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