HVAC technician salary in Indiana
HVAC technicians in Indiana earn a median $29.05 an hour ($60,430 a year), in line with the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $19.45 and $47.02. That ranks Indiana 30th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Kokomo pays the most of its metros at $31.16.
$29.05
Median hourly pay
in line with the US
$60,430
Median annual pay
$58,647 after state income tax
8,530
HVAC techs employed
2.7 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Indiana, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 8,530 HVAC mechanics and installers on Indiana payrolls. Pay is spread wide: the best-paid tenth earn at least 2.4 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($47.02 against $19.45 an hour). The average, $31.30, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $19.45 | $40,460 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.33 | $48,530 | $23.25 |
| Median | $29.05 | $60,430 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $38.09 | $79,220 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $47.02 | $97,800 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Indiana compares
The $29.05 median is in line with the national figure and ranks 30th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.7 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Indiana, across every occupation, earns $23.01 an hour, so HVAC pays 26% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Indiana's metro areas
Kokomo pays the most ($31.16 an hour) and Terre Haute the least ($26.11), a gap of $5.05. Outside the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas report $28.15, $27.84 and $25.50. The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Kokomo, IN | $31.16 | 170 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $29.89 | 3,080 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $29.53 | 230 |
| Bloomington, IN | $29.29 | 180 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $29.25 | 870 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $29.23 | 90 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $28.65 | 240 |
| Evansville, IN | $28.61 | 490 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $28.59 | 370 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $28.15 | 480 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $27.84 | 470 |
| Muncie, IN | $26.85 | 80 |
| Columbus, IN | $26.20 | 70 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $26.11 | 140 |
| Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $25.50 | 370 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Indiana
A tech at the Indiana median earns $29.05 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $112 here ($74–$149), at the national level, because local HVAC wages match the US median.
Of each $112 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage. The other $83 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 Indiana AC repair at $390: about $243 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 Indiana: typical $390, of which $243 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Indiana: typical $350, of which $249 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Indiana: typical $410, of which $243 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Indiana: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Indiana.
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
Indiana's flat 3% income tax, after a $1,000 standard deduction, takes about $1,783 of the $60,430 median and leaves $58,647. That leaves Indiana 26th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Indiana run 7% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $60,430 median buys what $64,749 would nationally. On that measure Indiana ranks 26th 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 Indiana
Next to HVAC techs in Indiana, electricians earn $3.88 more an hour and plumbers earn $7.64 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Indiana) | $29.05 | — |
| Electricians | $32.93 | +$3.88 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $36.69 | +$7.64 |
| Sheet metal workers | $30.79 | +$1.74 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.64 | −$6.41 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.99 | −$5.06 |
| All occupations | $23.01 | −$6.04 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Indiana
Indiana has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; Indianapolis licenses HVAC contractors).
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 Indiana.
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 Indiana?
A median $29.05 an hour, or $60,430 a year, across 8,530 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $19.45 and the top tenth over $47.02.
Where in Indiana do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Kokomo has the highest median ($31.16 an hour) and Terre Haute the lowest ($26.11), among the 12 Indiana metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Indiana income tax?
Indiana's flat 3% income tax, after a $1,000 standard deduction, takes about $1,783 of the $60,430 median and leaves $58,647. 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 Indiana?
Indiana has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; Indianapolis licenses HVAC contractors). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Indiana?
About $112 in our price model ($74–$149), which scales national billable rates by Indiana HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $390, $243 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)
- local (e.g., Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services): license lookup
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