HVAC technician salary in Kansas
HVAC technicians in Kansas earn a median $29.07 an hour ($60,460 a year), in line with the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $20.99 and $40.14. That ranks Kansas 29th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Topeka pays the most of its metros at $31.00.
$29.07
Median hourly pay
in line with the US
$60,460
Median annual pay
$57,375 after state income tax
3,770
HVAC techs employed
2.6 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Kansas, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 3,770 HVAC mechanics and installers on Kansas payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 1.9 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($40.14 against $20.99 an hour). The average, $29.55, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $20.99 | $43,660 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.57 | $49,030 | $23.25 |
| Median | $29.07 | $60,460 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.02 | $72,830 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $40.14 | $83,500 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Kansas compares
The $29.07 median is in line with the national figure and ranks 29th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.6 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Kansas, across every occupation, earns $23.08 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 Kansas's metro areas
Topeka pays the most ($31.00 an hour) and Manhattan the least ($27.89), a gap of $3.11. Outside the metros, the nonmetropolitan area reports $24.24.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $31.00 | 220 |
| Wichita, KS | $28.62 | 880 |
| Lawrence, KS | $28.55 | 130 |
| Manhattan, KS | $27.89 | 150 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $24.24 | 840 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Kansas
A tech at the Kansas median earns $29.07 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 Kansas AC repair at $390: about $244 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 Kansas: typical $390, of which $244 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Kansas: typical $350, of which $250 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Kansas: typical $410, of which $244 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Kansas: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Kansas.
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
Kansas's graduated income tax (top rate 5.58%) takes about $3,085 of the $60,460 median, leaving $57,375, or 95% of gross. That leaves Kansas 34th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Kansas run 10% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $60,460 median buys what $67,126 would nationally. On that measure Kansas ranks 15th 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 Kansas
Next to HVAC techs in Kansas, electricians earn $2.59 more an hour and plumbers earn $2.29 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Kansas) | $29.07 | — |
| Electricians | $31.66 | +$2.59 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $31.36 | +$2.29 |
| Sheet metal workers | $30.13 | +$1.06 |
| Home appliance repairers | $18.67 | −$10.40 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.70 | −$6.37 |
| All occupations | $23.08 | −$5.99 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Kansas
Kansas has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license).
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 Kansas.
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 Kansas?
A median $29.07 an hour, or $60,460 a year, across 3,770 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $20.99 and the top tenth over $40.14.
Where in Kansas do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Topeka has the highest median ($31.00 an hour) and Manhattan the lowest ($27.89), among the 4 Kansas metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Kansas income tax?
Kansas's graduated income tax (top rate 5.58%) takes about $3,085 of the $60,460 median, leaving $57,375, or 95% of gross. 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 Kansas?
Kansas has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Kansas?
About $112 in our price model ($74–$149), which scales national billable rates by Kansas HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $390, $244 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)
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