HVAC technician salary in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
HVAC technicians in the Louisville/Jefferson County metro earn a median $28.33 an hour ($58,930 a year), in line with the Kentucky median and 3% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.18–$32.79. Louisville/Jefferson County ranks 3rd of 6 metros in Kentucky and 218th of 385 US metros.
$28.33
Median hourly pay
in line with Kentucky
$58,930
Median annual pay
$63,318 at US prices
3rd of 6
Among Kentucky metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky and the US
BLS counts 1,890 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area. Pay is tightly bunched: even the best-paid tenth ($37.86 and up) earn under twice what the lowest-paid tenth do ($22.05). The average, $28.86, 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 | Louisville/Jefferson County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.05 | $18.65 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.18 | $22.97 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.33 | $28.18 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $32.79 | $32.47 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $37.86 | $38.47 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Louisville/Jefferson County ranks
At $28.33, Louisville/Jefferson County is 3rd of 6 metros in Kentucky and 218th of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette ($28.98), Owensboro ($28.88) and Paducah ($27.22). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Kentucky HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Kentucky.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Louisville/Jefferson County
A tech at the Louisville/Jefferson County median earns $28.33 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, the same as across Kentucky.
Take a typical Louisville/Jefferson County AC repair at $380: about $233 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $61.
- AC repair cost in Louisville/Jefferson County: typical $380, of which $233 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Louisville/Jefferson County: typical $340, of which $240 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Louisville/Jefferson County: typical $400, of which $234 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Louisville/Jefferson County: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Louisville/Jefferson County.
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
Kentucky's flat 4% income tax, after a $3,160 standard deduction, takes about $2,231 of the $58,930 median and leaves $56,699. The metro crosses into IN; the figure uses KY tax.
Prices in the Louisville/Jefferson County area run 7% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $58,930 median buys what $63,318 would nationally.
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 Louisville/Jefferson County
Next to HVAC techs in Louisville/Jefferson County, electricians earn $1.69 more an hour and plumbers earn $7.58 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Louisville/Jefferson County, across every occupation, earns $23.25 an hour, so HVAC pays 22% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Louisville/Jefferson County) | $28.33 | — |
| Electricians | $30.02 | +$1.69 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $35.91 | +$7.58 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.33 | +$1.00 |
| Home appliance repairers | $27.72 | −$0.61 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.54 | −$4.79 |
| All occupations | $23.25 | −$5.08 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Louisville/Jefferson County?
A median $28.33 an hour, or $58,930 a year, across 1,890 jobs in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.18–$32.79; the top tenth over $37.86.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Louisville/Jefferson County than elsewhere in Kentucky?
About the same. The Louisville/Jefferson County median of $28.33 is in line with the Kentucky figure of $28.18, making it 3rd of 6 metros in Kentucky.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Louisville/Jefferson County?
About $109 in our price model ($72–$145), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Louisville/Jefferson County runs $380, $233 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Louisville/Jefferson County compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $1.69 more an hour and plumbers earn $7.58 more an hour than HVAC techs' $28.33 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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