HVAC technician salary in Maine
HVAC technicians in Maine earn a median $30.37 an hour ($63,170 a year), 4% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $22.64 and $39.47. That ranks Maine 17th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Lewiston-Auburn pays the most of its metros at $32.30.
$30.37
Median hourly pay
4% above the US
$63,170
Median annual pay
$60,146 after state income tax
2,250
HVAC techs employed
3.5 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Maine, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 2,250 HVAC mechanics and installers on Maine payrolls. Pay is tightly bunched: even the best-paid tenth ($39.47 and up) earn under twice what the lowest-paid tenth do ($22.64). The average, $31.39, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.64 | $47,090 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $27.52 | $57,240 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.37 | $63,170 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $36.98 | $76,920 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.47 | $82,090 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Maine compares
The $30.37 median is 4% above the national figure and ranks 17th of the 50 states and DC. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.5 of every 1,000 jobs, 33% above the national share. The median worker in Maine, across every occupation, earns $24.73 an hour, so HVAC pays 23% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Maine's metro areas
Lewiston-Auburn pays the most ($32.30 an hour) and Bangor the least ($29.53), a gap of $2.77. Outside the metros, 2 nonmetropolitan areas report $29.81 and $29.79.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $32.30 | 160 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $30.81 | 920 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $29.81 | 570 |
| Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $29.79 | 280 |
| Bangor, ME | $29.53 | 210 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Maine
A tech at the Maine median earns $30.37 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $117 here ($78–$155), 4% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $117 billed, about $30 is the technician's wage. The other $87 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 Maine AC repair at $400: about $251 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $65.
- AC repair cost in Maine: typical $400, of which $251 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Maine: typical $360, of which $258 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Maine: typical $420, of which $251 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Maine: typical $170, of which $170 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Maine.
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
Maine's graduated income tax (top rate 7.15%) takes about $3,024 of the $63,170 median, leaving $60,146, or 95% of gross. That leaves Maine 21st of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Maine sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $65,090 in national terms. On that measure Maine ranks 24th 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 Maine
Next to HVAC techs in Maine, electricians earn $5.87 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.40 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Maine) | $30.37 | — |
| Electricians | $36.24 | +$5.87 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $30.77 | +$0.40 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.87 | −$0.50 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.36 | −$8.01 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.76 | −$6.61 |
| All occupations | $24.73 | −$5.64 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Maine
Maine has no HVAC-specific contractor license (Oil and solid fuel technician; propane and natural gas technician licenses (individuals)).
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 Maine.
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 Maine?
A median $30.37 an hour, or $63,170 a year, across 2,250 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $22.64 and the top tenth over $39.47.
Where in Maine do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Lewiston-Auburn has the highest median ($32.30 an hour) and Bangor the lowest ($29.53), among the 3 Maine metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Maine income tax?
Maine's graduated income tax (top rate 7.15%) takes about $3,024 of the $63,170 median, leaving $60,146, 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 Maine?
Maine has no HVAC-specific contractor license (Oil and solid fuel technician; propane and natural gas technician licenses (individuals)). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Maine?
About $117 in our price model ($78–$155), which scales national billable rates by Maine HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $400, $251 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)
- Maine Fuel Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation), individual technicians only: license lookup
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