HVAC technician salary in Maryland
HVAC technicians in Maryland earn a median $33.67 an hour ($70,020 a year), 15% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $22.20 and $51.32. That ranks Maryland 13th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays the most of its metros at $30.38.
$33.67
Median hourly pay
15% above the US
$70,020
Median annual pay
$66,875 after state income tax
8,560
HVAC techs employed
3.1 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Maryland, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 8,560 HVAC mechanics and installers on Maryland payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.3 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($51.32 against $22.20 an hour). The average, $35.49, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.20 | $46,180 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $27.06 | $56,280 | $23.25 |
| Median | $33.67 | $70,020 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $46.05 | $95,790 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $51.32 | $106,740 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Maryland compares
The $33.67 median is 15% above the national figure and ranks 13th of the 50 states and DC. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.1 of every 1,000 jobs, 18% above the national share. The median worker in Maryland, across every occupation, earns $28.61 an hour, so HVAC pays 18% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Maryland's metro areas
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays the most ($30.38 an hour) and Hagerstown-Martinsburg the least ($28.08), a gap of $2.30. Outside the metros, the nonmetropolitan area reports $28.63. The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $30.38 | 3,960 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $29.73 | 350 |
| Salisbury, MD | $29.43 | 160 |
| Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $28.63 | 320 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $28.08 | 280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Maryland
A tech at the Maryland median earns $33.67 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $130 here ($86–$172), 15% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $130 billed, about $34 is the technician's wage. The other $96 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 Maryland AC repair at $440: about $282 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $73.
- AC repair cost in Maryland: typical $440, of which $282 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Maryland: typical $400, of which $291 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Maryland: typical $460, of which $281 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Maryland: typical $180, of which $180 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Maryland.
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
Maryland's graduated income tax (top rate 5.75%) takes about $3,145 of the $70,020 median, leaving $66,875, or 96% of gross. That leaves Maryland 13th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Maryland run 5% above the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), which trims the median's buying power to about $66,711 in national terms. On that measure Maryland ranks 16th 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 Maryland
Next to HVAC techs in Maryland, electricians earn $1.66 more an hour and plumbers earn $2.23 less an hour. HVAC out-earns four of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Maryland) | $33.67 | — |
| Electricians | $35.33 | +$1.66 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $31.44 | −$2.23 |
| Sheet metal workers | $30.08 | −$3.59 |
| Home appliance repairers | $27.82 | −$5.85 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $24.76 | −$8.91 |
| All occupations | $28.61 | −$5.06 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Maryland
Maryland State Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (HVACR Board), Maryland Department of Labor licenses HVAC contractors across Maryland; the relevant classes are Master HVACR; Master Restricted (heating, AC, refrigeration or ventilation only); Journeyperson; Apprentice.
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 Maryland.
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 Maryland?
A median $33.67 an hour, or $70,020 a year, across 8,560 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $22.20 and the top tenth over $51.32.
Where in Maryland do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has the highest median ($30.38 an hour) and Hagerstown-Martinsburg the lowest ($28.08), among the 4 Maryland metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Maryland income tax?
Maryland's graduated income tax (top rate 5.75%) takes about $3,145 of the $70,020 median, leaving $66,875, or 96% 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 Maryland?
Contractors do. Maryland State Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (HVACR Board), Maryland Department of Labor licenses HVAC contractors across Maryland; the relevant classes are Master HVACR; Master Restricted (heating, AC, refrigeration or ventilation only); Journeyperson; Apprentice. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Maryland?
About $130 in our price model ($86–$172), which scales national billable rates by Maryland HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $440, $282 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)
- Maryland State Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (HVACR Board), Maryland Department of Labor: license lookup
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