HVAC technician salary in Grand Rapids, MI
HVAC technicians in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood metro earn a median $28.94 an hour ($60,190 a year), in line with the Michigan median and in line with the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.55–$37.12. Grand Rapids ranks 7th of 15 metros in Michigan and 181st of 385 US metros.
$28.94
Median hourly pay
in line with Michigan
$60,190
Median annual pay
$62,993 at US prices
7th of 15
Among Michigan metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the US
BLS counts 1,920 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.2 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($45.48 against $21.02 an hour). The average, $30.86, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.2 of every 1,000 jobs, 22% above the national share.
| Percentile | Grand Rapids | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $21.02 | $19.33 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.55 | $23.09 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.94 | $29.26 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $37.12 | $37.40 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $45.48 | $45.81 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Grand Rapids ranks
At $28.94, Grand Rapids is 7th of 15 metros in Michigan and 181st of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Michigan: Traverse City ($29.13), Lansing-East Lansing ($29.06) and Bay City ($28.93). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Michigan HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Michigan.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Grand Rapids
A tech at the Grand Rapids median earns $28.94 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $111 here ($74–$148), at the national level, because local HVAC wages match the US median.
Of each $111 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage and $82 covers the shop's overhead and margin, $2 less than across Michigan ($84).
Take a typical Grand Rapids 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 $64.
- AC repair cost in Grand Rapids: typical $390, of which $244 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Grand Rapids: typical $350, of which $250 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Grand Rapids: typical $400, of which $238 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Grand Rapids: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Grand Rapids.
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
Michigan's flat 4.25% income tax, after a $5,600 standard deduction, takes about $2,320 of the $60,190 median and leaves $57,870.
Prices in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood area run 4% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $60,190 median buys what $62,993 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 Grand Rapids
Next to HVAC techs in Grand Rapids, electricians earn $0.98 more an hour and plumbers earn $9.73 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Grand Rapids, across every occupation, earns $22.87 an hour, so HVAC pays 27% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Grand Rapids) | $28.94 | — |
| Electricians | $29.92 | +$0.98 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $38.67 | +$9.73 |
| Sheet metal workers | $25.62 | −$3.32 |
| Home appliance repairers | $23.23 | −$5.71 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.33 | −$5.61 |
| All occupations | $22.87 | −$6.07 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Grand Rapids?
A median $28.94 an hour, or $60,190 a year, across 1,920 jobs in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.55–$37.12; the top tenth over $45.48.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Grand Rapids than elsewhere in Michigan?
About the same. The Grand Rapids median of $28.94 is in line with the Michigan figure of $29.26, making it 7th of 15 metros in Michigan.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Grand Rapids?
About $111 in our price model ($74–$148), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Grand Rapids runs $390, $244 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Grand Rapids compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $0.98 more an hour and plumbers earn $9.73 more an hour than HVAC techs' $28.94 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)
Second opinion
Get one fair quote from a licensed local pro
Tell us the job and when suits you. We confirm by phone or text, then pass your request to one licensed contractor who covers your ZIP. Nobody else gets your number.
- We confirm the job before anyone calls you
- One contractor, never a bidding list
- License checked with the state
- Free for homeowners