HVAC technician salary in Kansas City, MO
HVAC technicians in the Kansas City metro earn a median $30.14 an hour ($62,680 a year), 5% above the Missouri median and 3% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.14–$36.69. Kansas City ranks 2nd of 8 metros in Missouri and 104th of 385 US metros.
$30.14
Median hourly pay
5% above Missouri
$62,680
Median annual pay
$67,733 at US prices
2nd of 8
Among Missouri metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Kansas City, Missouri and the US
BLS counts 3,010 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 1.9 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($42.68 against $21.94 an hour). The average, $31.19, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up. That is 2.7 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share.
| Percentile | Kansas City | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $21.94 | $18.84 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $24.14 | $22.61 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.14 | $28.82 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $36.69 | $35.87 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $42.68 | $42.68 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Kansas City ranks
At $30.14, Kansas City is 2nd of 8 metros in Missouri and 104th of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Missouri: St. Louis ($30.29), St. Joseph ($29.77) and Columbia ($28.31). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Missouri HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Missouri.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Kansas City
A tech at the Kansas City median earns $30.14 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $116 here ($77–$154), 3% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $116 billed, about $30 is the technician's wage and $86 covers the shop's overhead and margin, $4 more than across Missouri ($82).
Take a typical Kansas City AC repair at $400: about $254 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $66.
- AC repair cost in Kansas City: typical $400, of which $254 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Kansas City: typical $360, of which $260 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Kansas City: typical $420, of which $254 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Kansas City: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Kansas City.
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
Missouri's graduated income tax (top rate 4.7%) takes about $2,089 of the $62,680 median, leaving $60,591, or 97% of gross. The metro crosses into KS; the figure uses MO tax.
Prices in the Kansas City area run 7% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $62,680 median buys what $67,733 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 Kansas City
Next to HVAC techs in Kansas City, electricians earn $6.81 more an hour and plumbers earn $6.47 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Kansas City, across every occupation, earns $24.44 an hour, so HVAC pays 23% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Kansas City) | $30.14 | — |
| Electricians | $36.95 | +$6.81 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $36.61 | +$6.47 |
| Sheet metal workers | $39.82 | +$9.68 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.65 | −$7.49 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.49 | −$6.65 |
| All occupations | $24.44 | −$5.70 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Kansas City?
A median $30.14 an hour, or $62,680 a year, across 3,010 jobs in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.14–$36.69; the top tenth over $42.68.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Kansas City than elsewhere in Missouri?
Yes. The Kansas City median of $30.14 is 5% above the Missouri figure of $28.82, making it 2nd of 8 metros in Missouri.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Kansas City?
About $116 in our price model ($77–$154), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Kansas City runs $400, $254 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Kansas City compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $6.81 more an hour and plumbers earn $6.47 more an hour than HVAC techs' $30.14 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