HVAC technician salary in Montana
HVAC technicians in Montana earn a median $29.26 an hour ($60,850 a year), in line with the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $20.14 and $39.05. That ranks Montana 25th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Bozeman pays the most of its metros at $35.08.
$29.26
Median hourly pay
in line with the US
$60,850
Median annual pay
$58,374 after state income tax
1,230
HVAC techs employed
2.4 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Montana, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 1,230 HVAC mechanics and installers on Montana payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 1.9 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($39.05 against $20.14 an hour). The average, $29.94, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $20.14 | $41,900 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.15 | $48,150 | $23.25 |
| Median | $29.26 | $60,850 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $36.44 | $75,790 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.05 | $81,230 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Montana compares
The $29.26 median is in line with the national figure and ranks 25th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.4 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Montana, across every occupation, earns $23.43 an hour, so HVAC pays 25% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Montana's metro areas
Bozeman pays the most ($35.08 an hour) and Missoula the least ($28.96), a gap of $6.12. Outside the metros, 2 nonmetropolitan areas report $27.68 and $23.01.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $35.08 | 210 |
| Helena, MT | $30.13 | 100 |
| Billings, MT | $29.92 | 300 |
| Great Falls, MT | $29.17 | 150 |
| Missoula, MT | $28.96 | 180 |
| West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $27.68 | 160 |
| East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $23.01 | 60 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Montana
A tech at the Montana median earns $29.26 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $113 here ($75–$150), at the national level, because local HVAC wages match the US median.
Of each $113 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage. The other $84 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 Montana AC repair at $390: about $243 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $63.
- AC repair cost in Montana: typical $390, of which $243 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Montana: typical $350, of which $249 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Montana: typical $410, of which $243 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Montana: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Montana.
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
Montana's graduated income tax (top rate 5.9%) takes about $2,476 of the $60,850 median, leaving $58,374, or 96% of gross. That leaves Montana 28th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Montana run 5% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $60,850 median buys what $64,289 would nationally. On that measure Montana ranks 27th 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 Montana
Next to HVAC techs in Montana, electricians earn $7.64 more an hour and plumbers earn $9.18 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Montana) | $29.26 | — |
| Electricians | $36.90 | +$7.64 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $38.44 | +$9.18 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.53 | +$0.27 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.66 | −$6.60 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.54 | −$6.72 |
| All occupations | $23.43 | −$5.83 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Montana
Montana has no HVAC-specific contractor license (No state HVAC license; construction contractor registration for businesses with employees).
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 Montana.
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 Montana?
A median $29.26 an hour, or $60,850 a year, across 1,230 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $20.14 and the top tenth over $39.05.
Where in Montana do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Bozeman has the highest median ($35.08 an hour) and Missoula the lowest ($28.96), among the 5 Montana metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Montana income tax?
Montana's graduated income tax (top rate 5.9%) takes about $2,476 of the $60,850 median, leaving $58,374, 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 Montana?
Montana has no HVAC-specific contractor license (No state HVAC license; construction contractor registration for businesses with employees). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Montana?
About $113 in our price model ($75–$150), which scales national billable rates by Montana HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $390, $243 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)
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Construction Contractor Registration (Employment Relations Division): license lookup
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