HVAC technician salary in Nebraska
HVAC technicians in Nebraska earn a median $28.77 an hour ($59,850 a year), 2% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $20.93 and $39.00. That ranks Nebraska 32nd of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Omaha pays the most of its metros at $30.08.
$28.77
Median hourly pay
2% below the US
$59,850
Median annual pay
$57,647 after state income tax
3,020
HVAC techs employed
2.9 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Nebraska, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 3,020 HVAC mechanics and installers on Nebraska payrolls. Pay is tightly bunched: even the best-paid tenth ($39.00 and up) earn under twice what the lowest-paid tenth do ($20.93). The average, $29.35, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $20.93 | $43,540 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.96 | $47,760 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.77 | $59,850 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.66 | $74,160 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.00 | $81,110 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Nebraska compares
The $28.77 median is 2% below the national figure and ranks 32nd of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.9 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Nebraska, across every occupation, earns $23.55 an hour, so HVAC pays 22% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Nebraska's metro areas
Omaha pays the most ($30.08 an hour) and Grand Island the least ($27.92), a gap of $2.16. Outside the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas report $29.04, $27.84 and $27.76.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | $30.08 | 1,600 |
| Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $29.04 | 290 |
| Lincoln, NE | $28.53 | 490 |
| Grand Island, NE | $27.92 | 80 |
| South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $27.84 | 560 |
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $27.76 | 70 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Nebraska
A tech at the Nebraska median earns $28.77 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $111 here ($74–$147), 2% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $111 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage. The other $82 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 Nebraska AC repair at $380: about $237 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $61.
- AC repair cost in Nebraska: typical $380, of which $237 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Nebraska: typical $340, of which $242 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Nebraska: typical $400, of which $237 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Nebraska: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Nebraska.
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
Nebraska's graduated income tax (top rate 5.2%) takes about $2,203 of the $59,850 median, leaving $57,647, or 96% of gross. That leaves Nebraska 33rd of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Nebraska run 10% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $59,850 median buys what $66,426 would nationally. On that measure Nebraska ranks 18th 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 Nebraska
Next to HVAC techs in Nebraska, electricians earn $0.47 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.54 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Nebraska) | $28.77 | — |
| Electricians | $29.24 | +$0.47 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $29.31 | +$0.54 |
| Sheet metal workers | $30.98 | +$2.21 |
| Home appliance repairers | $21.93 | −$6.84 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $24.38 | −$4.39 |
| All occupations | $23.55 | −$5.22 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Nebraska
Nebraska has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; contractor registration with NDOL).
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 Nebraska.
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 Nebraska?
A median $28.77 an hour, or $59,850 a year, across 3,020 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $20.93 and the top tenth over $39.00.
Where in Nebraska do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Omaha has the highest median ($30.08 an hour) and Grand Island the lowest ($27.92), among the 3 Nebraska metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Nebraska income tax?
Nebraska's graduated income tax (top rate 5.2%) takes about $2,203 of the $59,850 median, leaving $57,647, 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; contractor registration with NDOL). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Nebraska?
About $111 in our price model ($74–$147), which scales national billable rates by Nebraska HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $380, $237 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)
- local (e.g., Omaha, Lincoln) plus Nebraska Department of Labor contractor registration: license lookup
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