HVAC technician salary in New York
HVAC technicians in New York earn a median $35.78 an hour ($74,430 a year), 22% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $23.35 and $48.40. That ranks New York 10th of the 50 states and DC, in the top ten by median pay; New York-Newark-Jersey City pays the most of its metros at $37.50.
$35.78
Median hourly pay
22% above the US
$74,430
Median annual pay
$70,941 after state income tax
24,430
HVAC techs employed
2.5 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in New York, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 24,430 HVAC mechanics and installers on New York payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($48.40 against $23.35 an hour). The average, $35.94, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $23.35 | $48,560 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $28.71 | $59,720 | $23.25 |
| Median | $35.78 | $74,430 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $42.37 | $88,130 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $48.40 | $100,680 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How New York compares
The $35.78 median is 22% above the national figure and ranks 10th of the 50 states and DC, in the top ten. That is 2.5 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in New York, across every occupation, earns $28.69 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 New York's metro areas
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays the most ($37.50 an hour) and Glens Falls the least ($29.22), a gap of $8.28. Outside the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas report $30.27, $28.88 and $28.37. Metros with their own salary page are linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $37.50 | 21,820 |
| Syracuse, NY | $32.02 | 970 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $31.75 | 1,450 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $31.50 | 1,150 |
| Ithaca, NY | $31.10 | 120 |
| Rochester, NY | $30.56 | 1,850 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $30.27 | 450 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $30.22 | 130 |
| Elmira, NY | $30.00 | 80 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $29.89 | 1,370 |
| Binghamton, NY | $29.82 | 380 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $29.75 | 260 |
| Kingston, NY | $29.55 | 260 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $29.22 | 160 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $28.88 | 310 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $28.37 | 400 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in New York
A tech at the New York median earns $35.78 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $138 here ($91–$183), 22% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $138 billed, about $36 is the technician's wage. The other $102 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 New York AC repair at $460: about $296 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $77.
- AC repair cost in New York: typical $460, of which $296 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in New York: typical $420, of which $307 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in New York: typical $490, of which $301 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in New York: typical $200, of which $200 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in New York.
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
New York's graduated income tax (top rate 10.9%) takes about $3,489 of the $74,430 median, leaving $70,941, or 95% of gross. That leaves New York 11th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in New York run 8% above the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), which trims the median's buying power to about $68,968 in national terms. On that measure New York ranks 12th 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 New York
Next to HVAC techs in New York, electricians earn $2.08 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.48 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (New York) | $35.78 | — |
| Electricians | $37.86 | +$2.08 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $37.26 | +$1.48 |
| Sheet metal workers | $35.46 | −$0.32 |
| Home appliance repairers | $31.34 | −$4.44 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $27.79 | −$7.99 |
| All occupations | $28.69 | −$7.09 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in New York
New York has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC contractor license).
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 New York.
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 New York?
A median $35.78 an hour, or $74,430 a year, across 24,430 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $23.35 and the top tenth over $48.40.
Where in New York do HVAC technicians earn the most?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has the highest median ($37.50 an hour) and Glens Falls the lowest ($29.22), among the 13 New York metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after New York income tax?
New York's graduated income tax (top rate 10.9%) takes about $3,489 of the $74,430 median, leaving $70,941, or 95% 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 New York?
New York has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC contractor license). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in New York?
About $138 in our price model ($91–$183), which scales national billable rates by New York HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $460, $296 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 (NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license; county/city licensing elsewhere, e.g., Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester): license lookup
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