HVAC technician salary in North Dakota
HVAC technicians in North Dakota earn a median $35.81 an hour ($74,490 a year), 22% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $22.41 and $45.22. That ranks North Dakota 8th of the 50 states and DC, in the top ten by median pay; Fargo pays the most of its metros at $36.50.
$35.81
Median hourly pay
22% above the US
$74,490
Median annual pay
$74,267 after state income tax
970
HVAC techs employed
2.2 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in North Dakota, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 970 HVAC mechanics and installers on North Dakota payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.0 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($45.22 against $22.41 an hour). The average, $33.66, sits below the median, held down by a long tail of lower-paid starters.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.41 | $46,610 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $27.29 | $56,770 | $23.25 |
| Median | $35.81 | $74,490 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $37.94 | $78,920 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $45.22 | $94,060 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How North Dakota compares
The $35.81 median is 22% above the national figure and ranks 8th of the 50 states and DC, in the top ten. HVAC techs are a thinner slice of the workforce here: 2.2 per 1,000 jobs, 15% under the national share. The median worker in North Dakota, across every occupation, earns $25.23 an hour, so HVAC pays 42% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across North Dakota's metro areas
Fargo pays the most ($36.50 an hour) and Minot the least ($30.74), a gap of $5.76. Outside the metros, 2 nonmetropolitan areas report $36.94 and $30.96.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $36.94 | 100 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $36.50 | 370 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $36.28 | 130 |
| Bismarck, ND | $31.14 | 200 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $30.96 | 140 |
| Minot, ND | $30.74 | 60 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in North Dakota
A tech at the North Dakota median earns $35.81 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $138 here ($92–$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 North Dakota AC repair at $450: about $301 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $78.
- AC repair cost in North Dakota: typical $450, of which $301 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in North Dakota: typical $410, of which $308 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in North Dakota: typical $470, of which $301 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in North Dakota: typical $200, of which $200 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in North Dakota.
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
North Dakota's graduated income tax (top rate 2.5%) takes about $223 of the $74,490 median, leaving $74,267, or 100% of gross. That leaves North Dakota 4th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in North Dakota run 11% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $74,490 median buys what $83,734 would nationally. On that measure North Dakota ranks 1st 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 North Dakota
Next to HVAC techs in North Dakota, electricians earn $4.22 less an hour and plumbers earn $5.25 less an hour. HVAC out-earns every other trade in the table.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (North Dakota) | $35.81 | — |
| Electricians | $31.59 | −$4.22 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $30.56 | −$5.25 |
| Sheet metal workers | $31.34 | −$4.47 |
| Home appliance repairers | $23.42 | −$12.39 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.96 | −$11.85 |
| All occupations | $25.23 | −$10.58 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in North Dakota
North Dakota has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (SOS contractor license classes A-D by project size; no state HVAC trade 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 North Dakota.
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 North Dakota?
A median $35.81 an hour, or $74,490 a year, across 970 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $22.41 and the top tenth over $45.22.
Where in North Dakota do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Fargo has the highest median ($36.50 an hour) and Minot the lowest ($30.74), among the 4 North Dakota metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after North Dakota income tax?
North Dakota's graduated income tax (top rate 2.5%) takes about $223 of the $74,490 median, leaving $74,267, or 100% 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (SOS contractor license classes A-D by project size; no state HVAC trade license). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in North Dakota?
About $138 in our price model ($92–$183), which scales national billable rates by North Dakota HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $450, $301 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)
- North Dakota Secretary of State contractor license (all contractors); HVAC trade licensing is local: license lookup
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