HVAC technician salary in Columbus, OH
HVAC technicians in the Columbus metro earn a median $30.98 an hour ($64,440 a year), 3% above the Ohio median and 6% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.57–$38.88. Columbus ranks the best-paid of Ohio's 12 metros and 79th of 385 US metros.
$30.98
Median hourly pay
3% above Ohio
$64,440
Median annual pay
$67,498 at US prices
1st of 12
Among Ohio metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Columbus, Ohio and the US
BLS counts 3,000 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Columbus, OH metro area. Pay is spread wide: the best-paid tenth earn at least 2.5 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($48.36 against $19.56 an hour). The average, $33.04, 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 | Columbus | Ohio | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $19.56 | $18.57 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.57 | $23.27 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.98 | $30.06 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $38.88 | $37.59 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $48.36 | $47.26 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Columbus ranks
At $30.98, Columbus is the best-paid of Ohio's 12 metros and 79th of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Ohio: Cleveland ($30.19), Springfield ($30.13) and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek ($30.05). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Ohio HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Ohio.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Columbus
A tech at the Columbus median earns $30.98 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $119 here ($79–$158), 6% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $119 billed, about $31 is the technician's wage and $88 covers the shop's overhead and margin, $2 more than across Ohio ($86).
Take a typical Columbus AC repair at $400: about $257 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $67.
- AC repair cost in Columbus: typical $400, of which $257 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Columbus: typical $360, of which $262 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Columbus: typical $420, of which $257 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Columbus: typical $170, of which $170 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Columbus.
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
Ohio's graduated income tax (top rate 2.75%) takes about $1,056 of the $64,440 median, leaving $63,384, or 98% of gross.
Prices in the Columbus area run 5% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $64,440 median buys what $67,498 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 Columbus
Next to HVAC techs in Columbus, electricians earn about the same and plumbers earn $0.57 less an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Columbus, across every occupation, earns $24.69 an hour, so HVAC pays 25% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Columbus) | $30.98 | — |
| Electricians | $31.11 | +$0.13 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $30.41 | −$0.57 |
| Sheet metal workers | $37.39 | +$6.41 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.38 | −$8.60 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $25.38 | −$5.60 |
| All occupations | $24.69 | −$6.29 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Columbus?
A median $30.98 an hour, or $64,440 a year, across 3,000 jobs in the Columbus, OH metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.57–$38.88; the top tenth over $48.36.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Columbus than elsewhere in Ohio?
Yes. The Columbus median of $30.98 is 3% above the Ohio figure of $30.06, making it the best-paid of Ohio's 12 metros.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Columbus?
About $119 in our price model ($79–$158), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Columbus runs $400, $257 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Columbus compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn about the same and plumbers earn $0.57 less an hour than HVAC techs' $30.98 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