HVAC technician salary in Ohio
HVAC technicians in Ohio earn a median $30.06 an hour ($62,510 a year), 2% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.57 and $47.26. That ranks Ohio 19th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Columbus pays the most of its metros at $30.98.
$30.06
Median hourly pay
2% above the US
$62,510
Median annual pay
$61,507 after state income tax
14,150
HVAC techs employed
2.5 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Ohio, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 14,150 HVAC mechanics and installers on Ohio payrolls. Pay is spread wide: the best-paid tenth earn at least 2.5 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($47.26 against $18.57 an hour). The average, $31.73, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.57 | $38,630 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.27 | $48,410 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.06 | $62,510 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $37.59 | $78,190 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $47.26 | $98,310 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Ohio compares
The $30.06 median is 2% above the national figure and ranks 19th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.5 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Ohio, across every occupation, earns $23.74 an hour, so HVAC pays 27% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Ohio's metro areas
Columbus pays the most ($30.98 an hour) and Canton-Massillon the least ($28.32), a gap of $2.66. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $29.37, $29.36, $29.28 and $29.17. Metros with their own salary page are linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $30.98 | 3,000 |
| Cleveland, OH | $30.19 | 2,610 |
| Springfield, OH | $30.13 | 80 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $30.05 | 1,090 |
| Toledo, OH | $30.03 | 650 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $29.92 | 2,950 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $29.45 | 370 |
| Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $29.37 | 430 |
| Akron, OH | $29.37 | 850 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $29.36 | 550 |
| Sandusky, OH | $29.35 | 120 |
| Lima, OH | $29.30 | 160 |
| Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $29.28 | 280 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $29.17 | 570 |
| Mansfield, OH | $28.37 | 130 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $28.32 | 420 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Ohio
A tech at the Ohio median earns $30.06 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $116 here ($77–$154), 2% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $116 billed, about $30 is the technician's wage. The other $86 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 Ohio AC repair at $400: about $254 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $66.
- AC repair cost in Ohio: typical $400, of which $254 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Ohio: typical $360, of which $260 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Ohio: typical $410, of which $248 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Ohio: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Ohio.
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
Ohio's graduated income tax (top rate 2.75%) takes about $1,003 of the $62,510 median, leaving $61,507, or 98% of gross. That leaves Ohio 17th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Ohio run 7% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $62,510 median buys what $67,382 would nationally. On that measure Ohio ranks 14th 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 Ohio
Next to HVAC techs in Ohio, electricians earn $1.05 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.39 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Ohio) | $30.06 | — |
| Electricians | $31.11 | +$1.05 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $30.45 | +$0.39 |
| Sheet metal workers | $35.96 | +$5.90 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.74 | −$7.32 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $25.68 | −$4.38 |
| All occupations | $23.74 | −$6.32 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Ohio
Ohio has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (OCILB HVAC contractor license (commercial work); cities register residential contractors (many require the OCILB 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 Ohio.
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 Ohio?
A median $30.06 an hour, or $62,510 a year, across 14,150 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.57 and the top tenth over $47.26.
Where in Ohio do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Columbus has the highest median ($30.98 an hour) and Canton-Massillon the lowest ($28.32), among the 12 Ohio metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Ohio income tax?
Ohio's graduated income tax (top rate 2.75%) takes about $1,003 of the $62,510 median, leaving $61,507, or 98% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (OCILB HVAC contractor license (commercial work); cities register residential contractors (many require the OCILB license)). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Ohio?
About $116 in our price model ($77–$154), which scales national billable rates by Ohio HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $400, $254 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)
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), commercial; residential HVAC is registered locally: license lookup
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