HVAC technician salary in Oregon
HVAC technicians in Oregon earn a median $30.26 an hour ($62,940 a year), 3% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $22.59 and $45.44. That ranks Oregon 18th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays the most of its metros at $31.38.
$30.26
Median hourly pay
3% above the US
$62,940
Median annual pay
$57,974 after state income tax
3,980
HVAC techs employed
2.0 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Oregon, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 3,980 HVAC mechanics and installers on Oregon payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.0 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($45.44 against $22.59 an hour). The average, $32.90, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.59 | $46,990 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $27.09 | $56,340 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.26 | $62,940 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $37.93 | $78,890 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $45.44 | $94,520 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Oregon compares
The $30.26 median is 3% above the national figure and ranks 18th of the 50 states and DC. HVAC techs are a thinner slice of the workforce here: 2.0 per 1,000 jobs, 23% under the national share. The median worker in Oregon, across every occupation, earns $27.40 an hour, so HVAC pays 10% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Oregon's metro areas
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays the most ($31.38 an hour) and Grants Pass the least ($23.17), a gap of $8.21. Outside the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas report $30.43, $28.08 and $27.31. The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $31.38 | 2,580 |
| Salem, OR | $31.27 | 350 |
| Corvallis, OR | $30.63 | 40 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $30.43 | 160 |
| Bend, OR | $29.40 | 340 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $28.87 | 370 |
| Medford, OR | $28.73 | 200 |
| Albany, OR | $28.31 | 130 |
| Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $28.08 | 80 |
| Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $27.31 | 190 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $23.17 | 80 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Oregon
A tech at the Oregon median earns $30.26 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $117 here ($77–$155), 3% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $117 billed, about $30 is the technician's wage. The other $87 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 Oregon AC repair at $410: about $250 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $65.
- AC repair cost in Oregon: typical $410, of which $250 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Oregon: typical $370, of which $259 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Oregon: typical $440, of which $255 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Oregon: typical $170, of which $170 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Oregon.
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
Oregon's graduated income tax (top rate 9.9%) takes about $4,966 of the $62,940 median, leaving $57,974, or 92% of gross. That leaves Oregon 31st of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Oregon run 3% above the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), which trims the median's buying power to about $60,894 in national terms. On that measure Oregon ranks 33rd 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 Oregon
Next to HVAC techs in Oregon, electricians earn $18.45 more an hour and plumbers earn $16.40 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Oregon) | $30.26 | — |
| Electricians | $48.71 | +$18.45 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $46.66 | +$16.40 |
| Sheet metal workers | $35.46 | +$5.20 |
| Home appliance repairers | $24.60 | −$5.66 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $26.13 | −$4.13 |
| All occupations | $27.40 | −$2.86 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Oregon
Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) licenses HVAC contractors across Oregon; the relevant classes are CCB license with Residential and/or Commercial endorsement; no separate state HVAC mechanical contractor license (electrical/limited energy work licensed by BCD).
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 Oregon.
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 Oregon?
A median $30.26 an hour, or $62,940 a year, across 3,980 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $22.59 and the top tenth over $45.44.
Where in Oregon do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has the highest median ($31.38 an hour) and Grants Pass the lowest ($23.17), among the 8 Oregon metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Oregon income tax?
Oregon's graduated income tax (top rate 9.9%) takes about $4,966 of the $62,940 median, leaving $57,974, or 92% 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 Oregon?
Contractors do. Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) licenses HVAC contractors across Oregon; the relevant classes are CCB license with Residential and/or Commercial endorsement; no separate state HVAC mechanical contractor license (electrical/limited energy work licensed by BCD). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Oregon?
About $117 in our price model ($77–$155), which scales national billable rates by Oregon HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $410, $250 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)
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB): license lookup
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