HVAC technician salary in Pennsylvania
HVAC technicians in Pennsylvania earn a median $30.00 an hour ($62,400 a year), 2% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $22.10 and $43.00. That ranks Pennsylvania 20th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays the most of its metros at $31.05.
$30.00
Median hourly pay
2% above the US
$62,400
Median annual pay
$60,484 after state income tax
15,880
HVAC techs employed
2.6 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Pennsylvania, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 15,880 HVAC mechanics and installers on Pennsylvania payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 1.9 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($43.00 against $22.10 an hour). The average, $31.19, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $22.10 | $45,970 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $24.44 | $50,840 | $23.25 |
| Median | $30.00 | $62,400 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.88 | $74,620 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $43.00 | $89,440 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Pennsylvania compares
The $30.00 median is 2% above the national figure and ranks 20th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.6 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Pennsylvania, across every occupation, earns $23.89 an hour, so HVAC pays 26% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Pennsylvania's metro areas
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays the most ($31.05 an hour) and Johnstown the least ($25.99), a gap of $5.06. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $29.54, $28.79, $28.34 and $27.64. Metros with their own salary page are linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $31.05 | 8,610 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $30.35 | 1,000 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $30.08 | 910 |
| Lebanon, PA | $29.99 | 200 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $29.87 | 2,680 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $29.85 | 230 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $29.79 | 560 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $29.69 | 650 |
| Reading, PA | $29.68 | 510 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $29.54 | 330 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $29.10 | 90 |
| Lancaster, PA | $29.10 | 940 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $28.79 | 270 |
| Williamsport, PA | $28.49 | 120 |
| Erie, PA | $28.36 | 230 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $28.34 | 430 |
| Altoona, PA | $28.15 | 100 |
| State College, PA | $27.87 | 190 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $27.64 | 300 |
| Johnstown, PA | $25.99 | 140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Pennsylvania
A tech at the Pennsylvania median earns $30.00 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $116 here ($77–$153), 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 Pennsylvania AC repair at $400: about $248 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $64.
- AC repair cost in Pennsylvania: typical $400, of which $248 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Pennsylvania: typical $360, of which $256 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Pennsylvania: typical $420, of which $248 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Pennsylvania: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Pennsylvania.
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
Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% income tax takes about $1,916 of the $62,400 median and leaves $60,484. That leaves Pennsylvania 20th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Pennsylvania sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $63,954 in national terms. On that measure Pennsylvania ranks 28th 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 Pennsylvania
Next to HVAC techs in Pennsylvania, electricians earn $2.50 more an hour and plumbers earn $2.73 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Pennsylvania) | $30.00 | — |
| Electricians | $32.50 | +$2.50 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $32.73 | +$2.73 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.52 | −$0.48 |
| Home appliance repairers | $25.00 | −$5.00 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.70 | −$6.30 |
| All occupations | $23.89 | −$6.11 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; Home Improvement Contractor registration).
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 Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania?
A median $30.00 an hour, or $62,400 a year, across 15,880 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $22.10 and the top tenth over $43.00.
Where in Pennsylvania do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has the highest median ($31.05 an hour) and Johnstown the lowest ($25.99), among the 16 Pennsylvania metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Pennsylvania income tax?
Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% income tax takes about $1,916 of the $62,400 median and leaves $60,484. 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no statewide HVAC contractor license; cities and counties set their own rules (No state HVAC license; Home Improvement Contractor registration). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Pennsylvania?
About $116 in our price model ($77–$153), which scales national billable rates by Pennsylvania HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $400, $248 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 (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, etc.) plus Attorney General Home Improvement Contractor registration (HICPA): license lookup
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