HVAC technician salary in Rhode Island
HVAC technicians in Rhode Island earn a median $32.39 an hour ($67,370 a year), 10% above the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.32 and $50.04. That ranks Rhode Island 14th of the 50 states and DC by median pay.
$32.39
Median hourly pay
10% above the US
$67,370
Median annual pay
$65,239 after state income tax
1,450
HVAC techs employed
2.9 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Rhode Island, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 1,450 HVAC mechanics and installers on Rhode Island payrolls. Pay is spread wide: the best-paid tenth earn at least 2.7 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($50.04 against $18.32 an hour). The average, $33.55, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.32 | $38,100 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.44 | $48,760 | $23.25 |
| Median | $32.39 | $67,370 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $39.23 | $81,610 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $50.04 | $104,080 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Rhode Island compares
The $32.39 median is 10% above the national figure and ranks 14th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.9 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Rhode Island, across every occupation, earns $27.30 an hour, so HVAC pays 19% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Rhode Island's metro areas
Providence-Warwick is the only Rhode Island metro with its own BLS estimate ($32.39 an hour). The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $32.39 | 1,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Rhode Island
A tech at the Rhode Island median earns $32.39 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $125 here ($83–$166), 10% above the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much higher.
Of each $125 billed, about $32 is the technician's wage. The other $93 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 Rhode Island AC repair at $420: about $270 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $70.
- AC repair cost in Rhode Island: typical $420, of which $270 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Rhode Island: typical $380, of which $277 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Rhode Island: typical $440, of which $270 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Rhode Island: typical $180, of which $180 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Rhode Island.
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
Rhode Island's graduated income tax (top rate 5.99%) takes about $2,131 of the $67,370 median, leaving $65,239, or 97% of gross. That leaves Rhode Island 14th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Rhode Island sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $65,868 in national terms. On that measure Rhode Island ranks 20th 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 Rhode Island
Next to HVAC techs in Rhode Island, electricians earn $3.23 more an hour and plumbers earn $4.38 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Rhode Island) | $32.39 | — |
| Electricians | $35.62 | +$3.23 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $36.77 | +$4.38 |
| Sheet metal workers | $31.30 | −$1.09 |
| Home appliance repairers | $24.12 | −$8.27 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $24.47 | −$7.92 |
| All occupations | $27.30 | −$5.09 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (trade licenses) plus Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB) licenses HVAC contractors across Rhode Island; the relevant classes are DLT pipefitter / refrigeration and air-conditioning / sheet metal licenses (master and journeyperson).
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 Rhode Island.
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 Rhode Island?
A median $32.39 an hour, or $67,370 a year, across 1,450 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.32 and the top tenth over $50.04.
How much HVAC pay is left after Rhode Island income tax?
Rhode Island's graduated income tax (top rate 5.99%) takes about $2,131 of the $67,370 median, leaving $65,239, or 97% 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 Rhode Island?
Contractors do. Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (trade licenses) plus Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB) licenses HVAC contractors across Rhode Island; the relevant classes are DLT pipefitter / refrigeration and air-conditioning / sheet metal licenses (master and journeyperson). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Rhode Island?
About $125 in our price model ($83–$166), which scales national billable rates by Rhode Island HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $420, $270 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)
- Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (trade licenses) plus Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB): license lookup
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