HVAC technician salary in Providence, RI
HVAC technicians in the Providence-Warwick metro earn a median $32.39 an hour ($67,380 a year), in line with the Rhode Island median and 10% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.73–$40.62. Providence ranks the only Rhode Island metro with its own BLS estimate and 58th of 385 US metros.
$32.39
Median hourly pay
in line with Rhode Island
$67,380
Median annual pay
$66,208 at US prices
$125
Billed per HVAC labor hour
in our price model
Pay in Providence, Rhode Island and the US
BLS counts 1,930 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.3 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($50.04 against $21.62 an hour). The average, $34.09, 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 | Providence | Rhode Island | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $21.62 | $18.32 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $24.73 | $23.44 | $23.25 |
| Median | $32.39 | $32.39 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $40.62 | $39.23 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $50.04 | $50.04 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Providence ranks
At $32.39, Providence is the only Rhode Island metro with its own BLS estimate and 58th of 385 US metros. Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Rhode Island HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Rhode Island.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Providence
A tech at the Providence 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 and $93 covers the shop's overhead and margin, the same as across Rhode Island.
Take a typical Providence 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 Providence: typical $420, of which $270 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Providence: typical $380, of which $277 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Providence: typical $440, of which $270 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Providence: typical $180, of which $180 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Providence.
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
Rhode Island's graduated income tax (top rate 5.99%) takes about $2,131 of the $67,380 median, leaving $65,249, or 97% of gross. The metro crosses into MA; the figure uses RI tax.
Prices in the Providence-Warwick area sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $66,208 in national terms.
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 Providence
Next to HVAC techs in Providence, electricians earn $3.18 more an hour and plumbers earn $5.98 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Providence, across every occupation, earns $25.81 an hour, so HVAC pays 25% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Providence) | $32.39 | — |
| Electricians | $35.57 | +$3.18 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $38.37 | +$5.98 |
| Sheet metal workers | $31.30 | −$1.09 |
| Home appliance repairers | $28.15 | −$4.24 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $24.37 | −$8.02 |
| All occupations | $25.81 | −$6.58 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Providence?
A median $32.39 an hour, or $67,380 a year, across 1,930 jobs in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $24.73–$40.62; the top tenth over $50.04.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Providence than elsewhere in Rhode Island?
About the same. The Providence median of $32.39 is in line with the Rhode Island figure of $32.39, making it the only Rhode Island metro with its own BLS estimate.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Providence?
About $125 in our price model ($83–$166), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Providence runs $420, $270 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Providence compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $3.18 more an hour and plumbers earn $5.98 more an hour than HVAC techs' $32.39 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