HVAC technician salary in South Carolina
HVAC technicians in South Carolina earn a median $27.22 an hour ($56,610 a year), 7% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.83 and $36.31. That ranks South Carolina 42nd of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten by median pay; Florence pays the most of its metros at $28.26.
$27.22
Median hourly pay
7% below the US
$56,610
Median annual pay
$54,683 after state income tax
6,920
HVAC techs employed
3.0 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in South Carolina, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 6,920 HVAC mechanics and installers on South Carolina payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 1.9 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($36.31 against $18.83 an hour). The average, $27.14, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.83 | $39,170 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.39 | $46,560 | $23.25 |
| Median | $27.22 | $56,610 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $30.28 | $62,990 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $36.31 | $75,530 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How South Carolina compares
The $27.22 median is 7% below the national figure and ranks 42nd of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten. That is 3.0 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in South Carolina, across every occupation, earns $22.35 an hour, so HVAC pays 22% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across South Carolina's metro areas
Florence pays the most ($28.26 an hour) and Sumter the least ($23.98), a gap of $4.28. Outside the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas report $27.16, $24.34 and $23.85.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Florence, SC | $28.26 | 180 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $28.25 | 1,160 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $28.08 | 1,270 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $28.02 | 420 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $27.79 | 390 |
| Columbia, SC | $27.70 | 1,220 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $27.16 | 120 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $26.07 | 630 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $24.34 | 270 |
| Sumter, SC | $23.98 | 110 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23.85 | 190 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in South Carolina
A tech at the South Carolina median earns $27.22 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $105 here ($70–$139), 7% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $105 billed, about $27 is the technician's wage. The other $78 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 South Carolina AC repair at $380: about $230 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $60.
- AC repair cost in South Carolina: typical $380, of which $230 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in South Carolina: typical $330, of which $230 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in South Carolina: typical $400, of which $230 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in South Carolina: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in South Carolina.
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
South Carolina's graduated income tax (top rate 6.2%) takes about $1,927 of the $56,610 median, leaving $54,683, or 97% of gross. That leaves South Carolina 44th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in South Carolina run 6% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $56,610 median buys what $60,384 would nationally. On that measure South Carolina ranks 37th 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 South Carolina
Next to HVAC techs in South Carolina, electricians earn $1.02 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.29 less an hour. HVAC out-earns four of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (South Carolina) | $27.22 | — |
| Electricians | $28.24 | +$1.02 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $25.93 | −$1.29 |
| Sheet metal workers | $24.00 | −$3.22 |
| Home appliance repairers | $22.82 | −$4.40 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.02 | −$4.20 |
| All occupations | $22.35 | −$4.87 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in South Carolina
South Carolina LLR: Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial mechanical) and Residential Builders Commission (residential HVAC specialty) licenses HVAC contractors across South Carolina; the relevant classes are Mechanical Contractor classes AC (air conditioning), HT (heating), PK (packaged equipment), RF (refrigeration); Residential Specialty Contractor HVAC 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 South Carolina.
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 South Carolina?
A median $27.22 an hour, or $56,610 a year, across 6,920 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.83 and the top tenth over $36.31.
Where in South Carolina do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Florence has the highest median ($28.26 an hour) and Sumter the lowest ($23.98), among the 8 South Carolina metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after South Carolina income tax?
South Carolina's graduated income tax (top rate 6.2%) takes about $1,927 of the $56,610 median, leaving $54,683, 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 South Carolina?
Contractors do. South Carolina LLR: Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial mechanical) and Residential Builders Commission (residential HVAC specialty) licenses HVAC contractors across South Carolina; the relevant classes are Mechanical Contractor classes AC (air conditioning), HT (heating), PK (packaged equipment), RF (refrigeration); Residential Specialty Contractor HVAC registration. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in South Carolina?
About $105 in our price model ($70–$139), which scales national billable rates by South Carolina HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $380, $230 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)
- South Carolina LLR: Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial mechanical) and Residential Builders Commission (residential HVAC specialty): license lookup
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