HVAC technician salary in Tennessee
HVAC technicians in Tennessee earn a median $26.68 an hour ($55,490 a year), 9% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.53 and $39.23. That ranks Tennessee 45th of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten by median pay; Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays the most of its metros at $28.97.
$26.68
Median hourly pay
9% below the US
$55,490
Median annual pay
$55,490 after state income tax
9,740
HVAC techs employed
3.0 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Tennessee, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 9,740 HVAC mechanics and installers on Tennessee payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($39.23 against $18.53 an hour). The average, $27.79, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.53 | $38,540 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.59 | $46,990 | $23.25 |
| Median | $26.68 | $55,490 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $31.53 | $65,590 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.23 | $81,590 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Tennessee compares
The $26.68 median is 9% below the national figure and ranks 45th 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 Tennessee, across every occupation, earns $22.78 an hour, so HVAC pays 17% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Tennessee's metro areas
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays the most ($28.97 an hour) and Johnson City the least ($23.08), a gap of $5.89. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $22.89, $22.83, $22.71 and $22.62. The metro with its own salary page is linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $28.97 | 3,500 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $27.30 | 1,740 |
| Knoxville, TN | $27.30 | 1,470 |
| Jackson, TN | $26.03 | 260 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $24.49 | 850 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $24.27 | 330 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $23.54 | 290 |
| Morristown, TN | $23.39 | 50 |
| Johnson City, TN | $23.08 | 230 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.89 | 330 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.83 | 240 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.71 | 370 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.62 | 260 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Tennessee
A tech at the Tennessee median earns $26.68 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $103 here ($68–$136), 9% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $103 billed, about $27 is the technician's wage. The other $76 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 Tennessee AC repair at $370: about $222 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $58.
- AC repair cost in Tennessee: typical $370, of which $222 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Tennessee: typical $330, of which $228 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Tennessee: typical $390, of which $222 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Tennessee: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Tennessee.
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
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so the whole $55,490 median is still there before federal tax and FICA. That leaves Tennessee 40th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Tennessee run 8% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $55,490 median buys what $60,401 would nationally. On that measure Tennessee ranks 36th 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 Tennessee
Next to HVAC techs in Tennessee, electricians earn $2.69 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.49 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Tennessee) | $26.68 | — |
| Electricians | $29.37 | +$2.69 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $28.17 | +$1.49 |
| Sheet metal workers | $28.45 | +$1.77 |
| Home appliance repairers | $23.84 | −$2.84 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.71 | −$3.97 |
| All occupations | $22.78 | −$3.90 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Tennessee
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Tennessee; the relevant classes are CMC (mechanical) classifications covering HVAC; Home Improvement license in certain counties; Limited Licensed contractor.
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 Tennessee.
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 Tennessee?
A median $26.68 an hour, or $55,490 a year, across 9,740 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.53 and the top tenth over $39.23.
Where in Tennessee do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has the highest median ($28.97 an hour) and Johnson City the lowest ($23.08), among the 9 Tennessee metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Tennessee income tax?
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so the whole $55,490 median is still there before federal tax and FICA. 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 Tennessee?
Contractors do. Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Tennessee; the relevant classes are CMC (mechanical) classifications covering HVAC; Home Improvement license in certain counties; Limited Licensed contractor. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Tennessee?
About $103 in our price model ($68–$136), which scales national billable rates by Tennessee HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $370, $222 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)
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: license lookup
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