HVAC technician salary in Texas
HVAC technicians in Texas earn a median $27.77 an hour ($57,760 a year), 5% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $18.32 and $39.36. That ranks Texas 38th of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos pays the most of its metros at $29.24.
$27.77
Median hourly pay
5% below the US
$57,760
Median annual pay
$57,760 after state income tax
34,730
HVAC techs employed
2.5 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Texas, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 34,730 HVAC mechanics and installers on Texas payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($39.36 against $18.32 an hour). The average, $28.43, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.32 | $38,100 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.50 | $46,800 | $23.25 |
| Median | $27.77 | $57,760 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $33.59 | $69,860 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $39.36 | $81,860 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Texas compares
The $27.77 median is 5% below the national figure and ranks 38th of the 50 states and DC. That is 2.5 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in Texas, across every occupation, earns $23.38 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 Texas's metro areas
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos pays the most ($29.24 an hour) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission the least ($22.68), a gap of $6.56. Outside the metros, 6 nonmetropolitan areas report $26.74, $24.98, $24.49, $23.95, $23.48 and $23.20. Metros with their own salary page are linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $29.24 | 3,140 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $28.63 | 10,910 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $28.34 | 7,680 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $28.17 | 3,160 |
| Odessa, TX | $28.17 | 160 |
| Midland, TX | $27.79 | 260 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $27.27 | 390 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $27.08 | 170 |
| Waco, TX | $26.85 | 440 |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $26.74 | 270 |
| Longview, TX | $26.46 | 350 |
| Abilene, TX | $26.12 | 260 |
| Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $24.98 | 280 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $24.89 | 640 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $24.49 | 70 |
| Lubbock, TX | $23.97 | 420 |
| Amarillo, TX | $23.96 | 350 |
| Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23.95 | 270 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $23.86 | 410 |
| San Angelo, TX | $23.71 | 130 |
| Tyler, TX | $23.70 | 290 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $23.67 | 160 |
| North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23.48 | 680 |
| Victoria, TX | $23.34 | 100 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $23.33 | 270 |
| Laredo, TX | $23.29 | 180 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23.20 | 570 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $23.03 | 260 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $22.96 | 130 |
| El Paso, TX | $22.73 | 790 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $22.68 | 530 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Texas
A tech at the Texas median earns $27.77 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $107 here ($71–$142), 5% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $107 billed, about $28 is the technician's wage. The other $79 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 Texas AC repair at $380: about $230 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $60.
- AC repair cost in Texas: typical $380, of which $230 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Texas: typical $340, of which $237 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Texas: typical $400, of which $230 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Texas: typical $150, of which $150 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Texas.
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
Texas has no state income tax on wages, so the whole $57,760 median is still there before federal tax and FICA. That leaves Texas 32nd of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Texas sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $59,510 in national terms. On that measure Texas ranks 39th 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 Texas
Next to HVAC techs in Texas, electricians earn $0.39 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.00 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Texas) | $27.77 | — |
| Electricians | $28.16 | +$0.39 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $28.77 | +$1.00 |
| Sheet metal workers | $26.08 | −$1.69 |
| Home appliance repairers | $23.38 | −$4.39 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $22.44 | −$5.33 |
| All occupations | $23.38 | −$4.39 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Texas
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Texas; the relevant classes are ACR Contractor Class A (unlimited) and Class B (up to 25 tons cooling / 1.5 million Btu/h heating); endorsements: Environmental Air, Commercial Refrigeration and Process Cooling/Heating.
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 Texas.
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 Texas?
A median $27.77 an hour, or $57,760 a year, across 34,730 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $18.32 and the top tenth over $39.36.
Where in Texas do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has the highest median ($29.24 an hour) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission the lowest ($22.68), among the 25 Texas metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Texas income tax?
Texas has no state income tax on wages, so the whole $57,760 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 Texas?
Contractors do. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Texas; the relevant classes are ACR Contractor Class A (unlimited) and Class B (up to 25 tons cooling / 1.5 million Btu/h heating); endorsements: Environmental Air, Commercial Refrigeration and Process Cooling/Heating. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Texas?
About $107 in our price model ($71–$142), which scales national billable rates by Texas 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)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors: license lookup
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