HVAC technician salary in Virginia
HVAC technicians in Virginia earn a median $28.72 an hour ($59,730 a year), 2% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $19.12 and $40.11. That ranks Virginia 33rd of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Staunton-Stuarts Draft pays the most of its metros at $29.98.
$28.72
Median hourly pay
2% below the US
$59,730
Median annual pay
$57,042 after state income tax
14,690
HVAC techs employed
3.6 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Virginia, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 14,690 HVAC mechanics and installers on Virginia payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($40.11 against $19.12 an hour). The average, $29.42, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $19.12 | $39,760 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $23.03 | $47,910 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.72 | $59,730 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $35.31 | $73,440 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $40.11 | $83,420 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Virginia compares
The $28.72 median is 2% below the national figure and ranks 33rd of the 50 states and DC. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 36% above the national share. The median worker in Virginia, across every occupation, earns $26.78 an hour, so HVAC pays 7% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Virginia's metro areas
Staunton-Stuarts Draft pays the most ($29.98 an hour) and Roanoke the least ($23.67), a gap of $6.31. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $28.15, $25.62, $24.43 and $23.36. Metros with their own salary page are linked.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $29.98 | 230 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $28.95 | 340 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $28.63 | 420 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $28.59 | 2,840 |
| Richmond, VA | $28.43 | 2,700 |
| Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $28.15 | 260 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $28.13 | 530 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $27.04 | 200 |
| Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $25.62 | 290 |
| Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $24.43 | 290 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $24.05 | 190 |
| Roanoke, VA | $23.67 | 660 |
| Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $23.36 | 230 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Virginia
A tech at the Virginia median earns $28.72 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $111 here ($73–$147), 2% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $111 billed, about $29 is the technician's wage. The other $82 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 Virginia AC repair at $390: about $237 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $61.
- AC repair cost in Virginia: typical $390, of which $237 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Virginia: typical $350, of which $245 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Virginia: typical $410, of which $237 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Virginia: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Virginia.
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
Virginia's graduated income tax (top rate 5.75%) takes about $2,688 of the $59,730 median, leaving $57,042, or 95% of gross. That leaves Virginia 36th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Virginia sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $59,080 in national terms. On that measure Virginia ranks 41st 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 Virginia
Next to HVAC techs in Virginia, electricians earn $1.52 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.35 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Virginia) | $28.72 | — |
| Electricians | $30.24 | +$1.52 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $29.07 | +$0.35 |
| Sheet metal workers | $25.10 | −$3.62 |
| Home appliance repairers | $28.76 | +$0.04 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.79 | −$4.93 |
| All occupations | $26.78 | −$1.94 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Virginia
Virginia DPOR, Board for Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Virginia; the relevant classes are Class A / B / C contractor license with HVA (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) specialty; HVAC Tradesman (Master/Journeyman).
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 Virginia.
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 Virginia?
A median $28.72 an hour, or $59,730 a year, across 14,690 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $19.12 and the top tenth over $40.11.
Where in Virginia do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Staunton-Stuarts Draft has the highest median ($29.98 an hour) and Roanoke the lowest ($23.67), among the 9 Virginia metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Virginia income tax?
Virginia's graduated income tax (top rate 5.75%) takes about $2,688 of the $59,730 median, leaving $57,042, or 95% 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 Virginia?
Contractors do. Virginia DPOR, Board for Contractors licenses HVAC contractors across Virginia; the relevant classes are Class A / B / C contractor license with HVA (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) specialty; HVAC Tradesman (Master/Journeyman). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Virginia?
About $111 in our price model ($73–$147), which scales national billable rates by Virginia HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $390, $237 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)
- Virginia DPOR, Board for Contractors: license lookup
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