HVAC technician salary in Richmond, VA
HVAC technicians in the Richmond metro earn a median $28.43 an hour ($59,130 a year), in line with the Virginia median and 3% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $22.70–$31.59. Richmond ranks 5th of 9 metros in Virginia and 210th of 385 US metros.
$28.43
Median hourly pay
in line with Virginia
$59,130
Median annual pay
$60,423 at US prices
5th of 9
Among Virginia metros
by median hourly pay
Pay in Richmond, Virginia and the US
BLS counts 2,700 HVAC mechanics and installers in the Richmond, VA metro area. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.1 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($37.80 against $18.40 an hour). The average, $28.12, is close to the median, so a few high earners don't skew the picture. HVAC work is unusually common here: 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs, 55% above the national share.
| Percentile | Richmond | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $18.40 | $19.12 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $22.70 | $23.03 | $23.25 |
| Median | $28.43 | $28.72 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $31.59 | $35.31 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $37.80 | $40.11 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wages.
Where Richmond ranks
At $28.43, Richmond is 5th of 9 metros in Virginia and 210th of 385 US metros. Nearest in pay elsewhere in Virginia: Charlottesville ($28.63), Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk ($28.59) and Lynchburg ($28.13). Every metro, the licensing rules and the training path are on the Virginia HVAC technician salary page; to vet a contractor, see how to check an HVAC license in Virginia.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025; ranks by median hourly pay among metros with an estimate.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Richmond
A tech at the Richmond median earns $28.43 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $110 here ($73–$145), 3% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $110 billed, about $28 is the technician's wage and $82 covers the shop's overhead and margin, the same as across Virginia.
Take a typical Richmond AC repair at $390: about $239 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $62.
- AC repair cost in Richmond: typical $390, of which $239 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Richmond: typical $340, of which $240 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Richmond: typical $410, of which $239 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Richmond: typical $160, of which $160 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Richmond.
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
Virginia's graduated income tax (top rate 5.75%) takes about $2,654 of the $59,130 median, leaving $56,476, or 96% of gross.
Prices in the Richmond area sit within 3% of the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the median buys about what it says: $60,423 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 Richmond
Next to HVAC techs in Richmond, electricians earn $1.07 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.13 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed. The median worker in Richmond, across every occupation, earns $24.74 an hour, so HVAC pays 15% more than the local norm.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Richmond) | $28.43 | — |
| Electricians | $29.50 | +$1.07 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $29.56 | +$1.13 |
| Sheet metal workers | $23.08 | −$5.35 |
| Home appliance repairers | $25.38 | −$3.05 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $23.43 | −$5.00 |
| All occupations | $24.74 | −$3.69 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Richmond?
A median $28.43 an hour, or $59,130 a year, across 2,700 jobs in the Richmond, VA metro (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $22.70–$31.59; the top tenth over $37.80.
Do HVAC techs earn more in Richmond than elsewhere in Virginia?
About the same. The Richmond median of $28.43 is in line with the Virginia figure of $28.72, making it 5th of 9 metros in Virginia.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Richmond?
About $110 in our price model ($73–$145), which scales national billable rates by local HVAC wages. A typical AC repair in Richmond runs $390, $239 of it labor.
How does HVAC pay in Richmond compare with electricians and plumbers?
Electricians earn $1.07 more an hour and plumbers earn $1.13 more an hour than HVAC techs' $28.43 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)
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