HVAC technician salary in West Virginia
HVAC technicians in West Virginia earn a median $23.49 an hour ($48,850 a year), 20% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $17.38 and $34.92. That ranks West Virginia 48th of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten by median pay; Weirton-Steubenville pays the most of its metros at $27.41.
$23.49
Median hourly pay
20% below the US
$48,850
Median annual pay
$47,292 after state income tax
1,690
HVAC techs employed
2.4 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in West Virginia, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 1,690 HVAC mechanics and installers on West Virginia payrolls. The best-paid tenth earn at least 2.0 times what the lowest-paid tenth do ($34.92 against $17.38 an hour). The average, $24.85, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $17.38 | $36,160 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $18.46 | $38,400 | $23.25 |
| Median | $23.49 | $48,850 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $29.23 | $60,790 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $34.92 | $72,640 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How West Virginia compares
The $23.49 median is 20% below the national figure and ranks 48th of the 50 states and DC, in the bottom ten. That is 2.4 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share. The median worker in West Virginia, across every occupation, earns $21.78 an hour, so HVAC pays 8% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across West Virginia's metro areas
Weirton-Steubenville pays the most ($27.41 an hour) and Beckley the least ($21.44), a gap of $5.97. Outside the metros, 2 nonmetropolitan areas report $23.20 and $22.47.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $27.41 | 80 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $27.04 | 100 |
| Charleston, WV | $24.76 | 350 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $23.49 | 360 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $23.20 | 260 |
| Morgantown, WV | $23.06 | 170 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $22.47 | 150 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $21.93 | 90 |
| Beckley, WV | $21.44 | 100 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in West Virginia
A tech at the West Virginia median earns $23.49 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $91 here ($60–$120), 20% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $91 billed, about $23 is the technician's wage. The other $68 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 West Virginia AC repair at $340: about $193 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.1 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $50.
- AC repair cost in West Virginia: typical $340, of which $193 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in West Virginia: typical $300, of which $199 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in West Virginia: typical $360, of which $193 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in West Virginia: typical $130, of which $130 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in West 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
West Virginia's graduated income tax (top rate 4.82%) takes about $1,558 of the $48,850 median, leaving $47,292, or 97% of gross. That leaves West Virginia 48th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in West Virginia run 11% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $48,850 median buys what $54,581 would nationally. On that measure West Virginia ranks 49th 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 West Virginia
Next to HVAC techs in West Virginia, electricians earn $7.67 more an hour and plumbers earn $3.90 more an hour. HVAC out-earns two of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (West Virginia) | $23.49 | — |
| Electricians | $31.16 | +$7.67 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $27.39 | +$3.90 |
| Sheet metal workers | $34.81 | +$11.32 |
| Home appliance repairers | $17.17 | −$6.32 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $18.70 | −$4.79 |
| All occupations | $21.78 | −$1.71 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in West Virginia
West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (plus State Fire Marshal HVAC technician license) licenses HVAC contractors across West Virginia; the relevant classes are HVAC specialty contractor license; HVAC technician license (Fire Marshal).
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 West 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 West Virginia?
A median $23.49 an hour, or $48,850 a year, across 1,690 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $17.38 and the top tenth over $34.92.
Where in West Virginia do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Weirton-Steubenville has the highest median ($27.41 an hour) and Beckley the lowest ($21.44), among the 7 West Virginia metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after West Virginia income tax?
West Virginia's graduated income tax (top rate 4.82%) takes about $1,558 of the $48,850 median, leaving $47,292, 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 West Virginia?
Contractors do. West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (plus State Fire Marshal HVAC technician license) licenses HVAC contractors across West Virginia; the relevant classes are HVAC specialty contractor license; HVAC technician license (Fire Marshal). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in West Virginia?
About $91 in our price model ($60–$120), which scales national billable rates by West Virginia HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $340, $193 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)
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (plus State Fire Marshal HVAC technician license): license lookup
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