With job openings outpacing qualified candidates in the HVAC industry, hiring and retaining employees have become major challenges. The fierce competition has left many HVAC contractors with questions about what qualifies as a fair salary for employees in today's market. 

Jobber, a provider of home service management software, announced the launch of comprehensive salary guides based on a breakdown of HVAC salaries by state, years of experience, and position. This information can help contractors hire and retain the right people to grow their HVAC business and scale operations.

According to the survey, the average HVAC service manager makes $72,899 a year, while a technical earns $49,535.

The salary of an HVAC technician can vary greatly based on experience. The average HVAC technician with over 17 years of experience averages a salary of $61,101. Those with 10-16 years of experience average $55,178, while individuals with 6-9 years of experience average $50,037. In addition, 3 to 5 years of experience gets them an average salary of $44,743 and under 3 years comes in at $36,614.

An HVAC technician’s hourly rate is $20.29, on average.

A technician’s income can also be influenced by the state in which they work. Two states have an average of more than $56,000 — Alaska and Washington. The average is over $52,000 in the following states: Oregon, California, Nevada, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

The state with the lowest average HVAC technician salary is South Carolina, which comes in at $40,567. That is 18% under the national average.

"When home service companies expand their teams, they strengthen their communities by providing meaningful local job opportunities and the training and skill development needed to build lifelong careers," said Sam Pillar, CEO and co-founder of Jobber. "Our salary guides are just one of the ways Jobber is helping to equip home service businesses with the resources and tools they need to compete with large organizations and achieve success."
 

Here is how HVAC compares to other industries in regards to hourly rates:

  • Handyman: $24.30
  • Electrician: $23.00
  • Plumber: $22.64
  • HVAC Technician: $20.29
  • Roofer: $17.95
  • Painter: $17.00
  • Landscaper: $14.62
  • Cleaner: $12.58
     

For more information, check out all the salary guide data.