Silicon Valley’s Bet on the Trades Could Be Good for HVACR

The attention is welcome, as the HVACR industry needs more people entering the field. But if these recruitment efforts are going to succeed, they must avoid overselling the opportunity. Too often, the spotlight is on exceptional earners while glossing over the realities of the job. 

For example, earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal profiled a senior master technician at a Ford automotive dealership who reportedly earned about $160,000 in 2025 — a salary that would make many American workers envious. Yet despite this tantalizing figure, Ford still has thousands of technician jobs open, with CEO Jim Farley saying there are roughly 5,000 unfilled positions that can pay up to $120,000 annually. So why aren’t more people rushing into these roles? 

The reason is simple: those eye-catching paychecks are not typical. According to the Journal, Ford technicians typically spend years mastering increasingly complex technical skills — all while investing tens of thousands of dollars in their own tools — before ever approaching that level of pay. The technician profiled in the article worked at the dealership for a decade before earning $100,000 annually and only reached $160,000 after taking on supervisory responsibilities. Meanwhile, median pay for dealership technicians in the U.S. is about $59,000. 

The HVACR industry faces a similar challenge. According to U.S. labor data, the median annual wage for HVACR mechanics and installers was about $59,810 in May 2024. Other salary surveys paint a similar picture: HVACR technicians nationwide tend to earn between roughly $46,000 and $81,000, with averages ranging between $58,000 and $72,000. Entry-level technicians often start significantly lower, while experience, location, and specialization can push wages toward the upper end of that range — but six-figure pay is rare without supervisory roles, overtime, or business ownership. 

Indeed, on a Reddit thread discussing the WSJ mechanic article, commenters who work in the automotive trades highlighted that flat-rate pay systems, inconsistent work, and upfront tool costs make the high earning potential feel deceptive. One user even said that starting salaries often look more like fast food wages until more experience is gained — a comment that has been made about the HVACR industry as well. 

Like automotive service, HVACR remains a solid middle‑class career, and interest in the field continues to grow. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC), an estimated 25,971 students were enrolled in two‑year HVACR associate degree programs in spring 2025 — a nearly 29% increase over spring 2024. 

The enrollment jump may reflect a broader shift in how young people view postsecondary education. As concerns about student debt and the return on investment of a four-year degree persist, more students are turning to skilled trades programs that offer a faster path into the workforce. But increased enrollment doesn’t erase the realities many new technicians encounter once they enter the workforce: modest starting wages, limited paid training, and earnings growth that often comes only after years of experience and additional responsibilities.  

For contractors struggling to fill open positions, attracting students is only part of the challenge. Retaining new workers may prove more difficult when entry-level technicians can earn comparable — or even higher — wages in fast food or retail without the same physical demands, on-call schedules, or exposure to harsh weather conditions. 

That is why Silicon Valley’s interest in the trades could prove valuable — not simply because it could attract more people to HVACR, but because it may shine a spotlight on the factors that determine whether they stay.  

Filling classrooms with new techs is only the first step. Retaining workers requires competitive pay, meaningful training opportunities, and clear advancement opportunities.