Best US States for HVAC Technicians
All 50 states + DC ranked by HVAC Technician salary. State tax structure noted for take-home math.
| # | State | Estimated salary | Cost mult. | State tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $62,900 | 1.13× | ~5% effective |
| 2 | Maryland | $60,900 | 1.08× | ~5% effective |
| 3 | Alaska | $60,100 | 1.13× | No state tax |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $59,300 | 1.20× | ~5% effective |
| 5 | Washington | $58,900 | 1.10× | No state tax |
| 6 | California | $58,600 | 1.18× | ~5% effective |
| 7 | Nevada | $58,500 | 1.02× | No state tax |
| 8 | Illinois | $57,700 | 1.00× | ~5% effective |
| 9 | Hawaii | $57,500 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 10 | New York | $57,500 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| # | State | Salary | After state tax (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $62,900 | $46,137 |
| 2 | Maryland | $60,900 | $44,670 |
| 3 | Alaska | $60,100 | $47,088 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $59,300 | $43,497 |
| 5 | Washington | $58,900 | $46,148 |
| 6 | California | $58,600 | $42,983 |
| 7 | Nevada | $58,500 | $45,835 |
| 8 | Illinois | $57,700 | $42,323 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $57,500 | $42,176 |
| 10 | New York | $57,500 | $42,176 |
| 11 | Colorado | $57,000 | $41,810 |
| 12 | Oregon | $57,000 | $41,810 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $56,400 | $41,369 |
| 14 | Virginia | $56,300 | $41,296 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $55,600 | $40,783 |
| 16 | Florida | $55,100 | $43,171 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $54,500 | $39,976 |
| 18 | Indiana | $54,100 | $39,682 |
| 19 | Texas | $54,000 | $42,309 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $53,800 | $42,152 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $53,100 | $38,949 |
| 22 | Georgia | $52,800 | $38,729 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $52,800 | $38,729 |
| 24 | Idaho | $52,500 | $38,509 |
| 25 | Michigan | $52,500 | $38,509 |
| 26 | Arizona | $52,000 | $38,142 |
| 27 | Delaware | $52,000 | $38,142 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $52,000 | $38,142 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $52,000 | $38,142 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $52,000 | $40,742 |
| 31 | Kansas | $51,600 | $37,849 |
| 32 | Ohio | $51,600 | $37,849 |
| 33 | Vermont | $51,600 | $37,849 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $51,300 | $37,629 |
| 35 | Missouri | $51,300 | $37,629 |
| 36 | Maine | $50,900 | $37,335 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $50,900 | $37,335 |
| 38 | Utah | $50,900 | $37,335 |
| 39 | Alabama | $50,500 | $37,042 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $50,500 | $37,042 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $50,500 | $37,042 |
| 42 | Montana | $49,500 | $36,308 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $49,500 | $36,308 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $49,500 | $38,783 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $49,100 | $36,015 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $48,700 | $35,721 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $48,700 | $38,156 |
| 48 | Iowa | $48,400 | $35,501 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $46,900 | $34,401 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $46,900 | $34,401 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,200 | $33,888 |
What moves with you and what does not
State lines matter more for HVAC Technician than for most occupations, because the work requires EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification federally required; many states add a license. A license is issued by one state and recognized by others only where a reciprocity agreement exists. Before treating any state on this list as reachable, check what its board requires of an out-of-state HVAC Technician — the answer ranges from a form to a full re-examination.
Tax and what the numbers are worth
Income tax reshuffles this ranking. Alaska, Washington, Nevada appear in the top ten and levy no state income tax, so the gross figures understate take-home there by roughly 3–6% relative to a taxing state at the same salary. Against a high-tax state, that is worth several thousand dollars a year at this occupation's median of $52,000.
No state funds itself on nothing. The income-tax advantage in these states typically shows up again as higher property or sales tax, which changes the calculation depending on whether you rent, own, and how much you spend.
The spread from Mississippi ($46,200) to New Jersey ($62,900) is 36%. Cost of living explains most of it — a state paying 25% above the national median for this role usually costs proportionally more to live in, which is why cost-adjusted rankings look different from nominal ones.
Where the field is heading
Nationally, HVAC Technician employment is projected to grow — 9% through 2034, with roughly 38,700 openings a year counting replacements. Growth is rarely evenly distributed: states with the industry concentration driving that growth will feel it first, and the ranking above is a reasonable proxy for where.
Salaries are modelled from BLS national medians adjusted for local price level at a wage elasticity below 1 — pay rises with local costs but not proportionally. See our methodology.