HVAC Apprentice Salary
HVAC has one of the shortest runways in the trades, and pay reflects it: a short certificate plus EPA 608 moves you from helper wages to installer or service wages faster than most trades. The figures below are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the occupation overall.
| Stage | Timeline | Pay at this stage |
|---|---|---|
| Install helper | Months 0–12 | Entry wage, near the bottom of the range |
| Maintenance / PM technician | Year 1–2, after EPA 608 | Rising toward the median |
| Service technician | Years 2–5 | At or above the median of $59,810, often with commission |
| Lead tech, commercial/controls specialist or service manager | 5+ years | Top of the range — the top 10% clear $91,020 |
How the wage is set
HVAC has the shortest runway of the major trades: a 6–12 month certificate plus EPA 608 can put you in a truck as an installer or maintenance tech, and service techs often add commission on top of hourly pay.
- Median pay, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- $59,810 / year
- Hourly equivalent
- $28.75 / hour
- Bottom of the range
- Lowest 10% earn under $39,130
- Top of the range
- Top 10% earn over $91,020
Wage figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook national data for May 2024. Job-opening and growth figures are BLS projections for 2024–2034. Pay in the Dallas–Fort Worth market varies by employer, union agreement and overtime.