Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $72,560 | $62,937 | +15% |
| Median hourly wage | $34.88 | $30.26 | +15% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $65,547.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a HVAC Technician in California is $72,560, or about $34.88 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for HVAC Technicians is $62,937. California is +15% above the national median.
Entry-level hvac technicians in California typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 35,130 hvac technician jobs on record and a median salary of $72,560, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, hvac technicians rank 386 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 51% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers at $129,040, Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay at $121,520, Watch and Clock Repairers at $110,050 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, hvac technicians rank 386 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 51% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $129,040 | $8,930 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $121,520 | $1,680 |
| Watch and Clock Repairers | $110,050 | — |
| Commercial Divers | $101,540 | $310 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $100,260 | $4,310 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $97,980 | $8,810 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.