HVAC Helper Salary in Virginia

$19/hr

Compare Virginia helper wage ranges across HVAC support duties, supervised experience and three broader national industry benchmarks for evaluating offers.

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What HVAC Helpers Earn in Virginia

Virginia employee wages span $14.62–$27.24/hr, with published annual earnings of $30,410–$56,660 a year. BLS groups HVAC helpers with other installation, maintenance and repair helpers. These figures describe that broader workforce, including support roles outside heating and cooling. Match an offer to equipment handling, installation assistance and service support duties. The experience bands organize wage comparisons and do not confer Virginia tradesman licenses or set registered apprenticeship pay schedules.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$14.62–$16.71/hr
▲ 2.8% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$16.71–$22.99/hr
▲ 2.8% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$22.99–$27.24/hr
▲ 2.8% from last year

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman HVAC Helper
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$19.85
+ Virginia DPOR Residential HVAC Tradesman License$2.21
+ UA Local 10 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$3.60
+ Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator$0.03
Effective hourly$25.69
Straight · 40 hrs$1,028
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$308
Weekly gross$1,336
Annualised · 50 weeks
$66,794
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

For Virginia job searches, these national helper benchmarks distinguish HVAC contracting, commercial building projects and duct cleaning. Each covers a broader industry beyond HVAC.

01 / 03$19.17/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Heating and cooling contractors install and service building systems. Ask prospective employers which helper tasks involve equipment moves, ductwork or service preparation. Discuss who supplies tools and how daily assignments are arranged.

+ HVAC exposure
+ Installation practice
– Changing sites
– Heavy equipment
02 / 03$21.43/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building employers coordinate HVAC support with other construction work. Discuss delivery windows and supervision when comparing commercial project assignments. Clarify whether work continues when one building project is finished.

+ Larger projects
+ Team coordination
– Trade interfaces
– Schedule pressure
03 / 03$19.01/hr

Building and Dwelling Services

Duct cleaning falls within this broad service group. For cleaning openings, distinguish cleaning support from licensed HVAC installation and refrigerant servicing. Ask which cleaning equipment you will handle and who trains you.

+ Cleaning experience
+ Varied buildings
– Broad duties
– Limited installation

Which states pay hvac helpers the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$21.48/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$18.70/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
Virginia DPOR Residential HVAC Tradesman License+$2.21$4,597$2724 weeks
UA Local 10 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$3.60$7,488$1,1008 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.14$291$5911 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.03$62$5950 weeks
American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED+$0.05$104$10251 weeks
EPA Section 608 Universal Technician Certification+$0.06$125$17573 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $18.70/hr.

40 hr week
$748
No OT
50 hr week
$1,029
+$14,025/yr
60 hr week
$1,309
+$28,050/yr
70 hr week
$1,590
+$42,075/yr

Questions workers ask

Can I earn from my own HVAC side jobs as a helper?▾
No. Virginia's helper exemption covers only work supervised by a licensed HVAC tradesman, and DPOR's Board for Contractors also requires a contractor license once a job tops $1,000.
Can I carry apprenticeship progress to a new HVAC employer?▾
Yes, if you stay in the same occupation and both sponsors agree. Virginia Works standards require a transcript of your related instruction and on-the-job learning, plus a new apprenticeship agreement with the new sponsor. Ask how your recorded hours map to its wage schedule.
Where can I take an unpaid overtime concern?▾
Virginia DOLI accepts wage complaints and enforces overtime earned from July 1, 2026. Earlier overtime concerns go to federal Wage and Hour or private litigation. Keep weekly time records and pay statements. Covered nonexempt workers generally receive overtime after 40 hours in a workweek.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, SOC 49-9098; broader installation/maintenance/repair helpers, including HVAC helpers, with premium pay and benefits excluded.

Last updated October 27, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.