HVAC Technician Salary in California

$35/hr

California HVAC employee wages help you weigh service duties, equipment knowledge and working hours when comparing job offers.

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What HVAC Technicians Earn in California

California HVAC employee wages span $22.57–$52.44/hr, with published annual earnings of $46,950–$109,060 a year. The work includes installing, maintaining and repairing heating, cooling and refrigeration equipment. Match an offer to the systems you will handle and the schedule you will cover. Premium pay and benefits sit outside these figures. Ask for those terms separately. Write down how dispatch, required preparation and travel between assigned jobs enter paid hours.

Hourly rates by level in California

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.57–$28.02/hr
▲ 11.12% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.02–$43.65/hr
▲ 11.12% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$43.65–$52.44/hr
▲ 11.12% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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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 Technician
California · Day Shift
Base rate$35.84
+ UA Local 250 HVACR Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$5.76
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.43
+ Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator$0.12
Effective hourly$43.15
Straight · 40 hrs$1,726
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$518
Weekly gross$2,244
Annualised · 50 weeks
$112,177
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national sector medians describe different HVAC workplaces. Compare them with California job offers that clearly specify equipment, paid travel arrangements and emergency coverage.

01 / 03$28.88/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Installation and service crews move between customer systems. Ask how the employer schedules California service territories, replacement projects and return visits. Discuss who supports diagnosis when unfamiliar controls interrupt a scheduled repair.

+ Varied equipment
+ Installation practice
– Changing sites
– Dispatch demands
02 / 03$31.11/hr

Industrial Equipment Repair

Commercial refrigeration repairs put fault diagnosis beside equipment maintenance. Discuss the machinery involved, access to technical support and responsibility for restoring operation. Identify whether the role concentrates on commercial refrigeration or other industrial machinery.

+ Diagnostic practice
+ Equipment specialization
– Outage pressure
– Specialized systems
03 / 03$38.15/hr

Local Government

Public building maintenance centers on keeping installed HVAC systems operating. Ask which facilities the job covers and how emergency callouts are assigned. Request the equipment list so you can judge how your control and maintenance experience fits.

+ Familiar systems
+ Maintenance planning
– Facility restrictions
– Callout coverage

Which states pay hvac technicians 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. 01Californiathis page$34.88/hr
  2. 02Virginia$28.72/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
UA Local 250 HVACR Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$5.76$11,981$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.43$2,974$1593 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.48$998$594 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.12$250$5913 weeks
CSLB Contractor License (C-20) - HVAC+$1.33$2,766$72914 weeks
EPA Section 608 Universal Technician Certification+$0.10$208$8522 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $34.88/hr.

40 hr week
$1,395
No OT
50 hr week
$1,918
+$26,160/yr
60 hr week
$2,442
+$52,320/yr
70 hr week
$2,965
+$78,480/yr

Questions workers ask

Do public works HVAC jobs pay prevailing wage?▾
Yes. Workers on California public works projects must receive the prevailing wage set by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations for the type of work and project location. Ask which DIR classification and county rate apply to your assignment.
Must I supply my own HVAC tools?▾
No, unless you earn at least twice the $16.90/hr state minimum wage. Under IWC Wage Order 16, employers provide and maintain required tools. Employees above that pay level may be asked to supply hand tools customarily required by the trade.
When does overtime usually start?▾
For covered nonexempt employees, IWC Wage Order 16, enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner, generally requires overtime after eight daily or 40 weekly hours. Qualifying alternative schedules and collective agreements have exceptions. Keep records of required preparation, service work and assigned travel so payroll questions concern the hours actually worked.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, SOC 49-9021; excludes premium pay, benefits and self-employment.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.