How much does an HVAC technician charge per hour in Pennsylvania?
Typical HVAC technician rate, Pennsylvania
$74/hr
Most HVAC technicians in Pennsylvania charge $60 to $88 an hour. A full 8-hour day runs about $592.
Updated October 2026 · Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
How we got $74
| Median HVAC technician wage in Pennsylvania | $30.00 |
|---|---|
| × 1.4 payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance | $42.00 |
| ÷ 0.8 for hours nobody gets billed (driving, supply runs, estimates) | $52.50 |
| × 1.4 overhead (truck, tools, office) and profit | $73.50 |
| Typical rate | $74/hr |
What HVAC technicians earn in Pennsylvania
| Pay level | Wage | Charges about |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $22.10 | $54/hr |
| 25th percentile | $24.44 | $60/hr |
| Median (middle) | $30.00 | $74/hr |
| 75th percentile | $35.88 | $88/hr |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $43.00 | $105/hr |
15,880 HVAC technicians work in Pennsylvania. The middle earner makes $62,400 a year. Wages are from the BLS Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers category.
How Pennsylvania compares
Pennsylvania HVAC technicians earn 2% above the U.S., ranking #20 of 51 states for HVAC technician pay (#1 pays the most). The typical U.S. rate is $72 an hour.
| State | Typical | Most charge |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $88/hr | $67 to $114 |
| New York | $88/hr | $70 to $104 |
| Pennsylvania | $74/hr | $60 to $88 |
| United States | $72/hr | $57 to $91 |
What drives HVAC technician prices
HVAC work splits into service calls (diagnosis and repairs, billed by the hour or a flat call fee) and installs (priced by the job). Handling refrigerant requires EPA Section 608 certification, and many states license HVAC contractors.
Common questions
How much does an HVAC technician charge per hour in Pennsylvania?
Most HVAC technicians in Pennsylvania charge between $60 and $88 an hour, and about $74 is typical. A full 8-hour day runs about $592. These are estimates built from what HVAC technicians earn in Pennsylvania (a median of $30.00 an hour, BLS May 2025), not quotes.
Why do HVAC technicians charge so much more than they earn?
The wage is only part of the cost. On top of $30.00 an hour, the employer pays payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance (about $42.00 in total), loses paid hours to driving, supply runs and estimates that nobody is billed for (about $52.50 per billed hour), and has to cover the truck, tools, office and a profit. That's how $30.00 becomes about $74.
What's the lowest rate an HVAC technician in Pennsylvania can charge without losing money?
About $53 an hour for an HVAC technician paid the Pennsylvania median. That covers pay, payroll taxes, insurance and unbilled time, but nothing for the truck, tools, office or profit, so a rate below it loses money on every hour.
Other trades in Pennsylvania
Rates are BidFlow estimates, not quotes. Each starts with the May 2025 wage from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, then multiplies by 1.4 for payroll taxes and insurance, divides by 0.8 for hours that can't be billed, and multiplies by 1.4 for overhead and profit. Updated October 2026. How we calculate
Stop guessing on your next bid
BidFlow turns your job description into a professional estimate in seconds. Try it free for 14 days. No credit card required.