How much do hvac technicians make in Texas in 2026?

The median HVAC Technician in Texas earns $57,760 per year, which works out to roughly $27.77 per hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. That number sits in the middle of the pack — half of Texas HVAC techs earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working in a lower-cost market, expect to land closer to the 25th percentile at $46,800 per year ($22.50/hr). Experienced techs in high-demand metros are clearing $69,860 per year ($33.59/hr) at the 75th percentile. All figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

The $23,060 spread between the 25th and 75th percentile tells you something important: where you land on that range matters more than the median alone. Experience, certifications, and geography are the biggest levers.

Texas is one of the largest markets for HVAC work in the country, and for good reason. The climate runs hot for a long stretch of the year, residential and commercial cooling loads are heavy, and the construction market has been consistently active across major metros. That volume of work keeps demand for qualified techs steady. Cities like Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin all have large populations of commercial and residential systems that need installation, maintenance, and repair year-round.

Pay tends to track with the type of work you do. Residential service techs handle split systems, heat pumps, and furnaces — straightforward work that pays toward the lower half of the range. Commercial HVAC techs who work on rooftop units, chillers, VAV systems, and building automation controls typically earn more, often pushing into or above the 75th percentile. Industrial HVAC and refrigeration work can pay even higher, though those roles are less common.

Certifications directly affect your earning power. An EPA 608 Universal certification is the baseline — you can't legally handle refrigerants without it. From there, NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certifications are widely recognized by employers and can justify higher pay offers. Techs who hold multiple NATE specialty certificates or manufacturer-specific credentials for brands like Carrier, Trane, or Lennox often command premium wages on service calls and installations.

Overtime is a real factor in Texas HVAC pay. Summer demand spikes — particularly during heat waves — drive long hours from June through September. A tech earning $27.77/hr base who logs 10 hours of overtime per week during a four-month summer stretch adds meaningful dollars to the annual total. It's not uncommon for active techs to earn significantly more than their base rate implies when seasonal overtime is factored in.

Business ownership is the highest-earning path in this trade. Many Texas HVAC techs who reach the journeyman or senior tech level eventually start their own operations — either as sole proprietors doing residential service or as small contractors handling light commercial work. At that stage, earnings are no longer capped by an hourly rate.

No union wage scale is available for HVAC Technicians in Texas at this time. Texas is a right-to-work state, and union density in the HVAC trade here is lower than in states like Illinois, New York, or California. Most compensation is negotiated directly between employer and employee, which means your ability to document skills and certifications has a direct impact on your starting offer and raise trajectory.

The entry point into this trade — typically through a 2-year apprenticeship or a trade school program followed by on-the-job training — is relatively accessible compared to the earning potential on the back end. A tech who invests in certifications and gains 5–10 years of hands-on experience in commercial systems is well-positioned to reach or exceed the 75th percentile figure of $69,860 per year ($33.59/hr) in the Texas market.