How Much Do HVAC Technicians Make in North Carolina?
HVAC mechanics and installers in North Carolina earned a median of $57,260 a year in May 2025, or $27.53 an hour, according to BLS. The bottom 10% earned under $37,780 and the top 10% earned more than $77,160. Charlotte has the highest metro median at $59,840, and schools like Central Piedmont Community College and Gaston College train students in that area.
If you’re thinking about HVAC as a second career in North Carolina, pay is probably the first number you want. Here it is, straight from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey for May 2025, along with what the range looks like, how it changes from Charlotte to the coast, and where you can train near the better-paying areas.
North Carolina HVAC Pay by the Numbers
BLS reports pay for “heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers,” which covers service techs, installers and refrigeration mechanics. For North Carolina in May 2025:
| Pay level | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,780 |
| 25th percentile | $46,830 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $57,260 |
| Mean (average) | $57,400 |
| 75th percentile | $64,310 |
| 90th percentile | $77,160 |
The median hourly wage was $27.53. BLS counted 15,230 people working in the job statewide.
How to read this table: the median is the middle worker, so half of North Carolina HVAC techs earned more than $57,260 and half earned less. The 10th percentile is a fair stand-in for what many new techs start near, and the 90th percentile shows what experienced techs, lead installers and specialists can reach.
How North Carolina Compares With National HVAC Pay
Nationally, HVAC mechanics and installers earned a median of $61,010 in May 2025, or $29.33 an hour, across 409,670 jobs. North Carolina’s median of $57,260 sits a little below that.
The gap is wider at the top. The national 90th percentile was $95,210, while North Carolina’s was $77,160. At the entry end, the two are closer: $37,780 in North Carolina against $40,050 nationally.
Keep living costs in mind when you read these comparisons. BLS pay figures aren’t adjusted for rent or housing, so a slightly lower paycheck in a lower-cost part of the state can go just as far. For a broader view of pay across states, see the HVAC technician salary guide.
Pay by Metro Area Across North Carolina
Where you work inside the state changes your likely pay more than you might expect. Here are the BLS medians for every metro area in North Carolina’s data, highest to lowest:
| Metro area | Median pay | 10th percentile | 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $59,840 | $40,110 | $79,210 | 3,860 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (VA-NC) | $59,470 | $39,220 | $76,960 | 2,840 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $59,180 | $39,560 | $77,360 | 750 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $58,900 | $39,160 | $77,830 | 2,550 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $58,520 | $38,010 | $76,380 | 1,170 |
| Asheville | $58,120 | $43,520 | $75,980 | 660 |
| Fayetteville | $56,220 | $36,810 | $72,810 | 490 |
| Rocky Mount | $55,690 | $37,940 | $70,980 | 150 |
| Winston-Salem | $55,360 | $37,770 | $74,610 | 700 |
| Greenville | $53,160 | $36,830 | $72,630 | 220 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $52,580 | $36,460 | $63,610 | 160 |
| Burlington | $52,450 | $37,490 | $73,940 | 280 |
| Goldsboro | $51,540 | $35,860 | $70,970 | 160 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $50,300 | $36,880 | $73,240 | 300 |
| Wilmington | $49,860 | $37,080 | $73,270 | 710 |
| Jacksonville | $48,570 | $34,760 | $71,480 | 210 |
Three patterns are worth noticing:
- The big Piedmont metros lead. Charlotte, Durham-Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Greensboro all have medians near the top of the list, and together they hold most of the state’s HVAC jobs.
- Asheville has the strongest floor. Its 10th percentile of $43,520 is the highest entry-level figure of any North Carolina metro, even though its median trails Charlotte’s.
- The coast pays less at the median. Wilmington and Jacksonville sit at the bottom, though their 90th percentiles still reach $73,270 and $71,480.
Where to Train Near the Better-Paying Metros
If you plan to work in one of the higher-paying metros, training close by helps you build contacts with local contractors while you study.
Charlotte Area
Central Piedmont Community College offers an associate degree whose advanced courses cover load design, balanced air-side design for ducts, and fuel gas codes. West of the city, Gaston College in Dallas runs a one-year diploma with day and night classes, plus cooling, heating and heat pump certificates. Gaston conferred 49 HVAC awards in 2024-25. The Charlotte HVAC schools page lists 12 programs within 60 miles.
Raleigh and the Triangle
Wake Technical Community College conferred 168 HVAC awards in 2024-25, the most in the state. It splits its AAS into commercial A/C, building automation and commercial refrigeration tracks, which line up with the commercial work common in a large metro. Miller-Motte College’s Raleigh campus runs a 10-month hybrid certificate with starts every 5 weeks.
Greensboro and the Triad
Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown was the first program in North Carolina accredited by HVAC Excellence. It offers a degree, a diploma and a preventive maintenance technician certificate.
Asheville
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College offers its AHR courses online or in evening in-person sections, and covers EPA refrigerant certification in course AHR-160. That schedule suits someone who needs to keep a day job while training.
Training in the Mid-Size and Smaller Metros
Not everyone lives near Charlotte or Raleigh, and you don’t have to. The mid-size metros have fewer HVAC jobs, but they also have local colleges with busy programs, and their 90th percentiles mostly land between $70,970 and $74,610.
- Fayetteville (median $56,220). Fayetteville Technical Community College conferred 76 HVAC awards in 2024-25 and offers a 67-credit AAS over 5 semesters, a diploma and a basic certificate. Its curriculum includes heat pumps, controls and building automation.
- Winston-Salem (median $55,360). Forsyth Technical Community College runs a one-year day diploma and a part-time evening comfort systems certificate, so you can keep working while you train.
- Greenville (median $53,160). Pitt Community College in Winterville lets students pick up diplomas and certificates along the way to the AAS, which means you can start earning with a shorter credential and keep going.
- Goldsboro (median $51,540). Wayne Community College offers a diploma plus comfort cooling, heat pump and heating certificates, and builds EPA 608 preparation into the program.
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton (median $50,300). Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory offers an associate degree covering heat pumps, geothermal systems, controls and building automation.
If you plan to stay in a smaller market, it can make sense to pick a program with commercial or controls coursework. Those skills travel well, and they give you the option of moving to a larger metro later without going back to school.
What Moves You Up the Pay Range
The spread between $37,780 and $77,160 is large, and a few things tend to separate the two ends:
- Certifications. You need EPA Section 608 certification to buy and handle refrigerants. Several North Carolina programs build it in, including Sampson, Wayne, Wilson and Vance-Granville community colleges. The EPA 608 certification guide explains the four exam types.
- Commercial and controls skills. Programs with building automation or commercial refrigeration tracks, like Wake Tech’s AAS or Johnston Community College’s commercial building automation certificate, prepare you for larger systems.
- Experience on the job. Many techs start as helpers or apprentices. Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington runs HVAC apprenticeships with four named local contractors. The HVAC apprenticeship guide explains how those arrangements work.
- Moving into a higher-paying metro. As the table shows, the same job can pay more in Charlotte than in Hickory.
For more on the different roles inside the trade, see the HVAC careers guide.
Weighing Pay Against the Cost of Training
North Carolina’s community colleges keep training costs low. In-state tuition and fees for a full-time year (2024-25) start at $1,944 at Vance-Granville Community College, and Wake Tech charges $2,254. Compared with a median salary of $57,260, a year of community college is a modest investment.
For a school-by-school breakdown of tuition, books and private program prices, read how much HVAC school costs in North Carolina. If heat pump work interests you, the post on North Carolina programs that teach heat pumps covers the schools with heat pump certificates.
To see all 39 programs in the state, go to the North Carolina HVAC schools page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Hourly Pay for HVAC Technicians in North Carolina?
The median hourly wage for HVAC mechanics and installers in North Carolina was $27.53 in May 2025, according to BLS. The national median was $29.33 an hour.
How Many HVAC Technicians Work in North Carolina?
BLS counted 15,230 HVAC mechanics and installers employed in North Carolina in May 2025. The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro alone accounted for 3,860, and Raleigh-Cary for 2,550.
Which North Carolina City Pays HVAC Technicians the Least?
Among North Carolina metros in the BLS data, Jacksonville had the lowest median at $48,570, followed by Wilmington at $49,860. Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville and Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington both train HVAC students locally.
Do Top HVAC Earners in North Carolina Make Six Figures?
Not at the 90th percentile. The top 10% of North Carolina HVAC mechanics and installers earned more than $77,160 in May 2025, compared with $95,210 at the 90th percentile nationally.
More HVAC Guides
All posts
North Carolina · Cost
How Much Does HVAC School Cost in North Carolina?
North Carolina community colleges charge $1,944 to $4,112 a year in-state for HVAC. Private 10-month programs list $18,790 to $23,400 for the whole program.
North Carolina · Training
Which North Carolina HVAC Programs Teach Heat Pumps?
21 North Carolina HVAC programs teach heat pumps, and six colleges offer a dedicated heat pump certificate. Compare schools, costs and schedules.
Florida · Salary
How Much Do HVAC Technicians Make in Florida?
Florida HVAC technicians earn a median $56,670 a year ($27.24 an hour), per BLS May 2025. Pay ranges for all 22 Florida metros, Naples to Sebring.