How Much Do HVAC Technicians Make in Ohio?

Ohio pays HVAC technicians above the national median, and its top earners clear nearly six figures statewide and more than that in Columbus. Just as useful: the pay is remarkably even across the state’s big metros, so you don’t have to move to earn a good wage.

Every figure below comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers.

Ohio vs the National Median

Two things stand out. The Ohio median beats the national one, and so does the 90th percentile. But the 10th percentile is a bit lower than the national figure. In plain terms: the first year or two can start lean, and the ceiling is higher than average once you have experience.

The full Ohio range looks like this: $38,630 at the 10th percentile, $48,410 at the 25th, $62,510 at the median, $78,190 at the 75th and $98,310 at the 90th. The mean is $66,000.

HVAC Pay in Every Ohio Metro

Columbus leads on every measure: highest median, highest 90th percentile and the most jobs. Right behind it, six metros from Cleveland to Cincinnati sit within a few hundred dollars of each other. Pay drops the most in the Ohio River metros shared with West Virginia and Kentucky.

The Three Big Job Markets

Most Ohio HVAC jobs are in three metros. Here is what each pays and where to train close by.

Columbus: 3,000 Jobs, $64,440 Median

Columbus State Community College offers a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Technology AAS plus five certificates: controls, high pressure boiler license training, large commercial, residential and light commercial, and test and balance. Four courses prepare students for the State of Ohio High Pressure Boiler Operators License exam. In Groveport, Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools runs a 900-hour day program with work-based learning. Fortis College’s campus in Westerville conferred 52 HVAC awards in 2024-25, and C-TEC of Licking County in Newark runs a one-year, 900-hour day program with open admission and multiple start dates. See all programs near Columbus.

Cincinnati: 2,950 Jobs, $62,240 Median

Great Oaks Career Campuses runs a 600-hour evening program, September through May, covering ductless and VRF systems, hydronics and boiler installation alongside residential heating and cooling. Fortis College also has a Cincinnati campus with an HVACR diploma. North of the city, Butler Tech in Monroe runs a full-time evening cohort from March 1, 2027 to February 2, 2028, and trains students for EPA 608, A2L, OSHA 30 and the Industry Competency Exam. Warren County Career Center in Lebanon runs a 600-hour evening program of about 10 months that leads to EPA 608 Universal and OSHA 10 construction safety certification. See programs near Cincinnati.

Cleveland: 2,610 Jobs, $62,790 Median

Polaris Career Center in Middleburg Heights conferred 61 HVAC awards in 2024-25, tied for the most in Ohio. Its 600-hour program takes about 20 weeks of day classes or 35 weeks of evening classes, and students can earn EPA 608 Universal, OSHA 10 and a NATE HVAC Support Technician credential. Cuyahoga Community College teaches HVAC service through a union Sheet Metal Service certificate open only to registered apprentices. See programs near Cleveland.

Mid-Size Metros Pay Nearly as Well

Dayton ($62,500), Toledo ($62,460) and Akron ($61,090) all post medians close to Columbus and Cleveland, and their 90th percentiles run from $96,620 to $99,740. Toledo’s top 10% earn more than $99,740, second only to Columbus.

• Dayton: Sinclair Community College offers a light commercial and residential service certificate aimed at sites like convenience stores, restaurants and strip malls. Students may become certified refrigerant handlers under EPA Section 608, and electives include NCCER HVAC and sheet metal modules.
• Toledo area: Owens Community College in Perrysburg lets certificate students specialize in chiller operations, commercial refrigeration, control systems or building energy management. Stautzenberger College in Maumee offers a 10-month diploma.
• Akron area: Portage Lakes Career Center in Uniontown runs a 600-hour evening program, and graduates can pursue licensure through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board.
• Springfield: The median is $62,670, but only 80 people work in the occupation there. Clark State College offers a 61-credit associate degree with three embedded certificates.

Smaller Metros and Rural Ohio

Outside the big three, the job pools are smaller, but pay in several of them stays close to the state median.

Youngstown-Warren and Canton-Massillon. Youngstown-Warren’s median is $61,260 and Canton-Massillon’s is $58,910, with 370 and 420 workers. Stark State College in North Canton offers an AAS and four stackable certificates, and its testing center gives the EPA Section 608 exam for $40 and ICE industry competency exams for $50 each.

Sandusky and Mansfield. Sandusky’s median is $61,040 and Mansfield’s is $59,010. EHOVE Career Center in Milan lists NCCER Core, NCCER HVAC Levels 1-3, EPA 608 Universal and OSHA 10 among its certifications.

Southern Ohio. Huntington-Ashland, which reaches into the southern tip of Ohio, has the lowest median in the data at $48,860 across 360 workers. Collins Career Technical Center in South Point runs a 900-hour evening program, Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m., with an optional second year. Buckeye Hills Career Center in Rio Grande combines HVAC-R with basic plumbing and electrical training over 39 weeks of evening classes, which can widen the kind of work you can take on in a smaller market.

Earning While You Learn

If going without a paycheck for a year isn’t realistic, Ohio has registered apprenticeship options. Apollo Career Center in Lima runs an HVAC apprenticeship certified by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council that pairs 604 classroom hours with 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. Classes meet two nights a week, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., from September to May, and include an EPA 608 prep class.

Lima’s median of $60,950 is close to the big metros, though its 90th percentile ($77,530) is lower. The HVAC apprenticeship guide explains how registered apprenticeships and pay progression work.

Skills Tied to Higher-Paying Work

BLS doesn’t break pay down by specialty. What you can control is which systems you learn to service, and commercial equipment such as controls, boilers, chillers and refrigeration takes extra training. Ohio programs that teach it include Columbus State (controls, test and balance, high pressure boiler), Owens (chillers and building energy management) and Butler Tech in Monroe, which covers residential and commercial refrigeration, including ice machines and walk-in coolers.

Before any of that, you need EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant. Most Ohio programs prepare you for it, and the EPA 608 certification guide explains the exam.

To compare what training costs against these wages, see the Ohio HVAC school cost guide and the Ohio career center vs community college comparison. For how Ohio stacks up with other states, read the national HVAC technician salary guide, or browse every program in the Ohio HVAC school guide.

More HVAC Guides

All posts →

Ohio · Certificates and Degrees

Ohio Career Center HVAC Programs vs Community Colleges

Ohio adult career centers teach HVAC in 600 to 900 clock hours, mostly at night. Compare credentials, schedules and cost with Ohio community colleges.

Ohio · Cost

How Much Does HVAC School Cost in Ohio?

Ohio HVAC training costs $4,680 to $10,716 at adult career centers, $3,675 to $5,870 a year at colleges, and $11,534 to $16,699 a year at private schools.

New York · Salary

How Much Do HVAC Technicians Make in New York?

New York HVAC technicians earn a median $74,430 a year ($35.78 an hour), per May 2025 BLS data. Compare New York City with Syracuse, Albany, Buffalo and more.