National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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HVAC Technicians earn a national median of $57,620/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Real Estate Agents earn 7% more nationally. The gap is $3,860 per year — or $322 per month.
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HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$3,860
Real Estate Agents earn 7% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $43,754.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs HVAC Technicians
Florida+$9,860
California+$8,860
Colorado+$7,860
Maryland+$7,860
New York+$7,860
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Real Estate Agents
Alaska+$10,140
West Virginia+$6,140
Wyoming+$6,140
Illinois+$4,140
Mississippi+$4,140
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Real Estate Agents earn more nationally. The median annual salary for HVAC Technicians is $57,620 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $3,860 per year or $322 per month.
The national median salary gap between HVAC Technicians and Real Estate Agents is $3,860 per year. Real Estate Agents earn 7% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $43,754.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Hawaii pays HVAC Technicians the highest median salary at $74,620 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 per year.
Salary is one factor — Real Estate Agents earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers and Real Estate Sales Agents both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, HVAC Technicians earn approximately $28 per hour nationally and Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
