National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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HVAC Technicians earn a national median of $57,620/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. HVAC Technicians earn 17% more nationally. The gap is $9,630 per year — or $803 per month.
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HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,630
HVAC Technicians earn 17% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $109,159.
Best states for Welders
vs HVAC Technicians
North Dakota+$6,370
Louisiana+$2,370
Wyoming+$2,370
Montana+$-1,630
Oklahoma+$-1,630
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Welders
California+$16,630
New York+$15,630
Hawaii+$13,630
Massachusetts+$13,630
New Jersey+$13,630
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HVAC Technicians earn more nationally. The median annual salary for HVAC Technicians is $57,620 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $9,630 per year or $803 per month.
The national median salary gap between HVAC Technicians and Welders is $9,630 per year. HVAC Technicians earn 17% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $109,159.
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, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 per year.
Salary is one factor — HVAC Technicians 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
