National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Lawyers earn a national median of $145,760/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Lawyers earn 60% more nationally. The gap is $88,140 per year — or $7,345 per month.
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Lawyer
$145,760
national median/year
$12,147/mo • $70/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$88,140
Lawyers earn 60% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $999,093.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Lawyers
South Dakota+$-41,700
Hawaii+$-43,700
West Virginia+$-43,700
Alaska+$-45,700
Mississippi+$-47,700
Best states for Lawyers
vs HVAC Technicians
New York+$113,700
California+$104,700
Massachusetts+$97,700
Texas+$93,700
New Jersey+$87,700
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Lawyers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Lawyers is $145,760 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $88,140 per year or $7,345 per month.
The national median salary gap between Lawyers and HVAC Technicians is $88,140 per year. Lawyers earn 60% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $999,093.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Lawyers the highest median salary at $188,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Hawaii pays HVAC Technicians the highest median salary at $74,620 per year.
Salary is one factor — Lawyers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Lawyers and Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 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, Lawyers earn approximately $70 per hour nationally and HVAC Technicians earn approximately $28 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.
