National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Project Managers earn 42% more nationally. The gap is $40,960 per year — or $3,413 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$40,960
Project Managers earn 42% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $464,294.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$-13,700
Alaska+$-19,700
West Virginia+$-23,700
Maine+$-25,700
South Dakota+$-25,700
Best states for Project Managers
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$48,700
Massachusetts+$47,700
Virginia+$45,700
Connecticut+$43,700
Maryland+$43,700
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $40,960 per year or $3,413 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and HVAC Technicians is $40,960 per year. Project Managers earn 42% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $464,294.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 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 — Project Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Project Management Specialists 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, Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
