National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Registered Nurses earn a national median of $93,600/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Registered Nurses earn 38% more nationally. The gap is $35,980 per year — or $2,998 per month.
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Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$35,980
Registered Nurses earn 38% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $407,844.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Registered Nurses
West Virginia+$-19,380
South Dakota+$-19,780
Oklahoma+$-21,380
Kentucky+$-21,780
Kansas+$-22,180
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$59,680
Oregon+$43,780
Washington+$39,780
Nevada+$37,780
Massachusetts+$37,380
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $93,600 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $35,980 per year or $2,998 per month.
The national median salary gap between Registered Nurses and HVAC Technicians is $35,980 per year. Registered Nurses earn 38% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $407,844.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses 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, Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
