National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Software Engineers earn 56% more nationally. The gap is $74,650 per year — or $6,221 per month.
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Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$74,650
Software Engineers earn 56% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $846,180.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Software Engineers
North Dakota+$-33,700
West Virginia+$-33,700
South Dakota+$-35,700
Hawaii+$-37,700
Mississippi+$-37,700
Best states for Software Engineers
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$94,700
Washington+$83,700
Colorado+$77,700
Massachusetts+$77,700
New York+$73,700
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Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $74,650 per year or $6,221 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and HVAC Technicians is $74,650 per year. Software Engineers earn 56% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $846,180.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 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 — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts 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, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 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.
