National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Teachers earn 10% more nationally. The gap is $6,060 per year — or $505 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$6,060
Teachers earn 10% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $68,692.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Teachers
Hawaii+$12,440
Alaska+$3,720
Colorado+$880
Missouri+$480
Utah+$410
Best states for Teachers
vs HVAC Technicians
Connecticut+$15,500
New York+$14,620
Massachusetts+$13,590
Rhode Island+$12,700
California+$12,370
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Teachers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $6,060 per year or $505 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and HVAC Technicians is $6,060 per year. Teachers earn 10% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $68,692.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 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 — Teachers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 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.
