Illinois
HVAC/R Technician pay in Illinois
What HVAC and refrigeration technicians earn in Illinois: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 12 metro areas, plus job counts and 66 listed training programs.
- $77,570Average pay (state)
- $46,690Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $77,410Median pay (state)
- $117,550Top 10% earn over
9,740 jobs in Illinois · 66 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
HVAC/R Technician pay in Illinois
Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $46,690 | $60,200 | $77,410 | $96,030 | $117,550 | $77,570 | 9,740 |
| United States | $40,050 | $48,360 | $61,010 | $77,060 | $95,210 | $64,780 | 409,670 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | $47,100 | $60,170 | $78,710 | $99,570 | $105,450 | $78,520 | 370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $47,460 | $61,050 | $77,960 | $96,790 | $117,940 | $79,340 | 7,210 |
| Decatur, IL | $47,770 | $63,050 | $77,770 | $91,490 | $107,540 | $78,160 | 90 |
| Rockford, IL | $46,960 | $59,640 | $75,070 | $100,470 | $117,550 | $76,950 | 190 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $47,590 | $60,280 | $74,880 | $91,090 | $111,660 | $76,400 | 240 |
| Springfield, IL | $47,690 | $60,040 | $70,730 | $85,540 | $101,000 | $72,660 | 110 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $45,790 | $52,540 | $65,190 | $81,680 | $100,270 | $69,990 | 410 |
| Bloomington, IL | $39,200 | $49,890 | $64,030 | $81,670 | $91,500 | $66,160 | 140 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $45,870 | $49,040 | $63,000 | $78,820 | $100,180 | $68,000 | 2,980 |
| Kankakee, IL | $46,130 | $60,290 | $62,570 | $81,930 | $97,870 | $69,990 | 50 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $44,970 | $48,840 | $56,610 | $61,210 | $78,110 | $57,340 | 90 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $37,950 | $43,470 | $47,150 | $60,570 | $72,690 | $53,050 | 110 |
Find training
Looking for a school or apprenticeship?
This page covers pay and job outlook. Our sister site RegisteredTradeSchools.com keeps the training directory for HVAC and refrigeration technicians: registered apprenticeship sponsors, how to apply, and school routes.
Programs
Top training programs in Illinois
We matched 66 programs in Illinois: 59 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 7 registered apprenticeship sponsors (DOL). The 10 below are schools with published tuition first; the full directory is on RegisteredTradeSchools.com (links above).
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Chicago, IL | Certificate (1-2 years) | 8 | $4,710–$15,540 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Chicago, IL | Associate degree | 9 | $4,710–$15,540 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Chicago, IL | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 26 | $4,710–$15,540 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of DuPage Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Glen Ellyn, IL | Certificate (1-2 years) | 23 | $4,680–$12,870 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of DuPage Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Glen Ellyn, IL | Associate degree | 11 | $4,680–$12,870 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of DuPage Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Glen Ellyn, IL | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 32 | $4,680–$12,870 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of Lake County Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Grayslake, IL | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $4,901–$14,792 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of Lake County Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Grayslake, IL | Associate degree | 11 | $4,901–$14,792 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| College of Lake County Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Grayslake, IL | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 204 | $4,901–$14,792 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Danville Area Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Danville, IL | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 7 | $4,680–$7,800 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
Sources
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 49-9021.00 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.