North Carolina
HVAC/R Technician pay in North Carolina
What HVAC and refrigeration technicians earn in North Carolina: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 16 metro areas, plus job counts and 115 listed training programs.
- $57,400Average pay (state)
- $37,780Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $57,260Median pay (state)
- $77,160Top 10% earn over
15,230 jobs in North Carolina · 115 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
HVAC/R Technician pay in North Carolina
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $37,780 | $46,830 | $57,260 | $64,310 | $77,160 | $57,400 | 15,230 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $40,110 | $47,950 | $59,840 | $69,770 | $79,210 | $59,940 | 3,860 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $39,220 | $47,880 | $59,470 | $70,280 | $76,960 | $58,380 | 2,840 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $39,560 | $48,390 | $59,180 | $63,520 | $77,360 | $58,480 | 750 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $39,160 | $47,480 | $58,900 | $65,350 | $77,830 | $58,490 | 2,550 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $38,010 | $47,360 | $58,520 | $70,810 | $76,380 | $58,180 | 1,170 |
| Asheville, NC | $43,520 | $49,060 | $58,120 | $62,780 | $75,980 | $57,540 | 660 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $36,810 | $46,840 | $56,220 | $62,860 | $72,810 | $55,300 | 490 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $37,940 | $46,890 | $55,690 | $65,340 | $70,980 | $55,260 | 150 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $37,770 | $46,010 | $55,360 | $60,850 | $74,610 | $55,660 | 700 |
| Greenville, NC | $36,830 | $45,000 | $53,160 | $62,640 | $72,630 | $53,410 | 220 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $36,460 | $45,640 | $52,580 | $60,720 | $63,610 | $53,190 | 160 |
| Burlington, NC | $37,490 | $47,350 | $52,450 | $61,060 | $73,940 | $55,500 | 280 |
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 North Carolina
We matched 115 programs in North Carolina: 104 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Graham, NC | Certificate (1-2 years) | 5 | $2,592–$8,736 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Alamance Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Graham, NC | Associate degree | 9 | $2,592–$8,736 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Alamance Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Graham, NC | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 40 | $2,592–$8,736 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Asheville, NC | Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | $2,882–$9,026 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Asheville, NC | Associate degree | 2 | $2,882–$9,026 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Asheville, NC | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 11 | $2,882–$9,026 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Cape Fear Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Wilmington, NC | Certificate (1-2 years) | 16 | $2,772–$8,916 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Cape Fear Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Wilmington, NC | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 12 | $2,772–$8,916 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Catawba Valley Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Hickory, NC | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $2,427–$7,803 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 47.0201 |
| Catawba Valley Community College Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician | Hickory, NC | Associate degree | 1 | $2,427–$7,803 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.