HVAC Technician Salary: Salt Lake City, UT vs Austin, TX
BLS reports this occupation as "Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers" (49-9021); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for HVAC Technicians in Salt Lake City, UT and Austin, TX, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Salt Lake City, UT | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $60,790 | $60,820▲ | -$30 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,580 | $49,070▲ | -$1,490 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,370▲ | $74,810 | +$560 |
| 90th Percentile | $83,200 | $92,180▲ | -$8,980 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 100.9 | 98.1 | +2.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $60,267 | $62,019▲ | -$1,752 |
| Total Employment | 2,540 | 3,140 | -600 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Austin, TX pays $30 more (median: $60,790 vs $60,820). BEA's regional price parity is 100.9 in Salt Lake City, UT and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $60,267 and $62,019, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $30 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $60,267 for Salt Lake City and $62,019 for Austin, a difference of $1,752.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Salt Lake City-Murray, UT; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 2,540 HVAC Technician jobs in the Salt Lake City area and 3,140 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Utah overview and the full HVAC Technician city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HVAC Technician salary higher in Salt Lake City, UT or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX has the higher median wage for HVAC Technicians ($60,820 per year, against $60,790 in Salt Lake City, UT; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $60,267 in Salt Lake City, UT and $62,019 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Salt Lake City, UT and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 100.9 for the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 0.9% above the national level for Salt Lake City, UT and 1.9% below the national level for Austin, TX.
Which city pays HVAC Technicians more once local prices are counted?
Austin, TX: at national-average prices its median HVAC Technician wage is $62,019, against $60,267 for Salt Lake City, UT. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.