If you’re hiring—or job hunting—in the HVAC pre-sales space, there’s good news: salaries are on the rise.

I’ve been working in the technical HVAC market since 2011, and I’ve seen significant shifts in the technical skills needed in the HVAC and renewables sector. I’ve studied the data from between 2023 and 2025, it shows a clear and steady upward trend in salaries for pre-sales professionals across the UK HVAC industry.

Whether you're an Applications Engineer, a Technical Support Engineer, or leading a team hiring for these roles, understanding HVAC salary trends can help you stay competitive, hire the best grads, and attract (and keep) experienced technical HVAC talent. You will be able to negotiate smarter and plan more strategically for your next career move in HVAC.

The HVAC Numbers at a Glance
Across the placements we made over the past two years, we noted that:
•Average Salary: £35,375*
•Salary Range: £24,000 – £63,000
•Middle 50% Range (Interquartile): £29,000 – £39,500

These figures show a broad salary spread, reflecting differences in experience, role seniority, company size, and geography.

*This snapshot of HVAC salaries above often reflects the need to hire grad engineers or junior engineers with 1-2 years’ experience. This is often the route our clients have to take due to a being unable to offer remote working. There’s sometimes a lack of experienced engineers near the clients’ office. (Food for thought or growing / ambitious businesses in HVAC.)

I do find that many salaries for experienced HVAC engineers are typically within the £45-50k bracket. For specialist products, this may increase, particularly across Applied technologies such as chillers and heat pumps.

Graduate engineers may enter the market closer to £24,000–£28,000, while experienced HVAC specialists and senior pre-sales professionals are comfortably earning £50,000 and above.

Year-on-Year Breakdown in HVAC Salaries
The most compelling trend is the consistent year-on-year growth in average HVAC salaries:
•2023: 8 placements | Avg. salary: £32,200
•2024: 16 placements | Avg. salary: £34,582
•2025 (to date): 7 placements | Avg. salary: £40,815

That’s a nearly 27% jump in average salary between 2023 and 2025.

So, What’s Driving this HVAC Salaries Increase?

We’re seeing several factors may be contributing to rising salaries in HVAC pre-sales roles:

1.Increased Demand for Technical Talent:
Building technology such as chillers, heat pumps and controls becomes more complex. This means that there is a need for technically skilled professionals such as Design and Projects Engineers who can bridge the gap between engineering and sales. Hence, pre-sales roles are now more strategically important than ever.
2.Inflation and Market Pressure:
Across the board, salaries are under pressure from inflation. But in specialist technical sectors like HVAC, wage growth also reflects employers’ need to remain attractive in a competitive hiring market.
3.Skills Gap:
There’s a known shortage of mid-level and senior engineering talent. This is being driven by retirement coupled with the need more technical skills. As a result, experienced pre-sales professionals can command higher salaries due to their rarity.
4.Evolving HVAC Job Expectations:
Manufacturers and Distributors are expecting more from pre-sales staff—technical knowledge, client-facing communication, and commercial awareness. This upskilling has led to better salary and benefits packages to reflect the added value.

For Employers: Benchmark and Retain
If you’re hiring into HVAC pre-sales, it’s essential to benchmark salaries carefully. Falling below market averages could mean missing out on top talent—or losing existing staff to more attractive offers. We know that now more than ever, losing out on talent can make or break your business.

Consider the following:
•Are your advertised salaries keeping up with market expectations?
•Are you differentiating for experience and location?
•Is your total package (e.g., bonuses, training, flexible working) aligned with current trends?
•Are your graduate entry-level packages attracting the best grads that you can retain into more experienced engineering roles?

Arrange a call with me to chat about what to offer your idea candidates.

For HVAC Candidates: Know Your Worth
For job seekers, whether you’re graduates or experienced Applications Engineers, this data can help you:
•Benchmark your current salary or offer – do this annually.
•Understand what progression might look like.
•Negotiate more confidently, especially if you have 3+ years of technical pre-sales experience.

Arrange a call with me to chat about your next career move in HVAC.

Final Thought: The Value of Pre-Sales in HVAC is Growing
This data makes it clear: pre-sales roles are no longer just support functions. They’re central to commercial success in the HVAC industry. And that shift is being recognised in the form of rising salaries.

I’m keen to chat with you, whether you’re hiring or job hunting in HVAC. Arrange a call with me to talk about where the market is heading and how to stay ahead.

Click here to look at some of the HVAC jobs we are working on, but be sure to call us and register, as we often fill HVAC jobs without advertising.