- Central air conditioner installation usually costs $5,000 to $14,000, about $6,000 typical.
- A new central air conditioner on existing ductwork, with the outdoor unit, coil and labor.
- Price your own job with the calculator above; it breaks the job into lines.
What central air conditioner installation costs
Most homeowners pay $5,000 to $14,000 for central air conditioner installation, and $6,000 is a typical price. A new central air conditioner on existing ductwork, with the outdoor unit, coil and labor.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Low end | $5,000 |
| Typical | $6,000 |
| High end | $14,000 |
The range blends Fixr, HomeAdvisor and Today's Homeowner (method below). Where you live matters: Koira's estimate is $5,448 in Arkansas and $6,923 in Hawaii.
What drives the price
- Size. AC is sized in tons for the house. Bigger homes need bigger units.
- Efficiency. Higher SEER ratings cost more up front and less to run.
- Ductwork. Leaky or undersized ducts may need repair or replacement. Fixr's range includes ductwork work at the top end.
- Matching the furnace. Replacing the furnace or air handler at the same time is common.
- Brand and installer. Bob Vila puts central AC at $2.90 to $7.20 a square foot of home.
Central air conditioner installation cost by state
Koira estimates for each state, built from the national $5,000 to $14,000. About 40% of a central air conditioner installation price is labor, and only that part is scaled by the state's median wage for construction and extraction workers. A starting point, not a quote.
| State | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $4,606 | $5,527 | $12,897 |
| Alaska | $5,540 | $6,648 | $15,512 |
| Arizona | $4,949 | $5,939 | $13,857 |
| Arkansas | $4,540 | $5,448 | $12,713 |
| California | $5,407 | $6,489 | $15,140 |
| Colorado | $5,055 | $6,066 | $14,155 |
| Connecticut | $5,406 | $6,487 | $15,136 |
| Delaware | $4,994 | $5,992 | $13,982 |
| District of Columbia | $5,355 | $6,426 | $14,994 |
| Florida | $4,658 | $5,589 | $13,042 |
| Georgia | $4,672 | $5,607 | $13,083 |
| Hawaii | $5,769 | $6,923 | $16,154 |
| Idaho | $4,886 | $5,863 | $13,681 |
| Illinois | $5,706 | $6,848 | $15,978 |
| Indiana | $5,078 | $6,093 | $14,217 |
| Iowa | $4,997 | $5,997 | $13,992 |
| Kansas | $4,846 | $5,816 | $13,570 |
| Kentucky | $4,785 | $5,742 | $13,398 |
| Louisiana | $4,677 | $5,613 | $13,096 |
| Maine | $5,026 | $6,031 | $14,072 |
| Maryland | $5,011 | $6,013 | $14,031 |
| Massachusetts | $5,602 | $6,723 | $15,686 |
| Michigan | $5,055 | $6,066 | $14,155 |
| Minnesota | $5,438 | $6,526 | $15,226 |
| Mississippi | $4,572 | $5,486 | $12,801 |
| Missouri | $5,073 | $6,088 | $14,205 |
| Montana | $5,048 | $6,057 | $14,133 |
| Nebraska | $4,806 | $5,768 | $13,458 |
| Nevada | $5,073 | $6,088 | $14,205 |
| New Hampshire | $5,018 | $6,022 | $14,051 |
| New Jersey | $5,467 | $6,561 | $15,309 |
| New Mexico | $4,676 | $5,611 | $13,092 |
| New York | $5,365 | $6,438 | $15,021 |
| North Carolina | $4,659 | $5,591 | $13,045 |
| North Dakota | $5,054 | $6,065 | $14,153 |
| Ohio | $5,087 | $6,105 | $14,244 |
| Oklahoma | $4,633 | $5,560 | $12,973 |
| Oregon | $5,221 | $6,265 | $14,618 |
| Pennsylvania | $5,033 | $6,039 | $14,092 |
| Rhode Island | $5,117 | $6,141 | $14,329 |
| South Carolina | $4,665 | $5,598 | $13,061 |
| South Dakota | $4,684 | $5,620 | $13,114 |
| Tennessee | $4,697 | $5,636 | $13,151 |
| Texas | $4,651 | $5,582 | $13,024 |
| Utah | $4,920 | $5,904 | $13,775 |
| Vermont | $5,006 | $6,008 | $14,018 |
| Virginia | $4,896 | $5,875 | $13,709 |
| Washington | $5,536 | $6,643 | $15,500 |
| West Virginia | $4,935 | $5,922 | $13,818 |
| Wisconsin | $5,138 | $6,165 | $14,385 |
| Wyoming | $5,007 | $6,008 | $14,020 |
Rural areas and cities in the same state can differ a lot.
How we got these numbers
| Guide | Range | Average | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixr | $5,800 to $14,400 | $8,750 | Counted |
| HomeAdvisor | $3,887 to $8,073 | $5,978 | Counted |
| Bob Vila | $3,882 to $7,903 | $5,860 | Shown, not counted: it repeats another guide's figures |
| Today's Homeowner | $5,000 to $14,000 | $6,000 | Counted |
How the central air conditioner installation range is combined: low end from the middle of the guides' lows, high end from the middle of their highs, typical from the middle of their averages (a range's midpoint where no average is given). Figures read on each guide's page on October 9, 2026.
Labor share used: 40%. Equipment is the larger part of an AC install. Koira's assumption for HVAC replacements. State factor: the state's median hourly wage for construction and extraction workers over the national $28.63 (BLS, May 2025), kept between 0.7 and 1.4.
For contractors: price this job in Koira
HVAC replacements are big decisions, so good, better and best options on one estimate let the homeowner choose.
Run the numbers for a real central air conditioner installation in the free hvac replacement cost calculator, then save the result as an estimate. On Koira's free Office plan you build the estimate, text it, collect the deposit and turn it into an invoice when the central air conditioner installation is done. Price this job in Koira, free.
Sources: Fixr, central air conditioner installation cost; HomeAdvisor, central air conditioner installation cost; Bob Vila, central air conditioner installation cost; Today's Homeowner, central air conditioner installation cost; This Old House, central air conditioner installation cost; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). Prices checked October 9, 2026. More for your trade: how the trade runs on Koira.