Heat pump cost calculator
Ducted or ductless, by size and efficiency, at your state's HVAC wages.
Estimated cost
Typical installed cost
$15,700
- Equipment:
- $11,500
- Labor, removal, materials:
- $4,200
8 in 10 jobsLow$8,800High$22,500
This size or efficiency is outside NREL's price data for this system, so it is priced at the nearest value the data covers.
Labor at the US median wage for HVAC technicians, $29.33 an hour (BLS, May 2025).
The typical figure is the median of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's installed-cost data for this system, size and efficiency; the range spans its 10th to 90th percentile. Every source and formula is on the methodology page.
Heat pump cost by system and size
| System | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted heat pump, 3 tons, SEER 16 | $15,700 | $8,800 - $22,500 |
| Ducted, 3 tons, SEER 16, with new 240 V circuit | $17,200 | $10,300 - $24,100 |
| Ducted heat pump, 2 tons, SEER 16 | $13,900 | $7,750 - $20,100 |
| Ducted heat pump, 4 tons, SEER 18 | $19,400 | $11,000 - $27,700 |
| Mini-split, one zone, 1 ton, SEER 20 | $8,250 | $4,950 - $11,500 |
| Mini-split, several zones, 3 tons, SEER 18 | $18,000 | $10,800 - $25,200 |
US average, installed, replacing an existing system, in today's dollars.
Ducted or ductless?
A ducted heat pump replaces a central air conditioner or furnace and uses the ducts you already have. If the ducts are sound and sized well, this is usually the simplest whole-house option. When a home switches from gas heat, the heat pump often needs its own 240 V circuit; NREL's data adds about $1,384 (in 2023 dollars) for that, based on Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's records of such projects.
A ductless mini-split mounts an indoor unit on the wall or ceiling of each room it serves. One zone suits an addition, a garage room or a single hot room. Several zones can heat and cool a whole house without ducts, but each indoor unit adds cost, which is why the multi-zone line in the table is so much higher.
What size do you need?
Heat pumps are sized in tons; one ton moves 12,000 BTU of heat an hour. The right size depends on your climate, insulation, windows and air leaks, not just floor area. A contractor should run a load calculation (ACCA Manual J) before quoting. If you are replacing a system that kept the house comfortable, the old unit's size is a reasonable starting point; its model number usually contains the size in thousands of BTU, such as 36 for 3 tons.
SEER, SEER2 and what efficiency costs
NREL's prices are fitted to SEER, the rating used before 2023. Equipment sold since then is labeled SEER2, measured under a tougher test, so the number is about 4.5% lower for the same unit. Multiply SEER2 by about 1.05 to enter it here. Each extra point of SEER adds to the equipment price in the data; whether it pays back depends on how much you cool and on your power price.
How your state changes the price
HVAC technicians earn a median $29.33 an hour in the US (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), from Arkansas ($23.13) in the lowest-paid state to District of Columbia ($40.57) in the highest. The calculator scales the labor part of each estimate by your state's median; equipment is priced at national levels.
Ducted heat pump (3 tons, SEER 16) cost in all 50 states and DC
| State | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | $14,800 | $8,400 - $21,200 |
| Alabama | $14,800 | $8,400 - $21,200 |
| Mississippi | $14,800 | $8,400 - $21,200 |
| West Virginia | $14,800 | $8,400 - $21,200 |
| New Mexico | $14,900 | $8,450 - $21,400 |
| Wyoming | $15,200 | $8,600 - $21,900 |
| Tennessee | $15,300 | $8,600 - $21,900 |
| Idaho | $15,300 | $8,650 - $22,000 |
| Georgia | $15,300 | $8,650 - $22,000 |
| South Carolina | $15,400 | $8,650 - $22,100 |
| Florida | $15,400 | $8,650 - $22,100 |
| North Carolina | $15,400 | $8,650 - $22,100 |
| Oklahoma | $15,400 | $8,700 - $22,200 |
| Texas | $15,400 | $8,700 - $22,200 |
| Kentucky | $15,500 | $8,700 - $22,300 |
| Louisiana | $15,500 | $8,700 - $22,300 |
| Utah | $15,500 | $8,700 - $22,300 |
| Arizona | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,400 |
| Virginia | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,400 |
| Nebraska | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,400 |
| Missouri | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,400 |
| Indiana | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,500 |
| Kansas | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,500 |
| Nevada | $15,600 | $8,750 - $22,500 |
| Iowa | $15,600 | $8,800 - $22,500 |
| Michigan | $15,700 | $8,800 - $22,500 |
| Montana | $15,700 | $8,800 - $22,500 |
| South Dakota | $15,700 | $8,800 - $22,600 |
| Wisconsin | $15,700 | $8,800 - $22,600 |
| Vermont | $15,700 | $8,850 - $22,700 |
| Delaware | $15,800 | $8,850 - $22,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $15,800 | $8,850 - $22,700 |
| Ohio | $15,800 | $8,850 - $22,700 |
| Oregon | $15,800 | $8,850 - $22,700 |
| Maine | $15,800 | $8,850 - $22,800 |
| Colorado | $16,000 | $8,900 - $23,000 |
| Hawaii | $16,000 | $8,950 - $23,000 |
| Rhode Island | $16,100 | $9,000 - $23,200 |
| Maryland | $16,300 | $9,050 - $23,500 |
| California | $16,500 | $9,150 - $23,800 |
| New Hampshire | $16,500 | $9,200 - $23,900 |
| New York | $16,600 | $9,200 - $24,000 |
| New Jersey | $16,600 | $9,200 - $24,000 |
| North Dakota | $16,600 | $9,200 - $24,000 |
| Washington | $16,700 | $9,250 - $24,100 |
| Minnesota | $16,700 | $9,250 - $24,200 |
| Connecticut | $16,700 | $9,300 - $24,200 |
| Massachusetts | $16,800 | $9,300 - $24,300 |
| Illinois | $16,800 | $9,300 - $24,300 |
| Alaska | $16,800 | $9,300 - $24,300 |
| District of Columbia | $17,300 | $9,500 - $25,000 |
What can push a quote higher
- Ducts that leak, are undersized or need replacing.
- An electrical panel without room for a new 240 V circuit.
- A new pad, line set or condensate drain, or a hard-to-reach indoor unit.
- Local permit fees and code rules, and travel time outside cities.
NREL puts the typical life of a ducted air-source heat pump at about 16 years.
Tax credits and rebates
The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered 30% of a qualifying heat pump up to $2,000 a year, applies only to improvements made through 31st Dec. 2025, according to the IRS. Many utilities and some states still run heat pump rebate programs. The estimates here are before any rebate.
Questions and answers
How much does a heat pump cost to install?
A 3 ton ducted heat pump with a SEER of 16 costs about $15,700 installed at the US average, with 8 in 10 jobs between $8,800 and $22,500, in NREL's cost data adjusted to today's dollars. Ductless mini-splits for one room cost less; multi-zone systems cost more.
Is a mini-split cheaper than a ducted heat pump?
For one room, yes. For a whole house, a multi-zone mini-split usually costs more than a ducted system because every room needs its own indoor unit. If your ducts are in good shape, ducted is often the cheaper whole-house option.
What size heat pump do I need?
It depends on your climate, insulation, windows and air leaks. A contractor should run an ACCA Manual J load calculation. If your current system kept the house comfortable, its size, usually shown in the model number in thousands of BTU, is a reasonable starting point.
How long does a heat pump last?
NREL's database puts the typical life of a ducted air-source heat pump at about 16 years.
Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps?
No. The IRS says the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, up to $2,000 a year for heat pumps, applies only to improvements made through 31st Dec. 2025. Many utilities and some states still offer rebates.