Ohio ranks second in the nation among the top states to work in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR), according to industry data and insights from Sidney-based Emerson Climate Technologies.

The HVACR industry is facing a shortage of qualified technicians, with needs for an additional 57,000 skilled workers each year to work in the industry, according to the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute.

“Nationally, the industry is facing the challenge of recruiting talented young people to supplement an aging workforce,” said Bob Labbett, Emerson Climate Technologies’ vice president of marketing and distribution services.

Ohio ranked second to California on the list of top states to work in HVACR. The Buckeye State has fewer sunny days, but more opportunities for training with eight accredited trade schools, including the Miami Valley Career Center, officials said.

Ohio also ranks high for the number of HVACR wholesaler locations, with 139 in the state.

The other top 10 states for HVACR work included Florida, Texas, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina and Georgia.

The average annual wage for HVACR technicians is $43,910, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Emerson Climate Technologies’ ranking draws on national salary and employment data, trade school locations, heating and cooling degree days, residential home values, the number of certified contractors and wholesaler locations, and commercial service volumes.

Emerson Climate Technologies, a business unit of St. Louis-based Emerson, has 1,600 employees in Sidney. Parent company Emerson is a $24 billion global manufacturing and technology company with about 135,000 employees and 235 manufacturing locations worldwide.