Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary
Skilled trades · OCC code 49-9021 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the US earn a median of $59,810 per year (mean $62,690) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +20.8% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $47,850 and $74,820; the top 10% earn $91,020 or more. The median hourly wage is $28.75. About 396,870 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Alaska ($83,660). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay range (national percentiles)
What heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $39,130 |
| 25th percentile | $47,850 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,810 |
| Mean (average) | $62,690 |
| 75th percentile | $74,820 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $91,020 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by state
Median and mean wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $59,810.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $83,660 | $81,800 | 790 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $83,390 | $83,780 | 370 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $76,990 | $79,390 | 7,960 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $73,910 | $71,260 | 4,440 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $73,390 | $71,780 | 5,190 |
| 6 | Illinois | $71,620 | $72,860 | 8,510 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $69,800 | $71,490 | 10,680 |
| 8 | Washington | $67,630 | $74,000 | 7,090 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $66,770 | $68,440 | 1,100 |
| 10 | New York | $66,670 | $70,480 | 22,710 |
| 11 | California | $65,290 | $74,470 | 34,020 |
| 12 | Maryland | $65,000 | $68,890 | 6,380 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $64,410 | $66,520 | 2,120 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $63,780 | $67,280 | 1,110 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $63,580 | $63,330 | 1,320 |
| 16 | Colorado | $63,420 | $68,100 | 8,870 |
| 17 | Oregon | $62,740 | $67,380 | 3,690 |
| 18 | Maine | $62,130 | $63,580 | 2,110 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $62,030 | $66,360 | 5,930 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $61,120 | $63,250 | 16,930 |
| 21 | Virginia | $60,630 | $61,260 | 13,640 |
| 22 | Ohio | $60,490 | $62,140 | 13,570 |
| 23 | Missouri | $60,330 | $64,980 | 8,360 |
| 24 | Indiana | $60,310 | $62,530 | 7,620 |
| 25 | Vermont | $60,170 | $60,790 | 1,050 |
| 26 | Michigan | $60,090 | $61,120 | 13,720 |
| 27 | Delaware | $59,940 | $64,530 | 1,790 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $59,690 | $58,630 | 3,080 |
| 29 | Iowa | $59,490 | $60,160 | 3,990 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $59,460 | $59,070 | 1,130 |
| 31 | Nevada | $59,230 | $62,370 | 4,240 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $58,880 | $58,450 | 6,230 |
| 33 | Montana | $58,600 | $60,190 | 1,050 |
| 34 | Kansas | $56,750 | $57,210 | 4,100 |
| 35 | Arizona | $56,580 | $58,540 | 10,850 |
| 36 | Utah | $56,200 | $59,030 | 5,370 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $55,260 | $55,010 | 6,370 |
| 38 | Georgia | $55,020 | $55,340 | 12,210 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $55,020 | $56,190 | 1,820 |
| 40 | Texas | $54,050 | $58,120 | 32,070 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $53,510 | $55,140 | 5,040 |
| 42 | Idaho | $52,730 | $58,150 | 3,570 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $51,940 | $54,710 | 13,750 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $51,480 | $55,130 | 10,510 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $50,920 | $55,400 | 4,820 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $50,920 | $54,570 | 570 |
| 47 | Florida | $50,580 | $55,110 | 38,290 |
| 48 | Alabama | $49,290 | $52,440 | 7,330 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $47,270 | $50,210 | 2,960 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,240 | $50,010 | 4,890 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $46,040 | $48,040 | 1,450 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Alaska ($83,660). Lowest: West Virginia ($46,040).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (this job) | $59,810 | $62,690 | +20.8% |
| Firefighters | $59,530 | $63,890 | +20.3% |
| Carpenters | $59,310 | $64,040 | +19.8% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $60,370 | $81,510 | +22.0% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,190 | $65,100 | +19.6% |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $60,850 | $66,110 | +22.9% |
Firefighters · Carpenters · Insurance Sales Agents · Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors · Sheet Metal Workers
Frequently asked questions
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers earn a national median of $59,810 per year (mean $62,690) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $47,850 (25th percentile) and $74,820 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $91,020 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $39,130. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
The median hourly wage is $28.75 and the mean is $30.14 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers the most?
Alaska has the highest median wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers at $83,660, versus a national median of $59,810. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 396,870 heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #85 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 49-9021), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20