Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Career Overview
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
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What Tasks Do Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Take On?
The core tasks performed by heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers include:
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
- Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
- Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions.
What Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Need to Know
Top heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- A/C Installer-Servicer (Air Conditioning Installer-Servicer)
- A/C Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic)
- A/C Service Tech (Air Conditioning Service Technician)
- A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician)
- Air Conditioning Specialist (A/C Specialist)
- Air and Hydronic Balancing Technician
- Attic Fans Mechanic
- Baseboard Heating Installer
Job Outlook
There are about 189,930 heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +11.3% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,308 |
| Hourly median | $31.88 |
| 10th percentile | $38,349 |
| 25th percentile | $52,328 |
| 75th percentile | $80,287 |
| 90th percentile | $94,267 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $83,660 |
| District of Columbia | $83,390 |
| Massachusetts | $76,990 |
| Connecticut | $73,910 |
| Minnesota | $73,390 |
| Illinois | $71,620 |
| New Jersey | $69,800 |
| Washington | $67,630 |
| North Dakota | $66,770 |
| New York | $66,670 |
| California | $65,290 |
| Maryland | $65,000 |
| New Hampshire | $64,410 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 |
| Rhode Island | $63,580 |
| Colorado | $63,420 |
| Oregon | $62,740 |
| Maine | $62,130 |
| Wisconsin | $62,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,120 |
| Virginia | $60,630 |
| Ohio | $60,490 |
| Missouri | $60,330 |
| Indiana | $60,310 |
| Vermont | $60,170 |
| Michigan | $60,090 |
| Delaware | $59,940 |
| Nebraska | $59,690 |
| Iowa | $59,490 |
| South Dakota | $59,460 |
| Nevada | $59,230 |
| Kentucky | $58,880 |
| Montana | $58,600 |
| Kansas | $56,750 |
| Arizona | $56,580 |
| Utah | $56,200 |
| South Carolina | $55,260 |
| Georgia | $55,020 |
| New Mexico | $55,020 |
| Texas | $54,050 |
| Louisiana | $53,510 |
| Idaho | $52,730 |
| North Carolina | $51,940 |
| Tennessee | $51,480 |
| Wyoming | $50,920 |
| Oklahoma | $50,920 |
| Florida | $50,580 |
| Alabama | $49,290 |
| Mississippi | $47,270 |
| Arkansas | $47,240 |
| West Virginia | $46,040 |
| Virgin Islands | $44,680 |
| Guam | $38,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,080 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $71,355 | 4.8% | 1.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $65,360 | 14.8% | 0.99 |
| Far Western US | $65,178 | 12.8% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $62,455 | 12.4% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $62,329 | 6.8% | 1.01 |
| Rocky Mountains | $58,833 | 4.9% | 1.25 |
| Southwest | $54,335 | 12.4% | 1.01 |
| Southeast | $52,810 | 30.8% | 1.28 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $96,610 | 410 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $84,230 | 130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $83,980 | 2,050 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $80,890 | 70 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $80,240 | 190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $77,600 | 5,760 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $76,890 | 1,250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $76,760 | 3,610 |
Top Industries Employing Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
The largest employers of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 302,390 | $58,770 |
| Wholesale Trade | 13,810 | $65,760 |
| Retail Trade | 11,260 | $60,730 |
| Educational Services | 11,070 | $60,960 |
| Manufacturing | 10,500 | $61,640 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9,890 | $61,660 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,230 | $59,590 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,170 | $67,190 |
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Education and Training
Typical heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Boilermakers (Primary-Short)
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (Supplemental)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Primary-Short)
- Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-9021.00 (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers).
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