Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Anchorage, AK, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $85,620 at the median, or about $41.16 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $81,218 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,376/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $86K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Anchorage sits well above the national pay line for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,376/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Anchorage offers a genuinely strong financial position for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in metros near Anchorage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College | $94K | $91K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84K | +38% | 400 |
| Alaska | $77K | +27% | 610 |
| Illinois | $77K | +27% | 9,740 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +27% | 8,200 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +26% | 3,800 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +25% | 4,200 |
| Washington | $76K | +24% | 7,370 |
| North Dakota | $74K | +22% | 970 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +22% | 10,330 |
| New York | $74K | +22% | 24,430 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | +21% | 2,560 |
| California | $73K | +19% | 35,130 |
| Maryland | $70K | +15% | 8,560 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | +10% | 1,450 |
| Hawaii | $65K | +7% | 1,300 |
| Colorado | $65K | +7% | 8,940 |
| Maine | $63K | +4% | 2,250 |
| Oregon | $63K | +3% | 3,980 |
| Ohio | $63K | +2% | 14,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | +2% | 15,880 |
| Delaware | $62K | +2% | 1,730 |
| Vermont | $62K | +2% | 970 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +1% | 6,630 |
| South Dakota | $61K | +1% | 1,610 |
| Montana | $61K | -0% | 1,230 |
| Michigan | $61K | -0% | 12,590 |
| Iowa | $61K | -1% | 3,840 |
| Nevada | $61K | -1% | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $60K | -1% | 3,770 |
| Indiana | $60K | -1% | 8,530 |
| Missouri | $60K | -2% | 7,220 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -2% | 3,020 |
| Virginia | $60K | -2% | 14,690 |
| Arizona | $59K | -3% | 10,860 |
| Utah | $59K | -4% | 5,580 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -4% | 5,380 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -4% | 5,100 |
| Texas | $58K | -5% | 34,730 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | -6% | 5,650 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -6% | 15,230 |
| Florida | $57K | -7% | 39,160 |
| South Carolina | $57K | -7% | 6,920 |
| Georgia | $56K | -8% | 12,290 |
| Idaho | $56K | -8% | 4,550 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -9% | 9,740 |
| Wyoming | $55K | -10% | 690 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -18% | 1,950 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -20% | 1,690 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -20% | 2,700 |
| Alabama | $48K | -21% | 8,260 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -21% | 4,960 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,484/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installer a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $86K here vs. $61K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Anchorage pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $85,620 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,070, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $105,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,718/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 24.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary is worth about $81,218 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.