Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Fairbanks-College, AK, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $93,820 at the median, or about $45.11 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.21), that's roughly $90,902 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,676/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $94K get you in Fairbanks-College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fairbanks-College’s Regional Price Parity (103.21). 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 Fairbanks-College
Fairbanks-College sits well above the national pay line for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, local pay runs about 54% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,676/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in metros near Fairbanks-College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $86K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fairbanks-College, AK
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $51K 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)
Track heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fairbanks-College?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 27% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,676/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 Fairbanks-College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,259/month. At HUD’s $1,676/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Fairbanks-College?
Local pay is 54% above the national median — $94K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Fairbanks-College compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Fairbanks-College pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +54%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Fairbanks-College, AK?
The median is $93,820 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,310, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $105,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Fairbanks-College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,199/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,676/month, which eats 27% 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 Fairbanks-College?
Fairbanks-College has a Regional Price Parity of 103.21 (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 $90,902 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.