Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Georgia, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $56,390 at the median, or about $27.11 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $61,367 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 38.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Georgia?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in Georgia
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in Georgia
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | $66K | +16% | 150 |
| Hinesville | $60K | +6% | 60 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $59K | +5% | 7,060 |
| Gainesville | $53K | -5% | 330 |
| Rome | $52K | -8% | 80 |
| Savannah | $52K | -8% | 450 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $50K | -11% | 140 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $49K | -13% | 210 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $49K | -13% | 620 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $49K | -13% | 240 |
| Warner Robins | $49K | -14% | 220 |
| Albany | $48K | -14% | 140 |
| Valdosta | $47K | -17% | 100 |
| Columbus | $47K | -17% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
Compare to other states
Track heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,219/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Georgia pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Georgia?
The median is $56,390 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,990, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $79,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,725/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 38.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary is worth about $61,367 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.