Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Illinois, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $77,410 at the median, or about $37.21 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $82,483 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Illinois?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Illinois
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in Illinois
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $79K | +2% | 370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $78K | +1% | 7,210 |
| Decatur | $78K | +0% | 90 |
| Rockford | $75K | -3% | 190 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $75K | -3% | 240 |
| Springfield | $71K | -9% | 110 |
| Bloomington | $64K | -17% | 140 |
| Kankakee | $63K | -19% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois 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 Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 28.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,801/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $77K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Illinois pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Illinois?
The median is $77,410 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,690, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $117,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,918/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 28.6% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $82,483 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.