Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Indiana, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $60,430 at the median, or about $29.05 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $65,821 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Indiana?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,144/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokomo | $65K | +7% | 170 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $62K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $61K | +2% | 230 |
| Bloomington | $61K | +1% | 180 |
| Fort Wayne | $61K | +1% | 870 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $61K | +1% | 90 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $60K | -1% | 240 |
| Evansville | $60K | -2% | 490 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $59K | -2% | 370 |
| Muncie | $56K | -8% | 80 |
| Columbus | $54K | -10% | 70 |
| Terre Haute | $54K | -10% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana 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 Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,428/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Indiana pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Indiana?
The median is $60,430 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,460, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $97,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,063/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 28.2% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $65,821 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.