Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Johnson City, TN, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $48,010 at the median, or about $23.08 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $54,600 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,132/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Johnson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Johnson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). 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 Johnson City
Pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in Johnson City runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,132/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Johnson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $60K | $63K |
| Memphis | $57K | $62K |
| Knoxville | $57K | $61K |
| Chattanooga | $51K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Johnson City, TN
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $33K 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 Johnson City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,132/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Johnson City?
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 $2,236/month. At HUD’s $1,132/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 Johnson City?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $48K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Johnson City compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Johnson City pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Johnson City, TN?
The median is $48,010 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,260, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $70,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Johnson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,385/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,132/month, which eats 33.4% 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 Johnson City?
Johnson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (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 $54,600 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.