Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Kennewick-Richland, WA, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $75,660 at the median, or about $36.38 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.08), that's roughly $75,600 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,538/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.08). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Kennewick-Richland sits well above the national pay line for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,538/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.08) 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 Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | $72K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $63K | $63K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $76K | $74K |
| Bellingham | $72K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $62K 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 Kennewick-Richland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 30% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,538/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,852/month. At HUD’s $1,538/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $76K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Kennewick-Richland pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $75,660 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,530, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $109,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,134/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,538/month, which eats 30% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100.08 (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 $75,600 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.