Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Michigan, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $60,850 at the median, or about $29.26 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $64,810 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 31.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Michigan?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,272/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in Michigan
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | $75K | +23% | 460 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $63K | +4% | 5,740 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $61K | +1% | 430 |
| Jackson | $61K | +1% | 110 |
| Traverse City | $61K | -0% | 210 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $60K | -1% | 490 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $60K | -1% | 1,920 |
| Bay City | $60K | -1% | 70 |
| Battle Creek | $60K | -1% | 130 |
| Saginaw | $60K | -1% | 210 |
| Flint | $60K | -2% | 430 |
| Monroe | $59K | -2% | 130 |
| Niles | $58K | -4% | 240 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $57K | -7% | 180 |
| Midland | $56K | -7% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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Track heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan 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 Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Michigan?
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 $2,413/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Michigan pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Michigan?
The median is $60,850 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,210, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $95,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,029/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 31.6% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $64,810 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.