Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In North Dakota, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $74,490 at the median, or about $35.81 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.89), which stretches that salary to about $83,800 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,034/month, or 20.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in North Dakota?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in North Dakota
North Dakota sits well above the national pay line for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,034/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, North Dakota offers a genuinely strong financial position for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Dakota
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in North Dakota
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $76K | +2% | 370 |
| Grand Forks | $75K | +1% | 130 |
| Bismarck | $65K | -13% | 200 |
| Minot | $64K | -14% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Dakota 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 North Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/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 North Dakota?
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 $2,797/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 North Dakota?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $74K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does North Dakota compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
North Dakota pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in North Dakota?
The median is $74,490 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,610, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $94,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in North Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,945/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 20.9% 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 88.89 (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 $83,800 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.