Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In Ponce, PR, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $29,970 at the median, or about $14.41 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $29,970 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $538/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $30K get you in Ponce?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ponce’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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.
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in Ponce
Pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in Ponce runs about 51% below the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $538/month, 24.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Ponce can be a reasonable trade-off for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in metros near Ponce, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas | $32K | $32K |
| Mayaguez | $30K | $30K |
| Arecibo | $29K | $29K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ponce, PR
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $22K 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 Ponce?
Yes — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 24.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $538/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 Ponce?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,319/month. At HUD’s $538/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Ponce?
Local pay runs 51% below the national median — $30K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Ponce compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Ponce pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Ponce, PR?
The median is $29,970 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,990, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $44,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Ponce?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,177/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $538/month, which eats 24.7% 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 Ponce?
Ponce has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary is worth about $29,970 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.