Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary
In South Carolina, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn $56,610 at the median, or about $27.22 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $60,760 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 34% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in South Carolina?
About heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,263/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, South Carolina
Entry-level heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | $59K | +4% | 180 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $59K | +4% | 1,160 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $58K | +3% | 1,270 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $58K | +3% | 420 |
| Spartanburg | $58K | +2% | 390 |
| Columbia | $58K | +2% | 1,220 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $54K | -4% | 630 |
| Sumter | $50K | -12% | 110 |
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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,350/month. At HUD’s $1,263/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 South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
South Carolina pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in South Carolina?
The median is $56,610 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,170, and experienced heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers can clear $75,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,794/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 33.3% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $60,760 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.