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Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Job Description
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
What Do Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Take On?
The core tasks performed by heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers span:
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
- Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
- Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- A/C Installer-Servicer (Air Conditioning Installer-Servicer)
- A/C Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic)
- A/C Service Tech (Air Conditioning Service Technician)
- A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician)
- Air Conditioning Specialist (A/C Specialist)
- Air and Hydronic Balancing Technician
- Attic Fans Mechanic
- Baseboard Heating Installer
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 189,930 heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +11.3% over the projection horizon.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,308 |
| Hourly median | $31.88 |
| 10th percentile | $38,349 |
| 25th percentile | $52,328 |
| 75th percentile | $80,287 |
| 90th percentile | $94,267 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $83,660 |
| District of Columbia | $83,390 |
| Massachusetts | $76,990 |
| Connecticut | $73,910 |
| Minnesota | $73,390 |
| Illinois | $71,620 |
| New Jersey | $69,800 |
| Washington | $67,630 |
| North Dakota | $66,770 |
| New York | $66,670 |
| California | $65,290 |
| Maryland | $65,000 |
| New Hampshire | $64,410 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 |
| Rhode Island | $63,580 |
| Colorado | $63,420 |
| Oregon | $62,740 |
| Maine | $62,130 |
| Wisconsin | $62,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,120 |
| Virginia | $60,630 |
| Ohio | $60,490 |
| Missouri | $60,330 |
| Indiana | $60,310 |
| Vermont | $60,170 |
| Michigan | $60,090 |
| Delaware | $59,940 |
| Nebraska | $59,690 |
| Iowa | $59,490 |
| South Dakota | $59,460 |
| Nevada | $59,230 |
| Kentucky | $58,880 |
| Montana | $58,600 |
| Kansas | $56,750 |
| Arizona | $56,580 |
| Utah | $56,200 |
| South Carolina | $55,260 |
| Georgia | $55,020 |
| New Mexico | $55,020 |
| Texas | $54,050 |
| Louisiana | $53,510 |
| Idaho | $52,730 |
| North Carolina | $51,940 |
| Tennessee | $51,480 |
| Wyoming | $50,920 |
| Oklahoma | $50,920 |
| Florida | $50,580 |
| Alabama | $49,290 |
| Mississippi | $47,270 |
| Arkansas | $47,240 |
| West Virginia | $46,040 |
| Virgin Islands | $44,680 |
| Guam | $38,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,080 |
Where Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Earn the Most
Earnings for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $71,355 | 4.8% | 1.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $65,360 | 14.8% | 0.99 |
| Far Western US | $65,178 | 12.8% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $62,455 | 12.4% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $62,329 | 6.8% | 1.01 |
| Rocky Mountains | $58,833 | 4.9% | 1.25 |
| Southwest | $54,335 | 12.4% | 1.01 |
| Southeast | $52,810 | 30.8% | 1.28 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $96,610 | 410 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $84,230 | 130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $83,980 | 2,050 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $80,890 | 70 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $80,240 | 190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $77,600 | 5,760 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $76,890 | 1,250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $76,760 | 3,610 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 302,390 | $58,770 |
| Wholesale Trade | 13,810 | $65,760 |
| Retail Trade | 11,260 | $60,730 |
| Educational Services | 11,070 | $60,960 |
| Manufacturing | 10,500 | $61,640 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9,890 | $61,660 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,230 | $59,590 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,170 | $67,190 |
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How to Become Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Most heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Boilermakers (Primary-Short)
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (Supplemental)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Primary-Short)
- Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers commonly pursue programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-9021.00 (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers).
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