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Air-conditioning mechanic salary

Average air-conditioning mechanic salary

$44,852

$21.56 hourly rate

Entry-level air-conditioning mechanic salary
$32,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Air-Conditioning Mechanic Salaries

As of October 2025, the average air-conditioning mechanic salary is around $44,852 per year. This figure can change based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific employer. In states like California and Texas, salaries tend to be higher due to increased demand for HVAC services. For instance, urban areas often offer better compensation than rural locations.

Salary by Experience Level

Entry-level positions typically start at lower salaries, while experienced technicians can earn significantly more. For example, those with over five years of experience may see salaries exceeding $60,000 annually. Furthermore, specialized skills in areas like refrigeration can enhance earning potential.

Top Paying Locations

Major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago present some of the highest salaries for air-conditioning mechanics. Additionally, these locations often have a higher cost of living, which is a crucial consideration when evaluating job offers.

Overall, pursuing a career as an air-conditioning mechanic presents numerous opportunities for growth and advancement, particularly for those willing to gain additional certifications and experience.

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Where can an Air-Conditioning Mechanic earn more?

Compare salary by location
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Columbus, OH$69,065
Tampa, FL$34,724
Compare salary by company
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Halifax Health$58,484
Architect of the Capitol$34,568

Air-conditioning mechanic salaries by experience level

Average air-conditioning mechanic salary by state

The highest-paying states for air-conditioning mechanics are Alaska, Connecticut, and Washington. The lowest average air-conditioning mechanic salary states are Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for air-conditioning mechanics

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Alaska$77,739$37.37
2North Dakota$62,051$29.83
3Montana$59,404$28.56
4Washington$65,643$31.56
5Connecticut$67,824$32.61
6Nevada$55,858$26.85
7Oregon$61,641$29.64
8Wyoming$51,864$24.93
9Delaware$55,691$26.77
10Indiana$51,512$24.77
11Idaho$53,196$25.57
12Pennsylvania$54,128$26.02
13New Hampshire$58,679$28.21
14New Jersey$60,909$29.28
15Iowa$48,108$23.13
16District of Columbia$63,645$30.60
17Colorado$54,964$26.43
18Minnesota$55,117$26.50
19Maryland$55,169$26.52
20Rhode Island$56,519$27.17
21Wisconsin$53,283$25.62
22California$59,330$28.52
23Louisiana$47,356$22.77
24Illinois$54,231$26.07
25New York$56,479$27.15
26Utah$49,257$23.68
27Massachusetts$56,531$27.18
28Michigan$50,911$24.48
29Maine$48,691$23.41
30South Dakota$44,485$21.39
31Arizona$48,510$23.32
32Nebraska$45,303$21.78
33Hawaii$48,051$23.10
34Missouri$49,234$23.67
35South Carolina$42,836$20.59
36Virginia$49,346$23.72
37Vermont$44,281$21.29
38Kentucky$39,648$19.06
39Kansas$44,347$21.32
40Oklahoma$38,681$18.60
41Mississippi$37,597$18.08
42Tennessee$40,049$19.25
43Alabama$36,920$17.75
44Ohio$42,494$20.43
45Texas$40,084$19.27
46North Carolina$40,046$19.25
47New Mexico$37,721$18.14
48Florida$34,309$16.49
49Georgia$36,418$17.51
50Arkansas$34,425$16.55
51West Virginia$33,615$16.16

Highest paying cities for air-conditioning mechanics

The highest-paying cities for air-conditioning mechanics are San Francisco, CA, Stamford, CT, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1San Francisco, CA$69,065$33.20
2Stamford, CT$68,408$32.89
3Washington, DC$63,702$30.63
4Fargo, ND$61,235$29.44
5Kearny, NJ$60,733$29.20
6New York, NY$56,613$27.22
7Providence, RI$56,485$27.16
8Boston, MA$56,343$27.09
9Baltimore, MD$55,609$26.74
10Centreville, VA$52,834$25.40
11Madison, WI$52,682$25.33
12Marion, IN$52,579$25.28
13Prescott, AZ$50,278$24.17
14Battle Creek, MI$49,742$23.91
15Urban Honolulu, HI$48,069$23.11
16Charleston, SC$42,531$20.45
17Big Spring, TX$41,026$19.72
18Franklin, TN$40,001$19.23
19Atlanta, GA$36,576$17.58
20Tampa, FL$34,724$16.69

Air-conditioning mechanic salary details

An air-conditioning mechanic's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average air-conditioning mechanic salary graph
Average air-conditioning mechanic salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an air-conditioning mechanic's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$62,000$5,167$30
75th Percentile$53,000$4,417$25
Average$44,852$3,738$22
25th Percentile$37,000$3,083$18
10th Percentile$32,000$2,667$15

Highest paying air-conditioning mechanic jobs

The highest paying types of air-conditioning mechanics are hvac technician, hvac-r technician, and air conditioning service technician.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Hvac Installer$44,651$3,721$21.4728,909
Installer Apprentice$37,507$3,126$18.0321,751
Hvac Apprentice$34,073$2,839$16.3825,483
Hvac Technician$54,496$4,541$26.2086,709
Mechanical Installer$43,919$3,660$21.1169,734
Hvac-R Technician$53,354$4,446$25.6585,555

Which companies pay air-conditioning mechanics the most?

Air-conditioning mechanic salaries at Halifax Health and R & R Services Corporation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average air-conditioning mechanic salary at companies like Northrop Grumman and Baltimore County Golf are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Halifax Health$58,484$28.12
2R & R Services Corporation$55,173$26.53
3Northrop Grumman$53,877$25.90
4Baltimore County Golf$53,257$25.60
5Missouri State University$52,636$25.31
6General Dynamics$52,178$25.09
7Orange County$50,095$24.08
8Georgia State University$49,455$23.78
9Lockheed Martin$48,348$23.24
10Nes Holdings$48,161$23.15
11Goodyear$45,201$21.73
12United States Marine Corps$44,845$21.56
13NEX$44,253$21.28
14Indian Health Service$43,207$20.77
15Medical University of South Carolina$43,086$20.71
16County of Riverside$42,802$20.58
17City of Hollywood,FL$40,962$19.69
18City Of Miami$40,945$19.69
19Texas State Teachers Association$37,629$18.09
20Architect of the Capitol$34,568$16.62

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$45,000$43,400$41,800$40,200$38,600$37,000
MaleFemale

Air-Conditioning Mechanic salary by industry

The average air-conditioning mechanic salary varies across industries:

  • The average air-conditioning mechanic salary in the health care industry is $54,871, the highest of any industry.
  • The average air-conditioning mechanic salary in the finance industry is $48,406.
  • Air-conditioning mechanics in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $41,628, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for air-conditioning mechanics

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Health Care$54,871$26.38
2Technology$48,406$23.27
3Education$47,598$22.88
4Government$46,269$22.24
5Construction$45,036$21.65
6Retail$44,833$21.55
7Manufacturing$41,628$20.01

High paying air-conditioning mechanic jobs

Air-conditioning mechanic salary trends

The average air-conditioning mechanic salary has risen by $6,392 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average air-conditioning mechanic earned $38,460 annually, but today, they earn $44,852 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for air-conditioning mechanics over the last decade.

Compare air-conditioning mechanic salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average air-conditioning mechanic salary over time

Compare air-conditioning mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Air-conditioning mechanic salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$44,900$21.56+3.7%
2025$43,200$20.77+2.3%
2024$42,200$20.29+1.1%
2023$41,700$20.07+2.5%
2022$40,700$19.57+1.7%

Recently added air-conditioning mechanic salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
3M Companies2Nd Shift Refrigeration and Air Conditioning MechanicMaplewood, MN06/28/2025$95,480
Department of Homeland SecurityAir Conditioning Equipment Mechanic LeaderNew London, CT06/28/2025$62,944
Department of Veterans AffairsAir Conditioning Equipment MechanicNashville, TN06/28/2025$53,156
Department of Veterans AffairsAir Conditioning Equipment MechanicBiloxi, MS06/28/2025$56,516
San Bernardino County (CaAir Conditioning (Hvac) Mechanic*San Bernardino, CA06/27/2025$83,470
Okanagan CollegeVocational Instructor-Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic)New York, NY06/26/2025$71,846
Georgia State UniversityAir Conditioning Mechanic IIAtlanta, GA06/25/2025$36,000
Hilton WorldwideAir Conditioning Refrigerator Mechanic-Caribe HiltonSan Juan, PR06/24/2025$35,896
Department of Veterans AffairsAir Conditioning Equipment MechanicColumbia, MO06/24/2025$72,398
Department of Veterans AffairsAir Conditioning Equipment MechanicSaint Cloud, MN06/24/2025$63,820

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