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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.
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.
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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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.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $77,739 | $37.37 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $62,051 | $29.83 |
| 3 | Montana | $59,404 | $28.56 |
| 4 | Washington | $65,643 | $31.56 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,824 | $32.61 |
| 6 | Nevada | $55,858 | $26.85 |
| 7 | Oregon | $61,641 | $29.64 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $51,864 | $24.93 |
| 9 | Delaware | $55,691 | $26.77 |
| 10 | Indiana | $51,512 | $24.77 |
| 11 | Idaho | $53,196 | $25.57 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $54,128 | $26.02 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $58,679 | $28.21 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $60,909 | $29.28 |
| 15 | Iowa | $48,108 | $23.13 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $63,645 | $30.60 |
| 17 | Colorado | $54,964 | $26.43 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $55,117 | $26.50 |
| 19 | Maryland | $55,169 | $26.52 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $56,519 | $27.17 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $53,283 | $25.62 |
| 22 | California | $59,330 | $28.52 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $47,356 | $22.77 |
| 24 | Illinois | $54,231 | $26.07 |
| 25 | New York | $56,479 | $27.15 |
| 26 | Utah | $49,257 | $23.68 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $56,531 | $27.18 |
| 28 | Michigan | $50,911 | $24.48 |
| 29 | Maine | $48,691 | $23.41 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $44,485 | $21.39 |
| 31 | Arizona | $48,510 | $23.32 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $45,303 | $21.78 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $48,051 | $23.10 |
| 34 | Missouri | $49,234 | $23.67 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $42,836 | $20.59 |
| 36 | Virginia | $49,346 | $23.72 |
| 37 | Vermont | $44,281 | $21.29 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,648 | $19.06 |
| 39 | Kansas | $44,347 | $21.32 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $38,681 | $18.60 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $37,597 | $18.08 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $40,049 | $19.25 |
| 43 | Alabama | $36,920 | $17.75 |
| 44 | Ohio | $42,494 | $20.43 |
| 45 | Texas | $40,084 | $19.27 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $40,046 | $19.25 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $37,721 | $18.14 |
| 48 | Florida | $34,309 | $16.49 |
| 49 | Georgia | $36,418 | $17.51 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $34,425 | $16.55 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $33,615 | $16.16 |
The highest-paying cities for air-conditioning mechanics are San Francisco, CA, Stamford, CT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $69,065 | $33.20 |
| 2 | Stamford, CT | $68,408 | $32.89 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $63,702 | $30.63 |
| 4 | Fargo, ND | $61,235 | $29.44 |
| 5 | Kearny, NJ | $60,733 | $29.20 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $56,613 | $27.22 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $56,485 | $27.16 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $56,343 | $27.09 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $55,609 | $26.74 |
| 10 | Centreville, VA | $52,834 | $25.40 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $52,682 | $25.33 |
| 12 | Marion, IN | $52,579 | $25.28 |
| 13 | Prescott, AZ | $50,278 | $24.17 |
| 14 | Battle Creek, MI | $49,742 | $23.91 |
| 15 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $48,069 | $23.11 |
| 16 | Charleston, SC | $42,531 | $20.45 |
| 17 | Big Spring, TX | $41,026 | $19.72 |
| 18 | Franklin, TN | $40,001 | $19.23 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $36,576 | $17.58 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $34,724 | $16.69 |
An air-conditioning mechanic's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly 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 |
The highest paying types of air-conditioning mechanics are hvac technician, hvac-r technician, and air conditioning service technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hvac Installer | $44,651 | $3,721 | $21.47 | 28,909 |
| Installer Apprentice | $37,507 | $3,126 | $18.03 | 21,751 |
| Hvac Apprentice | $34,073 | $2,839 | $16.38 | 25,483 |
| Hvac Technician | $54,496 | $4,541 | $26.20 | 86,709 |
| Mechanical Installer | $43,919 | $3,660 | $21.11 | 69,734 |
| Hvac-R Technician | $53,354 | $4,446 | $25.65 | 85,555 |
Top companies hiring air-conditioning mechanics now:
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.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halifax Health | $58,484 | $28.12 |
| 2 | R & R Services Corporation | $55,173 | $26.53 |
| 3 | Northrop Grumman | $53,877 | $25.90 |
| 4 | Baltimore County Golf | $53,257 | $25.60 |
| 5 | Missouri State University | $52,636 | $25.31 |
| 6 | General Dynamics | $52,178 | $25.09 |
| 7 | Orange County | $50,095 | $24.08 |
| 8 | Georgia State University | $49,455 | $23.78 |
| 9 | Lockheed Martin | $48,348 | $23.24 |
| 10 | Nes Holdings | $48,161 | $23.15 |
| 11 | Goodyear | $45,201 | $21.73 |
| 12 | United States Marine Corps | $44,845 | $21.56 |
| 13 | NEX | $44,253 | $21.28 |
| 14 | Indian Health Service | $43,207 | $20.77 |
| 15 | Medical University of South Carolina | $43,086 | $20.71 |
| 16 | County of Riverside | $42,802 | $20.58 |
| 17 | City of Hollywood,FL | $40,962 | $19.69 |
| 18 | City Of Miami | $40,945 | $19.69 |
| 19 | Texas State Teachers Association | $37,629 | $18.09 |
| 20 | Architect of the Capitol | $34,568 | $16.62 |
The average air-conditioning mechanic salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $54,871 | $26.38 |
| 2 | Technology | $48,406 | $23.27 |
| 3 | Education | $47,598 | $22.88 |
| 4 | Government | $46,269 | $22.24 |
| 5 | Construction | $45,036 | $21.65 |
| 6 | Retail | $44,833 | $21.55 |
| 7 | Manufacturing | $41,628 | $20.01 |
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.
Compare air-conditioning mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly 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% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3M Companies | 2Nd Shift Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic | Maplewood, MN | 06/28/2025 | $95,480 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Leader | New London, CT | 06/28/2025 | $62,944 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic | Nashville, TN | 06/28/2025 | $53,156 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic | Biloxi, MS | 06/28/2025 | $56,516 |
| San Bernardino County (Ca | Air Conditioning (Hvac) Mechanic* | San Bernardino, CA | 06/27/2025 | $83,470 |
| Okanagan College | Vocational Instructor-Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic) | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $71,846 |
| Georgia State University | Air Conditioning Mechanic II | Atlanta, GA | 06/25/2025 | $36,000 |
| Hilton Worldwide | Air Conditioning Refrigerator Mechanic-Caribe Hilton | San Juan, PR | 06/24/2025 | $35,896 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic | Columbia, MO | 06/24/2025 | $72,398 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic | Saint Cloud, MN | 06/24/2025 | $63,820 |
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