49
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is a notable career in the 49 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 49-9021 |
| title | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers |
| onet code | 49-9021.00 |
| description | Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 49 |
| tot emp | 396,870 |
| a mean | 62,690 |
| a median | 59,810 |
| a pct10 | 39,130 |
| a pct25 | 47,850 |
| a pct75 | 74,820 |
| a pct90 | 91,020 |
| h mean | 30 |
| h median | 28 |
The day-to-day work of a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically centers on test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, and Troubleshooting. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.36 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, the most common entry qualification is a Post (68.1%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Alaska at $83,660 and lowest in West Virginia at $46,040 — a 1.8× spread. The top five states (Alaska, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Minnesota) average $78,268. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $83,660 | $81,800 | $47,310 | $104,100 | 790 |
| District of Columbia | $83,390 | $83,780 | $49,400 | $105,480 | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $76,990 | $79,390 | $49,540 | $109,220 | 7,960 |
| Connecticut | $73,910 | $71,260 | $46,120 | $97,940 | 4,440 |
| Minnesota | $73,390 | $71,780 | $47,080 | $94,420 | 5,190 |
| Illinois | $71,620 | $72,860 | $44,520 | $110,570 | 8,510 |
| New Jersey | $69,800 | $71,490 | $45,920 | $102,050 | 10,680 |
| Washington | $67,630 | $74,000 | $47,120 | $108,800 | 7,090 |
| North Dakota | $66,770 | $68,440 | $48,210 | $92,650 | 1,100 |
| New York | $66,670 | $70,480 | $47,510 | $98,530 | 22,710 |
| California | $65,290 | $74,470 | $46,980 | $107,600 | 34,020 |
| Maryland | $65,000 | $68,890 | $45,140 | $100,760 | 6,380 |
| New Hampshire | $64,410 | $66,520 | $46,650 | $87,920 | 2,120 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 | $67,280 | $45,790 | $89,900 | 1,110 |
| Rhode Island | $63,580 | $63,330 | $37,180 | $86,290 | 1,320 |
| Colorado | $63,420 | $68,100 | $46,600 | $100,790 | 8,870 |
| Oregon | $62,740 | $67,380 | $45,390 | $93,620 | 3,690 |
| Maine | $62,130 | $63,580 | $47,590 | $80,330 | 2,110 |
| Wisconsin | $62,030 | $66,360 | $46,150 | $96,970 | 5,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,120 | $63,250 | $43,350 | $84,190 | 16,930 |
| Virginia | $60,630 | $61,260 | $40,710 | $81,750 | 13,640 |
| Ohio | $60,490 | $62,140 | $38,120 | $91,710 | 13,570 |
| Missouri | $60,330 | $64,980 | $37,980 | $94,870 | 8,360 |
| Indiana | $60,310 | $62,530 | $38,970 | $93,080 | 7,620 |
| Vermont | $60,170 | $60,790 | $44,010 | $80,160 | 1,050 |
| Michigan | $60,090 | $61,120 | $39,560 | $84,070 | 13,720 |
| Delaware | $59,940 | $64,530 | $44,460 | $95,160 | 1,790 |
| Nebraska | $59,690 | $58,630 | $38,590 | $78,370 | 3,080 |
| Iowa | $59,490 | $60,160 | $37,790 | $85,760 | 3,990 |
| South Dakota | $59,460 | $59,070 | $41,070 | $77,280 | 1,130 |
| Nevada | $59,230 | $62,370 | $39,230 | $91,040 | 4,240 |
| Kentucky | $58,880 | $58,450 | $38,020 | $79,100 | 6,230 |
| Montana | $58,600 | $60,190 | $39,610 | $79,240 | 1,050 |
| Kansas | $56,750 | $57,210 | $38,420 | $77,570 | 4,100 |
| Arizona | $56,580 | $58,540 | $39,760 | $78,380 | 10,850 |
| Utah | $56,200 | $59,030 | $37,510 | $80,330 | 5,370 |
| South Carolina | $55,260 | $55,010 | $38,030 | $72,460 | 6,370 |
| Georgia | $55,020 | $55,340 | $37,250 | $77,580 | 12,210 |
| New Mexico | $55,020 | $56,190 | $36,580 | $77,980 | 1,820 |
| Texas | $54,050 | $58,120 | $37,300 | $82,870 | 32,070 |
| Louisiana | $53,510 | $55,140 | $35,610 | $77,940 | 5,040 |
| Idaho | $52,730 | $58,150 | $39,650 | $78,720 | 3,570 |
| North Carolina | $51,940 | $54,710 | $37,750 | $75,470 | 13,750 |
| Tennessee | $51,480 | $55,130 | $38,100 | $76,600 | 10,510 |
| Oklahoma | $50,920 | $55,400 | $35,610 | $79,580 | 4,820 |
| Wyoming | $50,920 | $54,570 | $36,860 | $78,730 | 570 |
| Florida | $50,580 | $55,110 | $37,800 | $74,670 | 38,290 |
| Alabama | $49,290 | $52,440 | $35,940 | $69,350 | 7,330 |
| Mississippi | $47,270 | $50,210 | $36,000 | $70,360 | 2,960 |
| Arkansas | $47,240 | $50,010 | $36,440 | $65,810 | 4,890 |
| West Virginia | $46,040 | $48,040 | $35,260 | $65,390 | 1,450 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for A/C Installer-Servicer (Air Conditioning Installer-Servicer) or A/C Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers compares to others in the 49 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
Explore More Data Tools
For adjacent public-data tools, methodology notes, and network updates, visit DataPeek Facts.