Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 49-9021

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

O*NET task statements lead this Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, Watch and Clock Repairers, Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment, First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers ($95K) , Watch and Clock Repairers ($67K) , Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment ($85K) , First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers ($80K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 49-9021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment
  2. 2. Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area
  3. 3. Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment…
  4. 4. Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions
  5. 5. Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit
  6. 6. Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system
  7. 7. Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oil…
  8. 8. Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions
  9. 9. Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring
  10. 10. Install or repair self-contained ground source heat pumps or hybrid ground or air source heat pumps to minimize carbon-based energy consu…
  11. 11. Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers
  12. 12. Install auxiliary components to heating or cooling equipment, such as expansion or discharge valves, air ducts, pipes, blowers, dampers…

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 49-9021 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.6 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.6
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.5
  3. 3. Troubleshooting 3.5
  4. 4. Reading Comprehension 3.4
  5. 5. Installation 3.4
  6. 6. Repairing 3.4
  7. 7. Active Listening 3.3
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.3

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.7
  2. 2. Building and Construction 4.2
  3. 3. Customer and Personal Service 4.0
  4. 4. Engineering and Technology 3.5
  5. 5. Computers and Electronics 3.3
  6. 6. English Language 3.3
National median after O*NET task lead
$61,010
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment
$61K
National median
↑ +8%
Growth 2024-2034
40,100
Annual openings
409,670
Estimated US jobs
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $95K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Postsecondary nondegree award

Top Paying States for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

1. Washington $75,660
2. Illinois $77,410
3. Alaska $77,430
4. New York $74,430
5. Minnesota $76,350
6. District of Columbia $84,390
7. New Jersey $74,450
8. Massachusetts $77,300
9. Connecticut $76,610
10. North Dakota $74,490

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations titles

  1. 1. Watch and Clock Repairers $67,230
  2. 2. Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment $84,890
  3. 3. First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $79,860
  4. 4. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $95,320
  5. 5. Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers $74,330
  6. 6. Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians $79,870

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021). The national OEWS median is $61,010 inside Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, Watch and Clock Repairers, Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment, First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers. Lead published task: Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.

Employment Projections expect +8% change between 2024 and 2034 (much faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 40,100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $75,660. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers at $95,320. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay-rank #25 in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers sits at pay-rank #25 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 49-9021 · national median $61,010 · middle third of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (#25/51). The day-to-day tasks above set this role apart from peers with a similar title.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 49-9021

Washington · top state for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

$76K published median

Illinois · #2 state pay

$77K · behind Washington

Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · $95K

Watch and Clock Repairers

Lower-pay peer beside Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · $67K

Compare Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers mid-table among Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #25 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Maintenance Workers, Machinery ($61K), Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons ($61K), Medical Equipment Repairers ($62K), Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists ($62K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. Leading ones include: 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…; Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers? ▼
For SOC 49-9021, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.6), Critical Thinking (3.5), Troubleshooting (3.5), Reading Comprehension (3.4). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Building and Construction, Customer and Personal Service. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $61,010 as the national median for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. The published 10th-90th range is $40,050 to $95,210. Beside Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers ($95,320), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is +8%. Projected annual openings: about 40,100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? ▼
BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? ▼
Washington ($75,660), Illinois ($77,410), Alaska ($77,430) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 49-9021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics