Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in California
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in California earned a median of $72,560 a year ($34.88 an hour) and a mean of $75,370 in May 2025. The median is 18.9% above the U.S. median of $61,010, ranking 12th of 54 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $72,560
- Median hourly
- $34.88
- Mean annual
- $75,370
- Jobs on record
- 35,130
Grey needle: U.S. median, $61,010 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does California compare on pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
California ranks 12th of 54 states and territories. District of Columbia is highest at $84,390, $11,830 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 10 | $74,430 | +22% | 24,430 |
| New Hampshire | 11 | $73,850 | +21% | 2,560 |
| California | 12 | $72,560 | +19% | 35,130 |
| Maryland | 13 | $70,020 | +15% | 8,560 |
| Rhode Island | 14 | $67,370 | +10% | 1,450 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 54 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $72,560 median buys about what $65,535 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $61,010 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 22nd of 51, down from 12th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in California pay heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers the most?
Napa, CA is highest at $84,570, 16.6% above the California median.
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers work in California?
BLS counts 35,130 jobs in California, 8.6% of the 409,670 in the U.S. That is the 2nd largest count among the 54 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 0.73: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.73 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the California minimum wage compare with pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in California was $22.57 in May 2025, $5.67 above the $16.90 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.