Columbus, OH · SOC 49-9021
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Columbus
Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Median Salary
$64,440
per year in Columbus
+6% above
National Median
$61,010
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$30.98/hr
median hourly
Employment
3,000
jobs in Columbus
BLS metro-level wage data places Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay in Columbus, OH at a median of $64,440 per year ($30.98/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $61,010, Columbus pays +6% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 3,000 heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installerss are employed across the Columbus MSA in SOC 49-9021.
The Columbus pay distribution spans from $40,680 at the 10th percentile to $100,590 at the 90th — a 2.5× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $49,030 and the 75th at $80,870, so half of Columbus-based heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installerss earn within that middle band.
Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Columbus, OH covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide OH data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.
Salary Range in Columbus
Annual Salary Distribution
10th Percentile
$40,680
25th Percentile
$49,030
Median
$64,440
75th Percentile
$80,870
90th Percentile
$100,590
Top Paying Jobs in Columbus
Similar Occupations in Columbus
Other roles inside the Columbus, OH MSA from the same SOC major group.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.