Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Also called: AC Installer (Air Conditioning Installer), AC Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic), AC Service Tech (Air Conditioning Service Technician), AC Servicer (Air Conditioning Servicer), AC Tech (Air Conditioning Technician), Air Balancing Technician (Air Balancing Tech), Baseboard Heating Installer, Commercial HVAC Service Tech (Commercial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician)
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
What Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers do
Typical tasks
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
- Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
- Schedule work with customers and initiate work orders, house requisitions, and orders from stock.
- Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
- Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Repair or service heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to improve efficiency, such as by changing filters, cleaning ducts, and refilling non-toxic refrigerants.
- Test pipes, lines, components, and connections for leaks.
- Braze or solder parts to repair defective joints and leaks.
- Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary
The median annual wage for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is $61,010 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $40,050 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $95,210. The mean annual wage is $64,780.
The mean hourly wage of $31.00 is 4.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $61,010 → in 3 years $67,400 → in 5 years $72,100 → in 10 years $85,200 (10-year range $73,300–$98,900). The model assumes pay growth of +3.4% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.