Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay in California
$75,370avg. a year
$36.24 an hour · 35,130 employed
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in California earn an average of $75,370 a year. That is $10,590 (16%) more than the U.S. average of $64,780. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $91,280.
$72,560Median pay
$36.24Average hourly
+19%Avg. pay since 2020
#7Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,740 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$91,280
$43.89 an hour
23,980 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$86,540
$41.61 an hour
370 jobs
Napa, CA
$84,650
$40.70 an hour
4560 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$84,230
$40.50 an hour
5210 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$80,540
$38.72 an hour
6300 jobs
Salinas, CA
$80,530
$38.71 an hour
7260 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$79,640
$38.29 an hour
8120 jobs
El Centro, CA
$77,740
$37.38 an hour
93,210 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$75,960
$36.52 an hour
10200 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$75,460
$36.28 an hour
11390 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$74,730
$35.93 an hour
1210,720 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$74,630
$35.88 an hour
13750 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$71,940
$34.59 an hour
142,940 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$71,680
$34.46 an hour
15490 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$71,130
$34.20 an hour
16680 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$70,240
$33.77 an hour
17190 jobs
Merced, CA
$70,140
$33.72 an hour
18330 jobs
Visalia, CA
$69,630
$33.48 an hour
191,300 jobs
Fresno, CA
$69,230
$33.29 an hour
204,820 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$68,660
$33.01 an hour
21470 jobs
Modesto, CA
$68,520
$32.94 an hour
22160 jobs
Redding, CA
$68,320
$32.85 an hour
2390 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$68,050
$32.72 an hour
2480 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$67,710
$32.55 an hour
25120 jobs
Chico, CA
$67,350
$32.38 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $58k$58k–$63k$63k–$71k$71k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $64,780 | $31.14 |
| California | $75,370 | $36.24 |
| Oregon | $68,430 | $32.90 |
| Nevada | $63,350 | $30.46 |
| Arizona | $60,900 | $29.28 |
Related jobs in California
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$60,050
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,060
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$56,780
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$125,270
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$91,490
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$46,360
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in California?
The average is $75,370 a year, and the median is $72,560. That is $10,590 (16%) more than the U.S. average of $64,780.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$36.24 an hour on average; the median is $34.88.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,280), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($86,540). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Chico, CA ($67,350).
How does California rank?
California ranks #7 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 49-9021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.