Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in Denver, CO
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $71,580 a year — 17% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $56,745 take-home, or $4,729 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$6,918
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,438
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,038
- Colorado income tax$2,441
- Take-home pay$56,745
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.40% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,010 | $23.56 | $40,111 | $3,343 |
| 25th percentile | $59,080 | $28.40 | $47,760 | $3,980 |
| Median (50th) | $71,580 | $34.41 | $56,745 | $4,729 |
| 75th percentile | $90,390 | $43.46 | $69,151 | $5,763 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,880 | $50.42 | $78,707 | $6,559 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $71,580 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers's $56,745 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,644 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers jobs are about as common in Denver, CO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #9 of 41 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $80,100 | $65,180 | $58,651 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $77,960 | $59,961 | $57,880 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $77,490 | $59,598 | $56,857 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $78,530 | $60,369 | $55,760 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $64,440 | $52,968 | $55,482 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $62,790 | $51,687 | $55,032 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $62,680 | $50,535 | $54,607 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,240 | $51,261 | $53,749 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $71,580 | $56,745 | $53,644 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 41 metros →
About the job: heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +10.9% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Denver, CO?
The median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $71,580 a year, or about $34.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,080 and $90,390.
What is a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $71,580 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $56,745 a year ($4,729 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,441 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Pay here is 17% above the national median of $61,010. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,644 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #9 of 41 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.