Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in Houston, TX
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $58,940 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,538 take-home, or $4,128 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,893
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,654
- Medicare (1.45%)$855
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$49,538
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% 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 Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,780 | $18.64 | $33,340 | $2,778 |
| 25th percentile | $47,040 | $22.62 | $39,977 | $3,331 |
| Median (50th) | $58,940 | $28.34 | $49,538 | $4,128 |
| 75th percentile | $73,900 | $35.53 | $60,819 | $5,068 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,120 | $39.96 | $67,305 | $5,609 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,940 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers's $49,538 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,227 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 Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.89).
Best-paying cities for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #24 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 |
| 24 | Houston, TX | $58,940 | $49,538 | $50,227 |
*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.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Austin, TX — $60,820
- San Antonio, TX — $58,590
- Dallas, TX — $59,560
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Houston, TX?
The median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $58,940 a year, or about $28.34 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,040 and $73,900.
What is a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $58,940 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $49,538 a year ($4,128 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $61,010. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,227 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #24 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 Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 32% 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%.
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