Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in Chicago, IL
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $77,960 a year — 28% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $59,961 take-home, or $4,997 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,321
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,834
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,130
- Illinois income tax$3,714
- Take-home pay$59,961
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
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 Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,460 | $22.82 | $38,110 | $3,176 |
| 25th percentile | $61,050 | $29.35 | $48,356 | $4,030 |
| Median (50th) | $77,960 | $37.48 | $59,961 | $4,997 |
| 75th percentile | $96,790 | $46.53 | $72,275 | $6,023 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $117,940 | $56.70 | $86,108 | $7,176 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $77,960 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers's $59,961 take-home pay has the buying power of $57,880 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 less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.61), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #2 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 |
*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 Chicago, IL?
The median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $77,960 a year, or about $37.48 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $61,050 and $96,790.
What is a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $77,960 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $59,961 a year ($4,997 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,714 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Pay here is 28% above the national median of $61,010. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $57,880 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #2 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 Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 31% 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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