Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in Portland, OR
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn a median $65,260 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,736 take-home, or $4,145 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in Portland, OR. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,651
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,046
- Medicare (1.45%)$946
- Oregon income tax$4,881
- Take-home pay$49,736
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 8.75% state
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro spans Oregon, Washington. 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 Portland, OR
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,650 | $23.39 | $37,843 | $3,154 |
| 25th percentile | $60,170 | $28.93 | $46,091 | $3,841 |
| Median (50th) | $65,260 | $31.38 | $49,736 | $4,145 |
| 75th percentile | $81,350 | $39.11 | $59,771 | $4,981 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,810 | $47.50 | $70,527 | $5,877 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Oregon resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $65,260 buys in Portland, OR
Prices in Portland, OR are 5.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.25× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers's $49,736 take-home pay has the buying power of $47,178 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 Portland, OR as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.81).
Best-paying cities for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, adjusted for cost of living
Portland, OR ranks #36 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 |
| 36 | Portland, OR | $65,260 | $49,736 | $47,178 |
*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 Portland, OR?
The median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area is $65,260 a year, or about $31.38 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $60,170 and $81,350.
What is a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s take-home pay in Portland, OR?
On the median $65,260 salary, a single filer living in Oregon takes home about $49,736 a year ($4,145 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,881 in Oregon taxes in 2026.
Is Portland, OR a good place to work as a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers?
Pay here is 7% above the national median of $61,010. Local prices are 5.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $47,178 would in a typical U.S. city. Portland, OR ranks #36 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 Portland, OR?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Portland, OR is $1,677 a month ($1,922 for two bedrooms) — 40% 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%.