Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Salary in Richmond, VA
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in the Richmond, VA metro area earn a median $59,130 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,105 take-home, or $3,925 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in Richmond, VA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,916
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,666
- Medicare (1.45%)$857
- Virginia income tax$2,586
- Take-home pay$47,105
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.75% 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 Richmond, VA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,270 | $18.40 | $31,544 | $2,629 |
| 25th percentile | $47,220 | $22.70 | $38,220 | $3,185 |
| Median (50th) | $59,130 | $28.43 | $47,105 | $3,925 |
| 75th percentile | $65,710 | $31.59 | $52,014 | $4,334 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,620 | $37.80 | $60,433 | $5,036 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,130 buys in Richmond, VA
Prices in Richmond, VA are 2.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers's $47,105 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,136 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Richmond, VA has 1.6× the national concentration of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, adjusted for cost of living
Richmond, VA ranks #34 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 |
| 34 | Richmond, VA | $59,130 | $47,105 | $48,136 |
*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 Virginia
- Virginia Beach, VA — $59,470
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers make in Richmond, VA?
The median heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers salary in the Richmond, VA metro area is $59,130 a year, or about $28.43 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,220 and $65,710.
What is a heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers’s take-home pay in Richmond, VA?
On the median $59,130 salary, a single filer living in Virginia takes home about $47,105 a year ($3,925 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,586 in Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Richmond, VA 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 2.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,136 would in a typical U.S. city. Richmond, VA ranks #34 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 Richmond, VA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Richmond, VA is $1,505 a month ($1,653 for two bedrooms) — 38% 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%.