Refrigeration Mechanic Salary (2025)
HVAC · SOC Code 49-9021 · 4-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Refrigeration Mechanic salaries range from $48,449 to $75,238 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Refrigeration Mechanic Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $75,238 | $45,951 – $112,936 | $39,599 | C | 10,804 |
| New York, NY | $73,363 | $46,306 – $113,210 | $39,232 | C | 11,589 |
| Boston, MA | $70,719 | $43,588 – $106,144 | $46,526 | C | 9,379 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $67,807 | $40,222 – $100,936 | $40,848 | C | 10,197 |
| Seattle, WA | $65,913 | $41,424 – $96,977 | $44,237 | C | 4,017 |
| Denver, CO | $63,809 | $40,124 – $98,661 | $49,851 | C | 6,075 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $61,872 | $37,321 – $92,221 | $58,370 | B | 5,230 |
| Detroit, MI | $61,359 | $38,581 – $88,265 | $68,943 | B | 4,379 |
| Portland, OR | $61,027 | $37,796 – $90,612 | $46,944 | C | 7,280 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $60,980 | $38,762 – $89,256 | $53,026 | C | 5,564 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,241 | $36,786 – $90,506 | $56,001 | B | 4,865 |
| Dallas, TX | $57,960 | $37,593 – $81,739 | $56,824 | B | 7,103 |
| Chicago, IL | $57,824 | $34,764 – $84,302 | $54,041 | C | 6,059 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $57,326 | $34,545 – $84,751 | $62,311 | B | 4,672 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $56,553 | $35,266 – $87,561 | $54,906 | C | 6,078 |
| Houston, TX | $55,511 | $35,885 – $83,278 | $57,824 | B | 5,363 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $55,498 | $33,434 – $81,394 | $53,363 | C | 5,984 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $55,424 | $33,611 – $82,908 | $60,905 | B | 3,486 |
| Atlanta, GA | $54,581 | $32,246 – $78,591 | $51,492 | C | 6,448 |
| Kansas City, MO | $54,482 | $34,142 – $81,468 | $57,960 | B | 3,972 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $53,734 | $33,922 – $77,135 | $55,973 | B | 4,461 |
| Charlotte, NC | $53,414 | $32,835 – $77,323 | $54,504 | C | 3,514 |
| Columbus, OH | $52,671 | $34,289 – $79,372 | $56,635 | B | 4,471 |
| Nashville, TN | $51,608 | $31,126 – $74,215 | $50,105 | C | 4,589 |
| St. Louis, MO | $51,596 | $32,217 – $77,793 | $57,329 | B | 3,985 |
| Tampa, FL | $50,810 | $31,155 – $74,558 | $50,307 | C | 5,709 |
| Raleigh, NC | $50,024 | $30,082 – $74,881 | $50,024 | C | 3,611 |
| San Antonio, TX | $49,021 | $30,491 – $70,576 | $54,468 | C | 4,659 |
| New Orleans, LA | $48,850 | $30,600 – $70,608 | $51,421 | C | 4,258 |
| Miami, FL | $48,449 | $31,382 – $73,514 | $39,712 | C | 4,658 |
About Refrigeration Mechanic Pay
Refrigeration Mechanics earn a national median salary of $57,855 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $75,238 median, while Miami offers the lowest at $48,449.
Becoming a refrigeration mechanic typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $45,951, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $112,936 or more. With 13% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related HVAC Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for refrigeration mechanics is $57,855 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $48,449 to $75,238 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for refrigeration mechanics at $75,238. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 13% wage growth over 5 years, refrigeration mechanic is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 172,459 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a refrigeration mechanic typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $45,951 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.