Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Refrigeration Mechanic Salary in Philadelphia
2024 BLS OEWS Data · HVAC · COL Index: 115
Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia, PA earn a median annual wage of $62,830 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $38,240 and the 90th at $98,340. After cost of living, that translates to $54,635 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (60/100).
What Refrigeration Mechanics Take Home in Philadelphia
The $60,100 spread between entry-level and top-decile refrigeration mechanics in Philadelphia is around 96% of the median — a typical range for skilled trades. Workers can roughly double their entry pay through a combination of experience, certifications, union membership, and moving from helper to journeyman to foreman roles.
With Philadelphia's cost-of-living index of 115, a refrigeration mechanic earning $62,830 here translates to about $54,635 in U.S.-average purchasing power. That is a meaningful but manageable adjustment — the metro's higher pay typically clears the cost-of-living gap with room to spare in skilled trades.
With a Trade Pay Score of 60 (C), refrigeration mechanics in Philadelphia are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $38,240 | $33,252 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $50,850 | $44,217 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $62,830 | $54,635 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $78,270 | $68,061 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $98,340 | $85,513 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for refrigeration mechanics, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Refrigeration Mechanic make in Philadelphia?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median refrigeration mechanic salary in Philadelphia, PA is $62,830. The 10th percentile is $38,240 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $98,340 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Philadelphia pay compare for Refrigeration Mechanics?
With a Trade Pay Score of 60/100 and a grade of C, the Philadelphia-Refrigeration Mechanic pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia?
Refrigeration Mechanics typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($38,240) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Refrigeration Mechanic pay in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has a cost-of-living index of 115. The median refrigeration mechanic salary of $62,830 translates to $54,635 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in Philadelphia
$123,460 median · Grade B
$115,770 median · Grade B
$115,770 median · Grade B
$114,870 median · Grade B
$91,690 median · Grade C
$81,140 median · Grade C
Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia, PA earn a median annual wage of $62,830 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $38,240 and the 90th at $98,340. After cost of living, that translates to $54,635 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (60/100).
The Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia, PA record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia, PA sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for Refrigeration Mechanics in Philadelphia, PA is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.