Salary comparison
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Boston vs Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK pays about 19.5% more for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers on paper — $93,820 vs $78,530. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fairbanks comes out ahead by $15,290 a year in real buying power.
Boston, MA
$78,530
$61,740
$97,270
$37.75
100
$78,530/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Fairbanks, AK
$93,820
$59,960
$102,290
$45.11
100
$93,820/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $15,290 a year (19.5%) in favor of Fairbanks. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Boston runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Fairbanks sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fairbanks is the better deal by $15,290 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Boston to Fairbanks for this role, the raise needs to beat 19.5% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn more, Boston or Fairbanks?
Fairbanks pays $93,820 on median — about 19.5% more than Boston ($78,530). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Fairbanks. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Fairbanks gives you roughly$93,820 of real buying power versus $78,530 in the other city.