Salary comparison
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Fairbanks vs San Jose
Fairbanks, AK pays about 14.3% more for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers on paper — $93,820 vs $82,050. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fairbanks comes out ahead by $11,770 a year in real buying power.
Fairbanks, AK
$93,820
$59,960
$102,290
$45.11
100
$93,820/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
San Jose, CA
$82,050
$63,820
$106,630
$39.45
100
$82,050/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $11,770 a year (14.3%) in favor of Fairbanks. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Fairbanks runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; San Jose sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fairbanks is the better deal by $11,770 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from San Jose to Fairbanks for this role, the raise needs to beat 14.3% 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, Fairbanks or San Jose?
Fairbanks pays $93,820 on median — about 14.3% more than San Jose ($82,050). 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 $82,050 in the other city.