Salary comparison
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: San Francisco vs Seattle
Seattle, WA pays about 2.1% more for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers on paper — $80,100 vs $78,490. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Seattle comes out ahead by $1,610 a year in real buying power.
San Francisco, CA
$78,490
$61,930
$101,870
$37.73
100
$78,490/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Seattle, WA
$80,100
$62,360
$101,190
$38.51
100
$80,100/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $1,610 a year (2.1%) in favor of Seattle. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
San Francisco runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Seattle sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Seattle is the better deal by $1,610 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from San Francisco to Seattle for this role, the raise needs to beat 2.1% 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, San Francisco or Seattle?
Seattle pays $80,100 on median — about 2.1% more than San Francisco ($78,490). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Seattle. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Seattle gives you roughly$80,100 of real buying power versus $78,490 in the other city.