Salary comparison
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers: Santa Rosa vs Santa Maria
Santa Rosa, CA pays about 1.1% more for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers on paper — $79,510 vs $78,640. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Santa Rosa comes out ahead by $870 a year in real buying power.
Santa Rosa, CA
$79,510
$62,250
$99,320
$38.23
100
$79,510/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Maria, CA
$78,640
$62,520
$95,310
$37.81
100
$78,640/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $870 a year (1.1%) in favor of Santa Rosa. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Santa Rosa runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Maria sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Santa Rosa is the better deal by $870 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Maria to Santa Rosa for this role, the raise needs to beat 1.1% 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, Santa Rosa or Santa Maria?
Santa Rosa pays $79,510 on median — about 1.1% more than Santa Maria ($78,640). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Santa Rosa. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Santa Rosa gives you roughly$79,510 of real buying power versus $78,640 in the other city.