Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Intermediate HVAC Mechanic in California is $67,290 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.
However, an Intermediate HVAC Mechanic's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
Intermediate HVAC Mechanic Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $73,090 | $6,091 | $1,406 | $35 |
| Average | $67,290 | $5,608 | $1,294 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,590 | $5,049 | $1,165 | $29 |
Med-Trans Corporation - Riverside, CA
Global Medical Response Inc - Riverside, CA
Capital Brand Group, LLC - San Diego, CA
Epsilon Systems - Port Hueneme, CA
An Intermediate HVAC Mechanic's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of an Intermediate HVAC Mechanic's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Entry HVAC Mechanic | 0-1 years | $57,320 |
| Intermediate HVAC Mechanic | 1-3 years | $67,210 |
| HVAC Installation Technician III | 3-5 years | $74,518 |
| HVAC Field Supervisor | 5+ years | $87,599 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Intermediate HVAC Mechanics. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
Intermediate HVAC Mechanic salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $75,327. While startup companies pay approximate $63,725.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $63,725 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $67,397 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $72,742 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $75,327 |
For Intermediate HVAC Mechanic roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 67% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Intermediate HVAC Mechanic positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Intermediate HVAC Mechanic as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet | $84,112 | $40.0 | 25% |
| Energy & Utilities | $80,748 | $39.0 | 20% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $79,402 | $38.0 | 18% |
| Insurance | $74,019 | $36.0 | 10% |
| Healthcare | $72,673 | $35.0 | 8% |
Understanding how an Intermediate HVAC Mechanic's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $73,090 | $6,091 | $1,406 | $35 |
| Average | $67,290 | $5,608 | $1,294 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,590 | $5,049 | $1,165 | $29 |
For an Intermediate HVAC Mechanic, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the HVAC Installation Technician III role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $74,600 - a projected growth of 11% over your current level.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Intermediate HVAC Mechanic job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, CA
Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundam... more
5 Days Ago
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA
HVAC Mechanic. Maintains, repairs, installs, and modifies a variety of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. Electrical: trou... more
5 Days Ago
Southwestern Community College District
Chula Vista, CA
Southwestern Community College District | Chula Vista, CA
HVAC Mechanic. Under the direction of the Maintenance Supervisor, perform skilled mechanical work in repair, inspection, servicing and alteration of Distri... more
5 Days Ago
SolveNow
Torrance, CA
SolveNow | Torrance, CA
HVAC Technician. Qualifications. Advanced students of an Applied Technologies HVAC program. EPA Refrigerant License or ability to obtain within 1 year of b... more
5 Days Ago
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, CA
Salk Institute for Biological Studies | La Jolla, CA
HVAC&R Mechanic. Under limited supervision, the HVAC&R Mechanic performs the full range of skilled journey level air conditioning and refrigeration work in... more
5 Days Ago
United Rentals
Bakersfield, CA
United Rentals | Bakersfield, CA
Power HVAC Mechanic. If you'd like the chance to make your mark with the world's largest equipment rental provider, come build your future with United Rent... more
2 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
