Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary really buy you in Colorado?
Colorado is 2.3% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Colorado's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.3, meaning prices are 2.3% higher the national average. A Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers earning $65,200 in Colorado has the equivalent purchasing power of $63,734 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $48,220 | $47,135 | $-1,084 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $58,050 | $56,744 | $-1,305 |
| Median (P50) | $65,200 | $63,734 | $-1,465 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $82,010 | $80,166 | $-1,843 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $103,640 | $101,309 | $-2,330 |
Colorado's cost of living is close to the national average, so $65,200 keeps most of its value at $63,734 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 102.3, Colorado is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living, $65,200 nominal nets out to $63,734 in real purchasing power — a small 2.2% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers.
Colorado's rank of #29 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers trails the national half-way line.
Where does Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Colorado ranks #29 out of 51 states for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers take-home pay in Colorado after taxes →
A Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Colorado earns a median salary of $65,200 per year. After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (RPP=102.3), the real purchasing power is $63,734 — a -2.2% difference.
Colorado's cost of living is 2.3% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Colorado is 102.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Colorado: $65,200 x (100 / 102.3) = $63,734. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers's nominal salary of $65,200 in Colorado has 2.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $63,734. However, Colorado may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.