SalaryByCity

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers vs Tax Preparers: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

$59,810

Median annual salary

396,870 employed nationally

Tax Preparers

$50,560

Median annual salary

73,570 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers professionals earn $9,250 more per year than Tax Preparers professionals — that's 18.3% higher. At the 90th percentile, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers earns $91,020 compared to $96,240 for Tax Preparers.

Salary Range Comparison

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$39,130 – $91,020
Tax Preparers$30,500 – $96,240
$30,500$96,240

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileHeating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersTax PreparersDifference
10th Percentile$39,130$30,500+$8,630
25th Percentile$47,850$37,750+$10,100
Median (50th)$59,810$50,560+$9,250
75th Percentile$74,820$75,590$-770
90th Percentile$91,020$96,240$-5,220
Mean (Average)$62,690$58,860+$3,830

Employment Numbers

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

396,870

employed nationwide

Tax Preparers

73,570

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$83,980
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$77,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$76,760
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$76,090
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$75,500

Best Cities for Tax Preparers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$83,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$83,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$74,670
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$71,990
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX$68,160

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers or Tax Preparers?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $9,250 (18.3% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers salaries range from $39,130 (10th percentile) to $91,020 (90th percentile), with a median of $59,810.
What is the salary range for Tax Preparers?
Tax Preparers salaries range from $30,500 (10th percentile) to $96,240 (90th percentile), with a median of $50,560.
How many Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers and Tax Preparers jobs are there?
There are approximately 396,870 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers positions and 73,570 Tax Preparers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Tax Preparers to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers has a median salary of $59,810 while Tax Preparers earns $50,560. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS