With public health and safety as well as the bottom line of thousands of businesses in the food service industry reliant upon proper refrigeration of food products, repairing and maintaining refrigeration machinery is a vital part of the food and grocery infrastructure. Refrigeration technicians handle commercial refrigeration needs and provide service to residential appliances and air conditioning units. Most are employed as hourly workers, and are thus able to supplement their salary with overtime earnings in some situations.
Average Wages
Because refrigeration technicians are typically paid an hourly wage rather than a monthly salary, their earnings are indexed by wage earnings. The average refrigeration technician earns an hourly rate between $16.36 and $24.83 as of November 2010, according to PayScale Inc. When overtime earnings are factored into the salary, the annual earnings of a technician ranged between $37,286 and $59,021 according to PayScale, indicating that many technicians work significant amounts at overtime wages.
By Region
The market in which a refrigeration technician plies his trade plays a significant role in his average earnings, both because of differences between cost of living in different parts of the country and the number of qualified workers in a region. Technicians could expect an average salary of $57,342 annually in Chicago as of November 2010, according to SalaryExpert.com, though those employed in Orlando, Florida, could expect a salary of $36,616. Of the ten regions referenced by SalaryExpert.com, five reported average annual earnings between $38,207 and $41,642.
By Employer
The organization for which a refrigeration technician works also impacts his salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook reported that as of May 2008 HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers received the highest rate of pay when they were employed by local government agencies, earning an average hourly wage of $22.79. Those employed by building equipment contractors earned the least, earning an average of $18.26 per hour.
Benefits
Many refrigeration technicians also receive health benefits as part of their employment package, with only a quarter of all technicians receiving no benefits as of November 2010, according to PayScale. Medical coverage was the most common benefit, with 73 percent of positions awarding it, while 52 percent of positions also granted dental benefits. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that employers also often provide additional benefits such as subsidized additional training, uniforms, the use of company vans and tools.
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