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Penobscot County, ME · Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic
Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic prevailing wage in Penobscot County, Maine
$37.29an hour, base wage + fringe benefits
$32.88 base wage + $4.41 fringe benefits · Building 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) · Northern region
Penobscot County uses the same refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rates as 4 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On Maine public works in Penobscot County, a refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic must be paid at least $37.29 an hour: a $32.88 base wage plus $4.41 in benefits.
MDOL 2026 rates, effective January 10, 2026; this rate, effective January 10, 2026. A rate written into a contract "must remain unchanged during the time the contract is in effect" (26 MRSA §1306). Checked against maine.gov on October 25, 2026.
MDOL lists 3 refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rates for Penobscot County, from $37.29 to $41.61 an hour. See all of them.
MDOL's website rates "are for reference only". Bidders get the project-specific determination from the agency soliciting bids (§1306).
Base wage and fringe benefits: $32.88 + $4.41
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. MDOL prints the benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $32.88 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $4.41 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $37.29 |
When does this rate change?
- A rate in a contract stays unchanged for the life of the contract (26 MRSA §1306), so later sets don't change existing jobs.
- MDOL publishes one set a year. The 2026 set took effect January 10, 2026 after a 30-day notice period; the next comes after the July 2026 survey (MDOL 2026 rates).
Every refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rate in Penobscot County
As MDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersHighway & Earthwork · Northern region$41.61
- Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersHeavy & Bridge · Northern region$41.61
- Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) · Northern region$37.29
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Northern region | $32.88 | $4.41 | $37.29 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersHighway & EarthworkNorthern region | $35.68 | $5.93 | $41.61 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersHeavy & BridgeNorthern region | $35.68 | $5.93 | $41.61 | Jan 10, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rate in Penobscot County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Maine's law excludes projects under Davis-Bacon with federally set rates, so a job uses one schedule or the other (26 M.R.S. 1304).
The federal determinations for Penobscot County list no refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic classification.
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Maine Davis-Bacon changes
How Penobscot County compares
The main refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Maine
Wage and benefits, nearby
- Penobscot Countybase $32.88$37.29
- Piscataquis Countybase $32.88$37.29
- Hancock Countybase $32.88$37.29
- Somerset Countybase $36.59$43.71
Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic rates in nearby counties
Current MDOL rates. Rates are published per county. "Locality" in the law is where the work is done plus the areas labor is recruited from (26 MRSA §1304(6)).
MDOL's refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic rates for Penobscot County are the same as in 4 other counties: Aroostook, Hancock, Piscataquis, Washington.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Penobscot County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $36.59 | $43.71 | +$6.42 |
| Waldo County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $34.53 | $39.82 | +$2.53 |
| Penobscot County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $32.88 | $37.29 | |
| Piscataquis County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $32.88 | $37.29 | same |
| Hancock County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $32.88 | $37.29 | same |
| Washington County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $32.88 | $37.29 | same |
| Aroostook County | Heating and Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $32.88 | $37.29 | same |
Maine refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from MDOL on this rate
- MDOL MDOL determination, page 1
- MDOL's 2026 fair minimum wage rates
- MDOL lists journey-level rates. Apprentice rates are those in a registered sponsorship agreement (26 MRSA §1314).
Are you being paid this rate?
You must get at least the minimum wage, and wage plus benefits of at least the total. Contractors post the rates on site and file payroll monthly with the public authority. An underpaid worker can recover the difference plus an equal penalty (26 MRSA §1312). MDOL Wage and Hour: (207) 623-7900.
Source
Department of Labor (MDOL), MDOL determination MDOL-2026-penobscot-b2, effective January 10, 2026, page 1: www.maine.gov/labor/docs/2026/laborstats/prevailingwage/Penobscot/2026%20B2%20Penobscot%20County.pdf
We read every row of MDOL's 2026 county and statewide PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. Wage plus benefit equals MDOL's printed total except for 28 one-cent rounding differences; we show the printed total. How we check · Download Penobscot County as CSV · Report an error