St. Louis leans industrial: Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser brewery runs large ammonia refrigeration that needs steady upkeep, and cold storage clusters along the I-44 and I-55 corridors. Metro pay for refrigeration techs, mechanics and engineers averages around $61,000 a year, with ammonia and on-call plant work sitting at the higher end.
The St. Louis metro average for refrigeration technicians, mechanics and engineers runs about $61,000 a year, with ammonia operator and on-call roles landing above that.
Industrial ammonia at the Budweiser brewery and cold-storage warehousing along I-44 and I-55 drive most demand, more than storefront service. RETA CARO or CIRO helps on the ammonia side.
Florissant, O'Fallon, Arnold and the Metro East towns of Belleville and East St. Louis all feed the same hiring pool.