SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Altoona, PA (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + PA + Municipal
COL Index: 87.72 (-12.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.9% Realized
$43,289 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $58,550 $28.15/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.07% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,748 $451.86/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $28.15 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,513/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$422/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,424
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,630
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$849
Pennsylvania Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,797
Altoona earned income tax
1.70%
-$1,047
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,289 ($1,664.95 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Altoona, PA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $58,550
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.8k 25th $45.9k Median: $58,550 50th (Median) $58.5k 75th $70.5k 90th $82.9k You: $58,550
10th (Entry) $38,800 $18.65/hr
25th (Junior) $45,940 $22.09/hr
50th (Median) $58,550 $28.15/hr
75th (Senior) $70,470 $33.88/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $82,940 $39.88/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Altoona, PA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$36,660$17.62/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$56,621$27.22/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$75,335$36.22/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$103,645$49.83/hr · 9+ Years
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Altoona, PA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
27% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $959/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,360
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,151/month Requires minimum annual gross of $46,040
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.40/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.35/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Altoona, PA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$58,550-$11,748$43,289$1,664.95
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$69,528-$14,350$51,006$1,961.78
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$80,506-$17,870$57,806$2,223.32
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$91,484-$21,503$64,492$2,480.46
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$102,463-$25,137$71,178$2,737.60
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

HVAC/R Technician in Altoona, PA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Pennsylvania tax codes.

Market Baseline
$58,550/yr
$28.15/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
20.07% Effective
-$11,748 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
27% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,648/mo
Post-$959/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 49-9021
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

HVAC/R Technician in Altoona, PA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Altoona, PA report a median annual wage of $58,550, 4.0% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,800 to $82,940, and HUD’s $959 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.40 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+60.2%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+46.2%
Napa, CA$84,570+44.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+40.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+36.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+35.8%
Peoria, IL$78,710+34.4%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+34.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+34.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+34.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Altoona, PA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$197,360$94.88/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$133,050$63.97/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$128,380$61.72/hr
Physician Assistant$123,270$59.26/hr
Nurse Practitioner$119,930$57.66/hr
Marketing Managers$119,670$57.53/hr
Financial Manager$113,980$54.80/hr
Human Resources Managers$104,010$50.00/hr
Software Engineer$101,670$48.88/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$100,790$48.46/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 389 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Altoona, PA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Altoona, PA is $58,550 a year ($28.15/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Altoona, PA?

The median annual wage is $58,550 ($28.15 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,800 and $82,940. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Altoona, PA after taxes?

On the median wage of $58,550, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,380 a year ($3,865 a month) after $12,170 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.79%, using 2026 tax rules.