SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA (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 + MA
COL Index: 121.21 (+21.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.3% Realized
$53,784 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $73,370 $35.27/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.7% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,184 $584.00/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 $35.27 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,402/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$968/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$6,343
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,549
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,064
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,228
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$53,784 ($2,068.60 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Amherst Town-Northampton, MA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $73,370
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.1k 25th $60.1k Median: $73,370 50th (Median) $73.4k 75th $78.8k 90th $92.2k You: $73,370
10th (Entry) $49,150 $23.63/hr
25th (Junior) $60,120 $28.90/hr
50th (Median) $73,370 $35.27/hr
75th (Senior) $78,760 $37.87/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $92,230 $44.34/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$45,939$22.09/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$70,953$34.11/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$94,403$45.39/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$129,880$62.44/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA medianView National HVAC/R Technician Salary Data
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
36% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,593/month Requires minimum annual gross of $63,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,034/month Requires minimum annual gross of $81,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.81/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $25.45/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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA.

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$73,370-$15,184$53,784$2,068.60
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$87,127-$19,728$62,171$2,391.20
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$100,884-$24,272$70,559$2,713.80
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$114,641-$28,816$78,946$3,036.40
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$128,398-$33,360$87,334$3,359.00
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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$73,370/yr
$35.27/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
20.7% Effective
-$15,184 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
36% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,889/mo
Post-$1,593/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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA report a median annual wage of $73,370, 20.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,150 to $92,230, and HUD’s $1,593 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.81 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+27.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+16.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+15.3%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+11.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+9.2%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+8.4%
Peoria, IL$78,710+7.3%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+7.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+7.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+7.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,330$81.41/hr
Marketing Managers$161,020$77.41/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$156,040$75.02/hr
Financial Manager$144,950$69.69/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$140,500$67.55/hr
Sales Managers$138,100$66.39/hr
Fundraising Managers$136,890$65.81/hr
Physician Assistant$134,860$64.84/hr
Nurse Practitioner$133,050$63.97/hr
Public Relations Managers$132,990$63.94/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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA is $73,370 a year ($35.27/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

The median annual wage is $73,370 ($35.27 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,150 and $92,230. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA after taxes?

On the median wage of $73,370, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $56,997 a year ($4,750 a month) after $16,373 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.32%, using 2026 tax rules.