SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA (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 + GA
COL Index: 112.87 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.4% Realized
$37,337 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $48,890 $23.50/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.63% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,620 $331.52/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 $23.50 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,933/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$352/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,335
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,031
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$709
Georgia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,545
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,337 ($1,436.04 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Athens-Clarke County, GA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $48,890
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $35.8k 25th $40.7k Median: $48,890 50th (Median) $48.9k 75th $60.5k 90th $69.0k You: $48,890
10th (Entry) $35,790 $17.21/hr
25th (Junior) $40,670 $19.55/hr
50th (Median) $48,890 $23.50/hr
75th (Senior) $60,490 $29.08/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $69,010 $33.18/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Athens-Clarke County, GA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$30,611$14.72/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$47,279$22.73/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$62,906$30.24/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$86,545$41.61/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Athens-Clarke County, GA 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
35% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,103/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,285/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.96/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.75/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 Athens-Clarke County, GA.

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$48,890-$8,620$37,337$1,436.04
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$58,057-$10,785$43,789$1,684.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$67,224-$12,950$50,240$1,932.31
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$76,391-$15,646$56,161$2,160.04
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$85,558-$18,673$61,751$2,375.04
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 Athens-Clarke County, GA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$48,890/yr
$23.50/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.63% Effective
-$8,620 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,008/mo
Post-$1,103/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 Athens-Clarke County, GA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Athens-Clarke County, GA report a median annual wage of $48,890, 19.9% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $35,790 to $69,010, and HUD’s $1,103 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.96 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+91.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+75.1%
Napa, CA$84,570+73.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+67.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+63.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+62.6%
Peoria, IL$78,710+61.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+60.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+60.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+60.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Athens-Clarke County, GA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$164,460$79.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$157,340$75.64/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$137,570$66.14/hr
Financial Manager$137,130$65.93/hr
Purchasing Managers$133,630$64.25/hr
Marketing Managers$131,280$63.12/hr
Industrial Production Managers$131,200$63.08/hr
Human Resources Managers$129,490$62.25/hr
Nurse Practitioner$128,140$61.61/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$126,420$60.78/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 Athens-Clarke County, GA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA is $48,890 a year ($23.50/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Athens-Clarke County, GA 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA?

The median annual wage is $48,890 ($23.50 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $35,790 and $69,010. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Athens-Clarke County, GA after taxes?

On the median wage of $48,890, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $39,772 a year ($3,314 a month) after $9,118 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.65%, using 2026 tax rules.