SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Bellingham, WA (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 + WA
COL Index: 119.03 (+19.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.9% Realized
$56,237 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $72,190 $34.71/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.1% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,621 $446.98/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 $34.71 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,331/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$953/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$6,099
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,476
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,047
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,237 ($2,162.97 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Bellingham, WA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $72,190
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.1k 25th $63.5k Median: $72,190 50th (Median) $72.2k 75th $78.2k 90th $99.3k You: $72,190
10th (Entry) $48,070 $23.11/hr
25th (Junior) $63,460 $30.51/hr
50th (Median) $72,190 $34.71/hr
75th (Senior) $78,160 $37.58/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $99,260 $47.72/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Bellingham, WA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$45,200$21.73/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$69,812$33.56/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$92,885$44.66/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$127,791$61.44/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 Bellingham, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
33% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,529/month Requires minimum annual gross of $61,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,872/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $26.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.60/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 Bellingham, WA.

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$72,190-$11,621$56,237$2,162.97
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$85,726-$15,456$65,126$2,504.85
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$99,261-$19,291$74,015$2,846.73
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$112,797-$23,125$82,904$3,188.60
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$126,333-$26,960$91,793$3,530.48
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 Bellingham, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$72,190/yr
$34.71/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
16.1% Effective
-$11,621 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
33% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,157/mo
Post-$1,529/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 Bellingham, WA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Bellingham, WA report a median annual wage of $72,190, 18.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,070 to $99,260, and HUD’s $1,529 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $26.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+30.0%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+18.6%
Napa, CA$84,570+17.1%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+13.7%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+11.0%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+10.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+9.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+8.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+8.8%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+8.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Bellingham, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$236,930$113.91/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$193,360$92.96/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,640$81.56/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$169,470$81.48/hr
Physician Assistant$161,260$77.53/hr
Financial Manager$158,960$76.42/hr
Construction Managers$156,580$75.28/hr
Industrial Production Managers$150,800$72.50/hr
Nurse Practitioner$147,890$71.10/hr
Marketing Managers$143,450$68.97/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 Bellingham, WA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Bellingham, WA is $72,190 a year ($34.71/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Bellingham, WA 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 Bellingham, WA?

The median annual wage is $72,190 ($34.71 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,070 and $99,260. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $72,190, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $59,616 a year ($4,968 a month) after $12,574 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.42%, using 2026 tax rules.