SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Birmingham, AL (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 + AL + Municipal
COL Index: 108.46 (+8.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.7% Realized
$36,397 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $48,740 $23.43/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.32% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,419 $362.26/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 $23.43 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,924/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$351/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,318
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,022
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$707
Alabama Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,885
Birmingham occupational tax
1.00%
-$487
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$36,397 ($1,399.88 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Birmingham, AL HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $48,740
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.4k 25th $42.6k Median: $48,740 50th (Median) $48.7k 75th $60.4k 90th $69.8k You: $48,740
10th (Entry) $37,440 $18.00/hr
25th (Junior) $42,630 $20.50/hr
50th (Median) $48,740 $23.43/hr
75th (Senior) $60,420 $29.05/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $69,830 $33.57/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Birmingham, AL
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$30,517$14.67/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$47,134$22.66/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$62,713$30.15/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$86,280$41.48/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 Birmingham, AL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
42% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,263/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,375/month Requires minimum annual gross of $55,000
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.99/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.14/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 Birmingham, AL.

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$48,740-$9,419$36,397$1,399.88
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$57,879-$11,618$42,788$1,645.69
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$67,018-$13,817$49,179$1,891.50
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$76,156-$16,500$55,087$2,118.73
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$85,295-$19,515$60,662$2,333.15
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 Birmingham, AL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$48,740/yr
$23.43/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.32% Effective
-$9,419 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
42% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,770/mo
Post-$1,263/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 Birmingham, AL: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Birmingham, AL report a median annual wage of $48,740, 20.1% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,440 to $69,830, and HUD’s $1,263 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.99 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+92.5%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+75.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+73.5%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+68.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+64.3%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+63.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+61.5%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+61.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+61.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+61.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Birmingham, AL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$167,080$80.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$166,670$80.13/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$156,710$75.34/hr
Financial Manager$153,930$74.00/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$140,230$67.42/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$139,050$66.85/hr
Training and Development Managers$133,980$64.41/hr
Actuary$132,840$63.87/hr
Marketing Managers$130,160$62.58/hr
Administrative Services Managers$129,380$62.20/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 Birmingham, AL (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Birmingham, AL is $48,740 a year ($23.43/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Birmingham, AL 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 Birmingham, AL?

The median annual wage is $48,740 ($23.43 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,440 and $69,830. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $48,740, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $38,842 a year ($3,237 a month) after $9,898 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.31%, using 2026 tax rules.