SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (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: 162.67 (+62.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.5% Realized
$56,930 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $78,530 $37.75/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.51% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,888 $649.56/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 $37.75 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,712/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,037/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,410
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,869
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,139
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,471
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,930 ($2,189.61 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $78,530
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $50.9k 25th $61.7k Median: $78,530 50th (Median) $78.5k 75th $97.3k 90th $103k You: $78,530
10th (Entry) $50,890 $24.47/hr
25th (Junior) $61,740 $29.68/hr
50th (Median) $78,530 $37.75/hr
75th (Senior) $97,270 $46.76/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $103,050 $49.54/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$49,170$23.64/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$75,943$36.51/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$101,043$48.58/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$139,014$66.83/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
53% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,518/month Requires minimum annual gross of $100,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,008/month Requires minimum annual gross of $120,320
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.43/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.

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$78,530-$16,888$56,930$2,189.61
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$93,254-$21,752$65,907$2,534.89
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$107,979-$26,615$74,885$2,880.18
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$122,703-$31,479$83,862$3,225.47
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$137,428-$36,490$92,692$3,565.07
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 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
$78,530/yr
$37.75/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
21.51% Effective
-$16,888 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
53% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,226/mo
Post-$2,518/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH report a median annual wage of $78,530, 28.7% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $50,890 to $103,050, and HUD’s $2,518 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 38.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+19.5%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+9.0%
Napa, CA$84,570+7.7%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+4.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+2.0%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+1.2%
Peoria, IL$78,710+0.2%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+0.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490-0.1%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$78,330-0.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Natural Sciences Managers$291,000$139.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,960$103.35/hr
Marketing Managers$213,910$102.84/hr
Financial Manager$209,780$100.86/hr
Sales Managers$206,610$99.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$205,130$98.62/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$185,590$89.23/hr
Human Resources Managers$184,990$88.94/hr
Public Relations Managers$176,390$84.80/hr
Purchasing Managers$174,640$83.96/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $78,530 a year ($37.75/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median annual wage is $78,530 ($37.75 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $50,890 and $103,050. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH after taxes?

On the median wage of $78,530, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $60,369 a year ($5,031 a month) after $18,161 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 23.13%, using 2026 tax rules.