SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Bozeman, MT (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 + MT
COL Index: 136.84 (+36.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.3% Realized
$54,235 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $72,970 $35.08/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.68% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$14,357 $552.19/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 $35.08 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,378/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$963/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$6,260
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,524
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,058
Montana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,515
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$54,235 ($2,085.96 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Bozeman, MT HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $72,970
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.9k 25th $58.6k Median: $72,970 50th (Median) $73.0k 75th $81.6k 90th $89.5k You: $72,970
10th (Entry) $49,920 $24.00/hr
25th (Junior) $58,630 $28.19/hr
50th (Median) $72,970 $35.08/hr
75th (Senior) $81,580 $39.22/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $89,510 $43.03/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Bozeman, MT
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$45,688$21.97/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$70,566$33.93/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$93,889$45.14/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$129,172$62.10/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 Bozeman, MT 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) $1,612/month Requires minimum annual gross of $64,480
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,109/month Requires minimum annual gross of $84,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.26/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $27.26/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 Bozeman, MT.

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$72,970-$14,357$54,235$2,085.96
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$86,652-$18,960$62,493$2,403.58
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$100,334-$23,562$70,751$2,721.21
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$114,016-$28,165$79,010$3,038.83
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$127,698-$32,768$87,268$3,356.46
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 Bozeman, MT: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$72,970/yr
$35.08/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.68% Effective
-$14,357 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
36% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,908/mo
Post-$1,612/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 Bozeman, MT: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Bozeman, MT report a median annual wage of $72,970, 19.6% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,920 to $89,510, and HUD’s $1,612 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.26 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+28.6%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+17.3%
Napa, CA$84,570+15.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+12.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+9.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+9.0%
Peoria, IL$78,710+7.9%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+7.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+7.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+7.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Bozeman, MT

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$199,920$96.12/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$162,680$78.21/hr
Physician Assistant$141,800$68.17/hr
Nurse Practitioner$139,990$67.30/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$137,500$66.11/hr
Financial Manager$136,990$65.86/hr
Software Engineer$126,110$60.63/hr
Industrial Production Managers$124,020$59.62/hr
Sales Managers$123,750$59.50/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$122,930$59.10/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 Bozeman, MT (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Bozeman, MT is $72,970 a year ($35.08/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Bozeman, MT?

The median annual wage is $72,970 ($35.08 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,920 and $89,510. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $72,970, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $57,402 a year ($4,784 a month) after $15,568 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.33%, using 2026 tax rules.