SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Burlington, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 100.5 (+0.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.4% Realized
$40,096 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $52,450 $25.22/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.55% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,207 $354.13/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 $25.22 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,147/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$378/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,736
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,252
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$761
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,458
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$40,096 ($1,542.14 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Burlington, NC HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $52,450
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.5k 25th $47.4k Median: $52,450 50th (Median) $52.5k 75th $61.1k 90th $73.9k You: $52,450
10th (Entry) $37,490 $18.02/hr
25th (Junior) $47,350 $22.76/hr
50th (Median) $52,450 $25.22/hr
75th (Senior) $61,060 $29.36/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $73,940 $35.55/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Burlington, NC
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$32,840$15.79/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$50,722$24.39/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$67,486$32.45/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$92,847$44.64/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 Burlington, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
37% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,238/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,348/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.23/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.40/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 Burlington, NC.

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$52,450-$9,207$40,096$1,542.14
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$62,284-$11,438$47,110$1,811.91
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$72,119-$13,797$53,994$2,076.70
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$81,953-$16,952$60,084$2,310.91
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$91,788-$20,107$66,173$2,545.12
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 Burlington, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$52,450/yr
$25.22/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.55% Effective
-$9,207 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,103/mo
Post-$1,238/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 Burlington, NC: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Burlington, NC report a median annual wage of $52,450, 14.0% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,490 to $73,940, and HUD’s $1,238 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 28.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.23 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+78.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+63.2%
Napa, CA$84,570+61.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+56.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+52.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+51.6%
Peoria, IL$78,710+50.1%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+49.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+49.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+49.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Burlington, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$165,490$79.56/hr
Marketing Managers$164,770$79.22/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$163,020$78.38/hr
Purchasing Managers$152,870$73.50/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$150,080$72.15/hr
Human Resources Managers$135,220$65.01/hr
Financial Manager$134,760$64.79/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,980$63.45/hr
Sales Managers$129,740$62.38/hr
Software Engineer$127,570$61.33/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 Burlington, NC (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Burlington, NC is $52,450 a year ($25.22/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Burlington, NC 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 Burlington, NC?

The median annual wage is $52,450 ($25.22 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,490 and $73,940. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $52,450, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $42,740 a year ($3,562 a month) after $9,710 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.51%, using 2026 tax rules.