SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA (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 + TN
COL Index: 112.89 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 79.3% Realized
$40,428 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $50,950 $24.50/hr
Effective Tax Drag 14.65% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$7,465 $287.11/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 $24.50 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,057/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$367/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,567
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,159
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$739
Tennessee Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$40,428 ($1,554.93 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Chattanooga, TN-GA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $50,950
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.2k 25th $46.6k Median: $50,950 50th (Median) $51.0k 75th $63.8k 90th $77.0k You: $50,950
10th (Entry) $37,160 $17.87/hr
25th (Junior) $46,590 $22.40/hr
50th (Median) $50,950 $24.50/hr
75th (Senior) $63,800 $30.67/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $77,020 $37.03/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Chattanooga, TN-GA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$31,901$15.34/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$49,271$23.69/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$65,556$31.52/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$90,192$43.36/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Chattanooga, TN-GA 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA 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) $1,231/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,340/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.79/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 Chattanooga, TN-GA.

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$50,950-$7,465$40,428$1,554.93
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$60,503-$9,273$47,600$1,830.76
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$70,056-$11,082$54,771$2,106.59
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$79,609-$13,723$61,109$2,350.36
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$89,163-$16,430$67,383$2,591.65
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 Chattanooga, TN-GA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$50,950/yr
$24.50/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
14.65% Effective
-$7,465 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,138/mo
Post-$1,231/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 Chattanooga, TN-GA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Chattanooga, TN-GA report a median annual wage of $50,950, 16.5% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,160 to $77,020, and HUD’s $1,231 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 29.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+84.1%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+68.0%
Napa, CA$84,570+66.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+61.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+57.2%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+56.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+54.5%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+54.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+54.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+54.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$209,990$100.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,720$78.71/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$152,980$73.55/hr
Financial Manager$151,530$72.85/hr
Administrative Services Managers$130,540$62.76/hr
Human Resources Managers$129,900$62.45/hr
Marketing Managers$124,360$59.79/hr
Purchasing Managers$123,750$59.50/hr
Industrial Production Managers$121,670$58.50/hr
Physician Assistant$121,600$58.46/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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $50,950 a year ($24.50/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Chattanooga, TN-GA 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The median annual wage is $50,950 ($24.50 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,160 and $77,020. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Chattanooga, TN-GA after taxes?

On the median wage of $50,950, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $43,118 a year ($3,593 a month) after $7,832 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.37%, using 2026 tax rules.