SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (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 + CO
COL Index: 137.11 (+37.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.8% Realized
$53,515 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $71,580 $34.41/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.24% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,770 $529.61/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 $34.41 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,295/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$945/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,973
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,438
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,038
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,252
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$53,515 ($2,058.29 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $71,580
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.0k 25th $59.1k Median: $71,580 50th (Median) $71.6k 75th $90.4k 90th $105k You: $71,580
10th (Entry) $49,010 $23.56/hr
25th (Junior) $59,080 $28.40/hr
50th (Median) $71,580 $34.41/hr
75th (Senior) $90,390 $43.46/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $104,880 $50.42/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$44,818$21.55/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$69,222$33.28/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$92,100$44.28/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$126,711$60.92/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
41% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,831/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,169/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.13/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.

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$71,580-$13,770$53,515$2,058.29
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$85,001-$18,127$61,774$2,375.93
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$98,423-$22,484$70,033$2,693.57
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$111,844-$26,842$78,291$3,011.21
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$125,265-$31,199$86,550$3,328.84
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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$71,580/yr
$34.41/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.24% Effective
-$13,770 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
41% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,629/mo
Post-$1,831/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $71,580, 17.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,010 to $104,880, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 30.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+31.1%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+19.6%
Napa, CA$84,570+18.1%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+14.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+11.9%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+11.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+10.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+9.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+9.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+9.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340$97.76/hr
Financial Manager$193,400$92.98/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440$92.04/hr
Marketing Managers$182,470$87.73/hr
Sales Managers$181,580$87.30/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,000$86.54/hr
Public Relations Managers$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$170,940$82.18/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,850$81.18/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$165,000$79.33/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $71,580 a year ($34.41/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $71,580 ($34.41 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,010 and $104,880. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $71,580, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $56,676 a year ($4,723 a month) after $14,904 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.82%, using 2026 tax rules.