SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (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 + IA
COL Index: 103.9 (+3.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.0% Realized
$47,618 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $62,640 $30.12/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.98% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,263 $433.21/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 $30.12 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,758/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$451/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,886
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,884
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$908
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,586
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,618 ($1,831.47 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $62,640
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $46.0k 25th $49.5k Median: $62,640 50th (Median) $62.6k 75th $80.1k 90th $98.5k You: $62,640
10th (Entry) $46,020 $22.13/hr
25th (Junior) $49,540 $23.82/hr
50th (Median) $62,640 $30.12/hr
75th (Senior) $80,080 $38.50/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $98,460 $47.34/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,221$18.86/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$60,576$29.12/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$80,597$38.75/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$110,885$53.31/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
29% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,145/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,800
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,360/month Requires minimum annual gross of $54,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.98/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.03/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.

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$62,640-$11,263$47,618$1,831.47
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,385-$14,249$55,673$2,141.28
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,130-$17,995$62,967$2,421.80
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$97,875-$21,742$70,260$2,702.32
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$109,620-$25,489$77,554$2,982.83
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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$62,640/yr
$30.12/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.98% Effective
-$11,263 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
29% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,823/mo
Post-$1,145/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $62,640, 2.7% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $46,020 to $98,460, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+49.8%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+36.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+35.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+31.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+27.9%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+26.9%
Peoria, IL$78,710+25.7%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+25.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+25.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+25.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$290,870$139.84/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$164,840$79.25/hr
Financial Manager$154,140$74.11/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$150,850$72.52/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$148,330$71.31/hr
Human Resources Managers$138,140$66.41/hr
Sales Managers$136,570$65.66/hr
Marketing Managers$135,140$64.97/hr
Physician Assistant$133,830$64.34/hr
Nurse Practitioner$132,230$63.57/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $62,640 a year ($30.12/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median annual wage is $62,640 ($30.12 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $46,020 and $98,460. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $62,640, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $50,783 a year ($4,232 a month) after $11,857 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.93%, using 2026 tax rules.