SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Dover, DE (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 + DE
COL Index: 117.24 (+17.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.6% Realized
$44,636 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $59,810 $28.75/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.37% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,585 $445.59/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 $28.75 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,589/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$431/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,567
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,708
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$867
Delaware Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,443
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,636 ($1,716.77 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Dover, DE HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $59,810
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $42.5k 25th $46.5k Median: $59,810 50th (Median) $59.8k 75th $65.4k 90th $75.8k You: $59,810
10th (Entry) $42,480 $20.42/hr
25th (Junior) $46,540 $22.38/hr
50th (Median) $59,810 $28.75/hr
75th (Senior) $65,390 $31.44/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $75,830 $36.46/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Dover, DE
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,449$18.00/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$57,840$27.81/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$76,956$37.00/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$105,876$50.90/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 Dover, DE under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
35% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,294/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,760
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,629/month Requires minimum annual gross of $65,160
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $25.93/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.13/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 Dover, DE.

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$59,810-$11,585$44,636$1,716.77
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$71,024-$14,357$52,406$2,015.63
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$82,239-$18,229$59,075$2,272.12
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$93,453-$22,102$65,744$2,528.61
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$104,668-$25,975$72,413$2,785.10
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 Dover, DE: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$59,810/yr
$28.75/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.37% Effective
-$11,585 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,426/mo
Post-$1,294/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 Dover, DE: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Dover, DE report a median annual wage of $59,810, 2.0% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $42,480 to $75,830, and HUD’s $1,294 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $25.93 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+56.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+43.2%
Napa, CA$84,570+41.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+37.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+33.9%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+32.9%
Peoria, IL$78,710+31.6%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+31.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+31.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+31.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Dover, DE

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Marketing Managers$182,640$87.81/hr
Sales Managers$178,130$85.64/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,420$81.45/hr
Financial Manager$159,540$76.70/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$159,330$76.60/hr
Physician Assistant$129,190$62.11/hr
Industrial Production Managers$127,720$61.40/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$127,650$61.37/hr
Risk Management Specialist$122,930$59.10/hr
Nurse Practitioner$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 Dover, DE (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Dover, DE is $59,810 a year ($28.75/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 Dover, DE?

The median annual wage is $59,810 ($28.75 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $42,480 and $75,830. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $59,810, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,595 a year ($3,966 a month) after $12,215 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.42%, using 2026 tax rules.