SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Duluth, MN-WI (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 + MN
COL Index: 96.94 (-3.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.0% Realized
$55,233 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $75,710 $36.40/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.05% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,935 $612.87/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 $36.40 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,543/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$999/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$6,827
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,694
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,098
Minnesota Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,316
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$55,233 ($2,124.34 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Duluth, MN-WI HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $75,710
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.7k 25th $59.6k Median: $75,710 50th (Median) $75.7k 75th $84.0k 90th $99.0k You: $75,710
10th (Entry) $48,740 $23.43/hr
25th (Junior) $59,630 $28.67/hr
50th (Median) $75,710 $36.40/hr
75th (Senior) $84,020 $40.39/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $98,970 $47.58/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Duluth, MN-WI
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$47,404$22.79/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$73,216$35.20/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$97,414$46.83/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$134,022$64.43/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 Duluth, MN-WI under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
21% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $961/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,440
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,207/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,280
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.44/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.87/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 Duluth, MN-WI.

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$75,710-$15,935$55,233$2,124.34
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$89,906-$20,864$63,648$2,447.99
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$104,101-$25,793$72,063$2,771.64
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$118,297-$30,722$80,477$3,095.29
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$132,493-$35,706$88,837$3,416.82
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 Duluth, MN-WI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$75,710/yr
$36.40/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
21.05% Effective
-$15,935 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
21% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,642/mo
Post-$961/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 Duluth, MN-WI: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Duluth, MN-WI report a median annual wage of $75,710, 24.1% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,740 to $98,970, and HUD’s $961 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 15.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.44 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+23.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+13.1%
Napa, CA$84,570+11.7%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+8.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+5.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+5.0%
Peoria, IL$78,710+4.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+3.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+3.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+3.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Duluth, MN-WI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$158,260$76.09/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$150,190$72.21/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$149,710$71.98/hr
Marketing Managers$142,080$68.31/hr
Nurse Practitioner$136,530$65.64/hr
Physician Assistant$135,860$65.32/hr
Financial Manager$126,800$60.96/hr
Human Resources Managers$124,290$59.75/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$123,090$59.18/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$113,500$54.57/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 Duluth, MN-WI (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Duluth, MN-WI is $75,710 a year ($36.40/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Duluth, MN-WI?

The median annual wage is $75,710 ($36.40 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,740 and $98,970. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Duluth, MN-WI after taxes?

On the median wage of $75,710, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $58,467 a year ($4,872 a month) after $17,243 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.77%, using 2026 tax rules.