SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in El Paso, TX (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 + TX
COL Index: 89.54 (-10.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 79.7% Realized
$37,666 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $47,270 $22.73/hr
Effective Tax Drag 14.32% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$6,768 $260.32/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 $22.73 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,836/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$340/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,152
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,931
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$685
Texas Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,666 ($1,448.68 / check)
Category 2 of 6

El Paso, TX HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $47,270
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $28.1k 25th $36.9k Median: $47,270 50th (Median) $47.3k 75th $57.6k 90th $72.6k You: $47,270
10th (Entry) $28,130 $13.52/hr
25th (Junior) $36,920 $17.75/hr
50th (Median) $47,270 $22.73/hr
75th (Senior) $57,570 $27.68/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $72,600 $34.90/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in El Paso, TX
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$29,597$14.23/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$45,713$21.98/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$60,821$29.24/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$83,677$40.23/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 El Paso, TX under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
31% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $969/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,760
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,146/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,840
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.80/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $17.42/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 El Paso, TX.

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$47,270-$6,768$37,666$1,448.68
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$56,133-$8,446$44,319$1,704.58
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$64,996-$10,124$50,973$1,960.49
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$73,859-$12,094$57,333$2,205.13
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$82,723-$14,605$63,154$2,428.99
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 El Paso, TX: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$47,270/yr
$22.73/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
14.32% Effective
-$6,768 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
31% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,170/mo
Post-$969/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 El Paso, TX: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in El Paso, TX report a median annual wage of $47,270, 22.5% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $28,130 to $72,600, and HUD’s $969 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 24.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.80 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+98.5%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+81.1%
Napa, CA$84,570+78.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+73.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+69.5%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+68.2%
Peoria, IL$78,710+66.5%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+66.4%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+66.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+66.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in El Paso, TX

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$220,050$105.79/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$152,840$73.48/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$144,360$69.40/hr
Financial Manager$131,580$63.26/hr
Software Engineer$127,310$61.21/hr
Nurse Practitioner$127,110$61.11/hr
Data Engineer$126,700$60.91/hr
Human Resources Managers$122,780$59.03/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$120,830$58.09/hr
Industrial Production Managers$116,580$56.05/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 El Paso, TX (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in El Paso, TX is $47,270 a year ($22.73/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 El Paso, TX?

The median annual wage is $47,270 ($22.73 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $28,130 and $72,600. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in El Paso, TX after taxes?

On the median wage of $47,270, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,161 a year ($3,347 a month) after $7,109 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.04%, using 2026 tax rules.