SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Fresno, CA (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 + CA
COL Index: 114.48 (+14.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.9% Realized
$46,843 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $62,580 $30.09/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.15% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,983 $460.87/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 $30.09 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,755/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$451/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,879
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,880
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$907
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,503
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$814
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,843 ($1,801.64 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Fresno, CA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $62,580
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $43.9k 25th $51.5k Median: $62,580 50th (Median) $62.6k 75th $79.9k 90th $102k You: $62,580
10th (Entry) $43,920 $21.12/hr
25th (Junior) $51,520 $24.77/hr
50th (Median) $62,580 $30.09/hr
75th (Senior) $79,860 $38.39/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $101,680 $48.88/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Fresno, CA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,183$18.84/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$60,518$29.10/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$80,520$38.71/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$110,779$53.26/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 Fresno, CA 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) $1,363/month Requires minimum annual gross of $54,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,685/month Requires minimum annual gross of $67,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $25.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.03/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 Fresno, CA.

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$62,580-$11,983$46,843$1,801.64
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,314-$15,443$54,412$2,092.78
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,048-$19,802$61,083$2,349.34
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$97,781-$24,301$67,613$2,600.50
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$109,515-$28,804$74,140$2,851.54
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 Fresno, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$62,580/yr
$30.09/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.15% Effective
-$11,983 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,541/mo
Post-$1,363/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 Fresno, CA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Fresno, CA report a median annual wage of $62,580, 2.6% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $43,920 to $101,680, and HUD’s $1,363 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $25.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+49.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+36.8%
Napa, CA$84,570+35.1%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+31.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+28.0%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+27.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+25.8%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+25.7%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+25.5%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+25.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Fresno, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$188,930$90.83/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$175,530$84.39/hr
Nurse Practitioner$166,570$80.08/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$157,470$75.71/hr
Physician Assistant$155,440$74.73/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$148,650$71.47/hr
Human Resources Managers$143,180$68.84/hr
Marketing Managers$139,990$67.30/hr
Financial Manager$137,650$66.18/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$136,130$65.45/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 Fresno, CA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Fresno, CA is $62,580 a year ($30.09/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 Fresno, CA?

The median annual wage is $62,580 ($30.09 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $43,920 and $101,680. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $62,580, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,922 a year ($4,160 a month) after $12,658 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.23%, using 2026 tax rules.