SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Lafayette, LA (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 + LA
COL Index: 95.81 (-4.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.2% Realized
$40,115 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,970 $24.99/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.81% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,737 $336.05/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 $24.99 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,118/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$374/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,682
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,222
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$754
Louisiana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,079
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$40,115 ($1,542.87 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lafayette, LA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $51,970
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $34.5k 25th $42.0k Median: $51,970 50th (Median) $52.0k 75th $61.8k 90th $74.7k You: $51,970
10th (Entry) $34,510 $16.59/hr
25th (Junior) $42,000 $20.19/hr
50th (Median) $51,970 $24.99/hr
75th (Senior) $61,820 $29.72/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,720 $35.92/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Lafayette, LA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$32,540$15.64/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$50,258$24.16/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$66,868$32.15/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$91,997$44.23/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 Lafayette, LA 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) $971/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,840
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,092/month Requires minimum annual gross of $43,680
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.19/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.95/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 Lafayette, LA.

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$51,970-$8,737$40,115$1,542.87
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,714-$10,857$47,155$1,813.65
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$71,459-$13,043$54,128$2,081.85
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$81,203-$16,079$60,252$2,317.40
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$90,948-$19,114$66,377$2,552.95
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 Lafayette, LA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$51,970/yr
$24.99/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
16.81% Effective
-$8,737 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
29% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,372/mo
Post-$971/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 Lafayette, LA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Lafayette, LA report a median annual wage of $51,970, 14.8% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $34,510 to $74,720, and HUD’s $971 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 22.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.19 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+80.5%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+64.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+62.7%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+57.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+54.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+53.0%
Peoria, IL$78,710+51.5%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+51.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+51.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+51.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lafayette, LA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$152,090$73.12/hr
Chief Executives$134,660$64.74/hr
Physician Assistant$134,550$64.69/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,790$63.84/hr
Marketing Managers$122,780$59.03/hr
Nurse Practitioner$120,930$58.14/hr
Financial Manager$120,450$57.91/hr
Industrial Production Managers$118,030$56.75/hr
Software Engineer$109,010$52.41/hr
Human Resources Managers$107,730$51.79/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 Lafayette, LA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Lafayette, LA is $51,970 a year ($24.99/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 Lafayette, LA?

The median annual wage is $51,970 ($24.99 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $34,510 and $74,720. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $51,970, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $42,765 a year ($3,564 a month) after $9,205 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.71%, using 2026 tax rules.