SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN (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 + IN + Municipal
COL Index: 93.59 (-6.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.7% Realized
$45,895 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $61,430 $29.53/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.29% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,849 $455.73/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 $29.53 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,686/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$442/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,749
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,809
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$891
Indiana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,674
Tippecanoe County income tax
1.28%
-$726
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,895 ($1,765.20 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $61,430
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $41.0k 25th $48.7k Median: $61,430 50th (Median) $61.4k 75th $73.3k 90th $86.4k You: $61,430
10th (Entry) $41,040 $19.73/hr
25th (Junior) $48,700 $23.41/hr
50th (Median) $61,430 $29.53/hr
75th (Senior) $73,290 $35.24/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $86,390 $41.53/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$38,463$18.49/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$59,406$28.56/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$79,040$38.00/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$108,743$52.28/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN medianView National HVAC/R Technician Salary Data
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
28% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,070/month Requires minimum annual gross of $42,800
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,273/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $20.70/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.76/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-West Lafayette, IN.

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$61,430-$11,849$45,895$1,765.20
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$72,948-$14,694$53,877$2,072.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$84,466-$18,416$60,983$2,345.49
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$95,984-$22,137$68,089$2,618.80
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$107,503-$25,858$75,195$2,892.10
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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$61,430/yr
$29.53/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.29% Effective
-$11,849 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,755/mo
Post-$1,070/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-West Lafayette, IN: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN report a median annual wage of $61,430, 0.7% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $41,040 to $86,390, and HUD’s $1,070 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 20.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $20.70 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+52.7%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+39.4%
Napa, CA$84,570+37.7%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+33.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+30.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+29.4%
Peoria, IL$78,710+28.1%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+28.0%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+27.8%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+27.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$204,450$98.29/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$177,640$85.40/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$142,640$68.58/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$141,700$68.12/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$133,270$64.07/hr
Physician Assistant$133,060$63.97/hr
Public Relations Managers$131,280$63.12/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,820$60.97/hr
Industrial Production Managers$124,050$59.64/hr
Purchasing Managers$122,410$58.85/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-West Lafayette, IN (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN is $61,430 a year ($29.53/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

The median annual wage is $61,430 ($29.53 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $41,040 and $86,390. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $61,430, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,983 a year ($4,082 a month) after $12,447 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.26%, using 2026 tax rules.