SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY (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 + KY + Municipal
COL Index: 96.93 (-3.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.8% Realized
$43,909 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,280 $28.98/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.16% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,754 $490.55/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 $28.98 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,617/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$434/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,620
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,737
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$874
Kentucky Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,866
Lexington-Fayette occupational and school tax
2.75%
-$1,658
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$43,909 ($1,688.80 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lexington-Fayette, KY HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $60,280
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.5k 25th $48.3k Median: $60,280 50th (Median) $60.3k 75th $76.6k 90th $81.2k You: $60,280
10th (Entry) $37,470 $18.01/hr
25th (Junior) $48,260 $23.20/hr
50th (Median) $60,280 $28.98/hr
75th (Senior) $76,580 $36.82/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $81,180 $39.03/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Lexington-Fayette, KY
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,743$18.15/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$58,294$28.03/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$77,561$37.29/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$106,708$51.30/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
33% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,205/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,416/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,640
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.44/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.42/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY.

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$60,280-$12,754$43,909$1,688.80
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$71,583-$15,655$51,632$1,985.86
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$82,885-$19,540$58,372$2,245.07
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$94,188-$23,425$65,112$2,504.29
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$105,490-$27,309$71,851$2,763.51
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 Lexington-Fayette, KY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$60,280/yr
$28.98/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
21.16% Effective
-$12,754 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
33% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,454/mo
Post-$1,205/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Lexington-Fayette, KY report a median annual wage of $60,280, 1.2% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,470 to $81,180, and HUD’s $1,205 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 24.0% 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+55.6%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+42.0%
Napa, CA$84,570+40.3%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+36.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+32.9%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+31.9%
Peoria, IL$78,710+30.6%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+30.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+30.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+30.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lexington-Fayette, KY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$179,520$86.31/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$161,450$77.62/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,170$77.49/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$144,160$69.31/hr
Fundraising Managers$140,090$67.35/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$137,250$65.99/hr
Financial Manager$135,760$65.27/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,910$61.98/hr
Marketing Managers$127,040$61.08/hr
Sales Managers$124,860$60.03/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY is $60,280 a year ($28.98/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The median annual wage is $60,280 ($28.98 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,470 and $81,180. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Lexington-Fayette, KY after taxes?

On the median wage of $60,280, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $46,965 a year ($3,914 a month) after $13,315 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.09%, using 2026 tax rules.