SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Madison, WI (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 + WI
COL Index: 108.14 (+8.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.3% Realized
$47,549 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $63,150 $30.36/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.71% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,812 $454.32/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 $30.36 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,789/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$455/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,943
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,915
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$916
Wisconsin Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,038
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,549 ($1,828.79 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Madison, WI HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $63,150
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $45.5k 25th $52.9k Median: $63,150 50th (Median) $63.1k 75th $80.9k 90th $101k You: $63,150
10th (Entry) $45,450 $21.85/hr
25th (Junior) $52,920 $25.44/hr
50th (Median) $63,150 $30.36/hr
75th (Senior) $80,900 $38.89/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $100,900 $48.51/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Madison, WI
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,540$19.01/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$61,069$29.36/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$81,253$39.06/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$111,788$53.74/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 Madison, WI 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) $1,375/month Requires minimum annual gross of $55,000
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,565/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.91/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.27/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 Madison, WI.

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$63,150-$11,812$47,549$1,828.79
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,991-$15,091$55,400$2,130.79
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,831-$19,106$62,516$2,404.44
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$98,672-$23,121$69,631$2,678.10
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$110,513-$27,136$76,746$2,951.75
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 Madison, WI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$63,150/yr
$30.36/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
18.71% Effective
-$11,812 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,587/mo
Post-$1,375/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 Madison, WI: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Madison, WI report a median annual wage of $63,150, 3.5% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $45,450 to $100,900, and HUD’s $1,375 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.91 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+48.6%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+35.6%
Napa, CA$84,570+33.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+29.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+26.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+25.9%
Peoria, IL$78,710+24.6%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+24.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+24.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+24.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Madison, WI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$217,010$104.33/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$168,900$81.20/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$160,700$77.26/hr
Data Engineer$155,160$74.60/hr
Financial Manager$148,970$71.62/hr
Sales Managers$146,380$70.38/hr
Human Resources Managers$140,680$67.63/hr
Marketing Managers$138,270$66.48/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$136,990$65.86/hr
Actuary$135,330$65.06/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 Madison, WI (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Madison, WI is $63,150 a year ($30.36/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 Madison, WI?

The median annual wage is $63,150 ($30.36 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $45,450 and $100,900. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $63,150, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $50,681 a year ($4,223 a month) after $12,469 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.75%, using 2026 tax rules.