SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Missoula, MT (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 + MT
COL Index: 112.92 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.5% Realized
$45,497 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,240 $28.96/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.47% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,128 $428.01/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 $28.96 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,614/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$434/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,615
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,735
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$873
Montana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,905
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,497 ($1,749.90 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Missoula, MT HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $60,240
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $44.5k 25th $48.3k Median: $60,240 50th (Median) $60.2k 75th $73.1k 90th $75.9k You: $60,240
10th (Entry) $44,500 $21.39/hr
25th (Junior) $48,260 $23.20/hr
50th (Median) $60,240 $28.96/hr
75th (Senior) $73,060 $35.13/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $75,860 $36.47/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Missoula, MT
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,718$18.13/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$58,255$28.01/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$77,509$37.26/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$106,637$51.27/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 Missoula, MT under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
38% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,433/month Requires minimum annual gross of $57,320
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,690/month Requires minimum annual gross of $67,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.41/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 Missoula, MT.

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$60,240-$11,128$45,497$1,749.90
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$71,535-$13,874$53,369$2,052.64
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$82,830-$17,674$60,186$2,314.86
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$94,125-$21,474$67,004$2,577.07
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$105,420-$25,273$73,821$2,839.28
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 Missoula, MT: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$60,240/yr
$28.96/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
18.47% Effective
-$11,128 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
38% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,358/mo
Post-$1,433/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 Missoula, MT: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Missoula, MT report a median annual wage of $60,240, 1.3% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $44,500 to $75,860, and HUD’s $1,433 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 28.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+55.7%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+42.1%
Napa, CA$84,570+40.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+36.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+33.0%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+32.0%
Peoria, IL$78,710+30.7%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+30.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+30.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+30.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Missoula, MT

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$168,200$80.87/hr
Marketing Managers$139,630$67.13/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$136,970$65.85/hr
Physician Assistant$134,990$64.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$133,020$63.95/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,650$63.29/hr
Financial Manager$128,740$61.89/hr
Human Resources Managers$123,660$59.45/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$122,930$59.10/hr
Sales Managers$121,680$58.50/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 Missoula, MT (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Missoula, MT is $60,240 a year ($28.96/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 Missoula, MT?

The median annual wage is $60,240 ($28.96 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $44,500 and $75,860. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $60,240, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,508 a year ($4,042 a month) after $11,732 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.48%, using 2026 tax rules.