SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in New Orleans-Metairie, 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: 105.75 (+5.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.3% Realized
$48,445 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $63,500 $30.53/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.71% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,245 $432.50/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 $30.53 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,810/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$457/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,983
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,937
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$921
Louisiana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,404
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$48,445 ($1,863.27 / check)
Category 2 of 6

New Orleans-Metairie, LA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $63,500
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.3k 25th $46.8k Median: $63,500 50th (Median) $63.5k 75th $70.6k 90th $81.6k You: $63,500
10th (Entry) $38,300 $18.41/hr
25th (Junior) $46,790 $22.50/hr
50th (Median) $63,500 $30.53/hr
75th (Senior) $70,640 $33.96/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $81,610 $39.24/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,759$19.11/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$61,408$29.52/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$81,704$39.28/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$112,408$54.04/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the New Orleans-Metairie, LA 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
30% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,229/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,480/month Requires minimum annual gross of $59,200
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.39/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.16/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 New Orleans-Metairie, 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$63,500-$11,245$48,445$1,863.27
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$75,406-$14,273$56,609$2,177.27
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$87,313-$17,982$64,092$2,465.08
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$99,219-$21,690$71,575$2,752.89
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$111,125-$25,399$79,058$3,040.70
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 New Orleans-Metairie, 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
$63,500/yr
$30.53/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.71% Effective
-$11,245 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
30% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,808/mo
Post-$1,229/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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in New Orleans-Metairie, LA report a median annual wage of $63,500, 4.1% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,300 to $81,610, and HUD’s $1,229 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 23.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.39 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+47.7%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+34.8%
Napa, CA$84,570+33.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+29.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+26.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+25.2%
Peoria, IL$78,710+24.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+23.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+23.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+23.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$165,620$79.62/hr
Industrial Production Managers$147,980$71.14/hr
Financial Manager$134,110$64.48/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$131,570$63.25/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$129,960$62.48/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,670$61.86/hr
Marketing Managers$126,740$60.93/hr
Nurse Practitioner$124,800$60.00/hr
Physician Assistant$124,580$59.89/hr
Fundraising Managers$124,160$59.69/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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $63,500 a year ($30.53/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in New Orleans-Metairie, LA 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The median annual wage is $63,500 ($30.53 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,300 and $81,610. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $63,500, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $51,684 a year ($4,307 a month) after $11,817 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.61%, using 2026 tax rules.