SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Rocky Mount, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 101.64 (+1.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.1% Realized
$42,407 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $55,690 $26.77/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.85% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,942 $382.39/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 $26.77 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,341/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$401/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,102
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,453
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$808
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,580
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$42,407 ($1,631.02 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Rocky Mount, NC HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $55,690
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.9k 25th $46.9k Median: $55,690 50th (Median) $55.7k 75th $65.3k 90th $71.0k You: $55,690
10th (Entry) $37,940 $18.24/hr
25th (Junior) $46,890 $22.54/hr
50th (Median) $55,690 $26.77/hr
75th (Senior) $65,340 $31.41/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $70,980 $34.13/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Rocky Mount, NC
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$34,869$16.76/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$53,855$25.89/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$71,655$34.45/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$98,583$47.40/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 Rocky Mount, NC 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) $972/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,880
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,167/month Requires minimum annual gross of $46,680
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.48/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.45/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 Rocky Mount, NC.

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$55,690-$9,942$42,407$1,631.02
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$66,132-$12,310$49,854$1,917.45
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$76,574-$15,227$56,753$2,182.80
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$87,016-$18,576$63,218$2,431.47
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$97,458-$21,926$69,684$2,680.15
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 Rocky Mount, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$55,690/yr
$26.77/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.85% Effective
-$9,942 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,562/mo
Post-$972/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 Rocky Mount, NC: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Rocky Mount, NC report a median annual wage of $55,690, 8.7% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,940 to $70,980, and HUD’s $972 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 20.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.48 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+68.5%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+53.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+51.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+47.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+43.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+42.8%
Peoria, IL$78,710+41.3%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+41.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+41.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+40.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Rocky Mount, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Marketing Managers$162,220$77.99/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$155,170$74.60/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$137,120$65.92/hr
Financial Manager$133,480$64.17/hr
Industrial Production Managers$130,720$62.85/hr
Software Engineer$130,600$62.79/hr
Sales Managers$118,080$56.77/hr
Nurse Practitioner$117,880$56.67/hr
Physician Assistant$116,930$56.22/hr
Data Scientist$111,870$53.78/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 Rocky Mount, NC (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Rocky Mount, NC is $55,690 a year ($26.77/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Rocky Mount, NC?

The median annual wage is $55,690 ($26.77 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,940 and $70,980. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Rocky Mount, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $55,690, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $45,214 a year ($3,768 a month) after $10,476 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.81%, using 2026 tax rules.