HVAC/R Technician Salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine
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San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders
HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index
Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.
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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
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Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
HVAC/R Technician in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)
Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and California tax codes.
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Statutory Withholding Architecture
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
- 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: Market Snapshot
HVAC/R Technician roles in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA report a median annual wage of $74,880, 22.7% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $46,710 to $113,990, and HUD’s $2,335 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 37.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $37.29 per hour.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs this market |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $93,820 | +25.3% |
| Anchorage, AK | $85,620 | +14.3% |
| Napa, CA | $84,570 | +12.9% |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $82,050 | +9.6% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,100 | +7.0% |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,510 | +6.2% |
| Peoria, IL | $78,710 | +5.1% |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $78,640 | +5.0% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,530 | +4.9% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,490 | +4.8% |
Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $238,440 | $114.63/hr |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $207,200 | $99.62/hr |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $206,740 | $99.39/hr |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $202,810 | $97.50/hr |
| Marketing Managers | $174,840 | $84.06/hr |
| Financial Manager | $174,210 | $83.75/hr |
| Physician Assistant | $165,160 | $79.40/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | $163,860 | $78.78/hr |
| Software Engineer | $163,270 | $78.50/hr |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $163,200 | $78.46/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 .
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Related Skilled Trades Roles in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Roles in related occupations with transferable skills and overlapping employer demand.
Other Metros for HVAC/R Technician
Regional metropolitan labor markets within commuter or relocation distance with local BLS wages and living costs.
HVAC/R Technician median pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $74,880 a year ($36.00/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
The median annual wage is $74,880 ($36.00 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $46,710 and $113,990. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).
On the median wage of $74,880, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $57,879 a year ($4,823 a month) after $17,001 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.7%, using 2026 tax rules.