SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA (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 + CA
COL Index: 163.34 (+63.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.1% Realized
$57,366 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $79,510 $38.23/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.85% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$17,373 $668.20/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 $38.23 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,771/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,050/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,613
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,930
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,153
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,644
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$1,034
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$57,366 ($2,206.40 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $79,510
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $49.2k 25th $62.2k Median: $79,510 50th (Median) $79.5k 75th $99.3k 90th $123k You: $79,510
10th (Entry) $49,200 $23.65/hr
25th (Junior) $62,250 $29.93/hr
50th (Median) $79,510 $38.23/hr
75th (Senior) $99,320 $47.75/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $122,600 $58.94/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$49,783$23.93/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$76,891$36.97/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$102,303$49.18/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$140,749$67.67/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
45% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,155/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,819/month Requires minimum annual gross of $112,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $36.12/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $32.51/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.

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$79,510-$17,373$57,366$2,206.40
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$94,418-$23,011$65,742$2,528.54
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$109,326-$28,732$74,035$2,847.51
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$124,234-$34,452$82,328$3,166.47
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$139,143-$40,353$90,441$3,478.52
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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$79,510/yr
$38.23/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
21.85% Effective
-$17,373 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
45% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,626/mo
Post-$2,155/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA report a median annual wage of $79,510, 30.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $49,200 to $122,600, and HUD’s $2,155 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 32.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $36.12 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+18.0%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+7.7%
Napa, CA$84,570+6.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+3.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+0.7%
Peoria, IL$78,710-1.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640-1.1%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530-1.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490-1.3%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$78,330-1.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$218,690$105.14/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$207,140$99.59/hr
Registered Nurse (RN)$174,550$83.92/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,840$83.58/hr
Physician Assistant$172,750$83.05/hr
Nurse Practitioner$167,040$80.31/hr
Financial Manager$164,140$78.91/hr
Marketing Managers$161,720$77.75/hr
Human Resources Managers$161,550$77.67/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$158,770$76.33/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA is $79,510 a year ($38.23/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?

The median annual wage is $79,510 ($38.23 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $49,200 and $122,600. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $79,510, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $60,706 a year ($5,059 a month) after $18,804 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 23.65%, using 2026 tax rules.