SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (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 + WA
COL Index: 158.78 (+58.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.7% Realized
$61,432 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $80,100 $38.51/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.31% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,862 $533.17/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 $38.51 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,806/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,057/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,735
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,966
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,161
Washington Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$61,432 ($2,362.76 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $80,100
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $51.4k 25th $62.4k Median: $80,100 50th (Median) $80.1k 75th $101k 90th $129k You: $80,100
10th (Entry) $51,380 $24.70/hr
25th (Junior) $62,360 $29.98/hr
50th (Median) $80,100 $38.51/hr
75th (Senior) $101,190 $48.65/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $129,390 $62.21/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$50,153$24.11/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$77,461$37.24/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$103,063$49.55/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$141,793$68.17/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
43% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,180/month Requires minimum annual gross of $87,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,549/month Requires minimum annual gross of $101,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.12/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.10/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.

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$80,100-$13,862$61,432$2,362.76
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$95,119-$18,117$71,294$2,742.10
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$110,138-$22,372$81,157$3,121.43
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$125,156-$26,627$91,020$3,500.77
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$140,175-$31,081$100,684$3,872.45
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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$80,100/yr
$38.51/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.31% Effective
-$13,862 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
43% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,939/mo
Post-$2,180/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA report a median annual wage of $80,100, 31.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $51,380 to $129,390, and HUD’s $2,180 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 32.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.12 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+17.1%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+6.9%
Napa, CA$84,570+5.6%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+2.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510-0.7%
Peoria, IL$78,710-1.7%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640-1.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530-2.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490-2.0%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$78,330-2.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$370,000$177.88/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$216,580$104.12/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,680$103.21/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$204,340$98.24/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$203,150$97.67/hr
Financial Manager$185,550$89.21/hr
Sales Managers$184,320$88.62/hr
Marketing Managers$175,850$84.54/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$171,360$82.38/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $80,100 a year ($38.51/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The median annual wage is $80,100 ($38.51 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $51,380 and $129,390. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA after taxes?

On the median wage of $80,100, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $65,180 a year ($5,432 a month) after $14,920 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.63%, using 2026 tax rules.