SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in St. Louis, MO-IL (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 + MO + Municipal
COL Index: 102.33 (+2.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.7% Realized
$47,033 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $63,000 $30.29/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.34% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,187 $468.74/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 $30.29 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,780/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$454/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,926
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,906
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$914
Missouri Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,811
St. Louis earnings tax
1.00%
-$630
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$47,033 ($1,808.95 / check)
Category 2 of 6

St. Louis, MO-IL HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $63,000
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $45.9k 25th $49.0k Median: $63,000 50th (Median) $63.0k 75th $78.8k 90th $100k You: $63,000
10th (Entry) $45,870 $22.05/hr
25th (Junior) $49,040 $23.58/hr
50th (Median) $63,000 $30.29/hr
75th (Senior) $78,820 $37.89/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $100,180 $48.16/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in St. Louis, MO-IL
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,446$18.96/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$60,924$29.29/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$81,060$38.97/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$111,523$53.62/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 St. Louis, MO-IL 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) $1,104/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,349/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.63/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.07/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 St. Louis, MO-IL.

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$63,000-$12,187$47,033$1,808.95
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,813-$15,434$54,890$2,111.16
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,625-$19,403$62,025$2,385.56
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$98,438-$23,372$69,159$2,659.97
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$110,250-$27,407$76,228$2,931.85
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 St. Louis, MO-IL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$63,000/yr
$30.29/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.34% Effective
-$12,187 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,815/mo
Post-$1,104/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 St. Louis, MO-IL: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in St. Louis, MO-IL report a median annual wage of $63,000, 3.3% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $45,870 to $100,180, and HUD’s $1,104 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.63 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+48.9%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+35.9%
Napa, CA$84,570+34.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+30.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+27.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+26.2%
Peoria, IL$78,710+24.9%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+24.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+24.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+24.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in St. Louis, MO-IL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$202,840$97.52/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,130$80.35/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,660$78.20/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$158,820$76.36/hr
Financial Manager$158,780$76.34/hr
Marketing Managers$137,900$66.30/hr
Physician Assistant$136,120$65.44/hr
Purchasing Managers$135,400$65.10/hr
Human Resources Managers$133,880$64.37/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,580$63.26/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 St. Louis, MO-IL (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in St. Louis, MO-IL is $63,000 a year ($30.29/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 St. Louis, MO-IL?

The median annual wage is $63,000 ($30.29 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $45,870 and $100,180. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in St. Louis, MO-IL after taxes?

On the median wage of $63,000, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $50,185 a year ($4,182 a month) after $12,815 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.34%, using 2026 tax rules.