SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

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 + VA
COL Index: 126.05 (+26.0% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.7% Realized
$44,424 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $59,470 $28.59/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.3% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,478 $441.46/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 $28.59 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,568/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$428/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,528
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,687
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$862
Virginia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,400
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,424 ($1,708.61 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $59,470
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $39.2k 25th $47.9k Median: $59,470 50th (Median) $59.5k 75th $70.3k 90th $77.0k You: $59,470
10th (Entry) $39,220 $18.86/hr
25th (Junior) $47,880 $23.02/hr
50th (Median) $59,470 $28.59/hr
75th (Senior) $70,280 $33.79/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $76,960 $37.00/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,236$17.90/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$57,511$27.65/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$76,519$36.79/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$105,274$50.61/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
40% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,488/month Requires minimum annual gross of $59,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,667/month Requires minimum annual gross of $66,680
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.88/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.62/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-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$59,470-$11,478$44,424$1,708.61
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$70,621-$14,191$52,192$2,007.38
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$81,771-$17,941$58,924$2,266.29
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$92,922-$21,703$65,643$2,524.75
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$104,073-$25,465$72,363$2,783.21
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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$59,470/yr
$28.59/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.3% Effective
-$11,478 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
40% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,214/mo
Post-$1,488/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC report a median annual wage of $59,470, 2.5% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $39,220 to $76,960, and HUD’s $1,488 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 30.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.88 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+57.8%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+44.0%
Napa, CA$84,570+42.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+38.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+34.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+33.7%
Peoria, IL$78,710+32.4%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+32.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+32.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+32.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$297,350$142.96/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$170,560$82.00/hr
Financial Manager$163,940$78.82/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,340$77.57/hr
Sales Managers$158,750$76.32/hr
Marketing Managers$155,300$74.66/hr
Public Relations Managers$152,990$73.55/hr
Purchasing Managers$143,230$68.86/hr
Human Resources Managers$140,410$67.50/hr
Data Engineer$135,130$64.97/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $59,470 a year ($28.59/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

The median annual wage is $59,470 ($28.59 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $39,220 and $76,960. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $59,470, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,359 a year ($3,947 a month) after $12,111 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.37%, using 2026 tax rules.