SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Waco, TX (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 + TX
COL Index: 95.65 (-4.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 79.0% Realized
$44,114 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $55,860 $26.86/hr
Effective Tax Drag 15.03% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,394 $322.86/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 $26.86 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,352/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$402/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,121
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,463
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$810
Texas Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,114 ($1,696.70 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Waco, TX HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $55,860
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.4k 25th $44.4k Median: $55,860 50th (Median) $55.9k 75th $61.0k 90th $74.0k You: $55,860
10th (Entry) $38,440 $18.48/hr
25th (Junior) $44,400 $21.35/hr
50th (Median) $55,860 $26.86/hr
75th (Senior) $61,010 $29.33/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,010 $35.58/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Waco, TX
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$34,975$16.81/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$54,020$25.97/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$71,874$34.55/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$98,883$47.54/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 Waco, TX 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) $1,029/month Requires minimum annual gross of $41,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,297/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.15/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.71/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 Waco, TX.

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$55,860-$8,394$44,114$1,696.70
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$66,334-$10,377$51,977$1,999.11
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$76,808-$12,930$59,269$2,279.60
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$87,281-$15,897$66,148$2,544.14
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$97,755-$18,864$73,026$2,808.68
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 Waco, TX: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$55,860/yr
$26.86/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
15.03% Effective
-$8,394 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,647/mo
Post-$1,029/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 Waco, TX: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Waco, TX report a median annual wage of $55,860, 8.4% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,440 to $74,010, and HUD’s $1,029 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 22.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.15 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+68.0%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+53.3%
Napa, CA$84,570+51.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+46.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+43.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+42.3%
Peoria, IL$78,710+40.9%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+40.8%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+40.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+40.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Waco, TX

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$217,610$104.62/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$159,620$76.74/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,810$68.18/hr
Financial Manager$134,010$64.43/hr
Physician Assistant$131,000$62.98/hr
Nurse Practitioner$128,920$61.98/hr
Marketing Managers$126,880$61.00/hr
Human Resources Managers$125,290$60.24/hr
Industrial Production Managers$123,200$59.23/hr
Software Engineer$123,080$59.17/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 Waco, TX (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Waco, TX is $55,860 a year ($26.86/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Waco, TX?

The median annual wage is $55,860 ($26.86 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,440 and $74,010. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Waco, TX after taxes?

On the median wage of $55,860, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,064 a year ($3,922 a month) after $8,796 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 15.75%, using 2026 tax rules.