SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (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 + IA
COL Index: 90.14 (-9.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.2% Realized
$46,017 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,400 $29.04/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.81% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,759 $413.82/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 $29.04 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,624/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$435/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,633
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,745
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$876
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,506
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,017 ($1,769.87 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $60,400
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $39.1k 25th $48.2k Median: $60,400 50th (Median) $60.4k 75th $79.7k 90th $98.4k You: $60,400
10th (Entry) $39,120 $18.81/hr
25th (Junior) $48,200 $23.17/hr
50th (Median) $60,400 $29.04/hr
75th (Senior) $79,710 $38.32/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $98,390 $47.30/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,818$18.18/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$58,410$28.08/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$77,715$37.36/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$106,920$51.40/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
22% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $838/month Requires minimum annual gross of $33,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,096/month Requires minimum annual gross of $43,840
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.94/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.73/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.

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$60,400-$10,759$46,017$1,769.87
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$71,725-$13,400$54,022$2,077.75
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$83,050-$17,013$61,054$2,348.24
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$94,375-$20,626$68,087$2,618.72
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$105,700-$24,239$75,119$2,889.21
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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$60,400/yr
$29.04/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
17.81% Effective
-$10,759 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
22% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,997/mo
Post-$838/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA report a median annual wage of $60,400, 1.0% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $39,120 to $98,390, and HUD’s $838 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 16.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.94 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+55.3%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+41.8%
Napa, CA$84,570+40.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+35.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+32.6%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+31.6%
Peoria, IL$78,710+30.3%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+30.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+30.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+30.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$199,010$95.68/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$140,340$67.47/hr
Physician Assistant$132,880$63.88/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,210$63.56/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,330$60.74/hr
Human Resources Managers$125,970$60.56/hr
Financial Manager$125,690$60.43/hr
Sales Managers$125,050$60.12/hr
Marketing Managers$114,940$55.26/hr
Software Engineer$113,970$54.79/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $60,400 a year ($29.04/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

The median annual wage is $60,400 ($29.04 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $39,120 and $98,390. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $60,400, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,068 a year ($4,089 a month) after $11,332 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.76%, using 2026 tax rules.