SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY (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 + NY
COL Index: 107.06 (+7.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.4% Realized
$46,768 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $62,850 $30.22/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.59% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,311 $473.49/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 $30.22 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,771/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$453/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,909
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,897
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$911
New York Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,593
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,768 ($1,798.78 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Watertown-Fort Drum, NY HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $62,850
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $42.2k 25th $49.9k Median: $62,850 50th (Median) $62.9k 75th $71.9k 90th $83.6k You: $62,850
10th (Entry) $42,180 $20.28/hr
25th (Junior) $49,910 $24.00/hr
50th (Median) $62,850 $30.22/hr
75th (Senior) $71,920 $34.58/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $83,560 $40.17/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$39,352$18.92/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$60,779$29.22/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$80,867$38.88/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$111,257$53.49/hr · 9+ Years
Scaled to the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
29% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,111/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,440
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,453/month Requires minimum annual gross of $58,120
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.68/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $23.62/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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY.

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$62,850-$12,311$46,768$1,798.78
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$74,634-$15,505$54,651$2,101.96
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$86,419-$19,442$61,792$2,376.60
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$98,203-$23,397$68,914$2,650.53
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$109,988-$27,389$75,999$2,923.04
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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$62,850/yr
$30.22/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
19.59% Effective
-$12,311 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
29% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,786/mo
Post-$1,111/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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY report a median annual wage of $62,850, 3.0% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $42,180 to $83,560, and HUD’s $1,111 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.68 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+49.3%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+36.2%
Napa, CA$84,570+34.6%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+30.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+27.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+26.5%
Peoria, IL$78,710+25.2%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+25.1%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+24.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+24.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$148,540$71.41/hr
Sales Managers$143,280$68.88/hr
Nurse Practitioner$133,900$64.38/hr
Physician Assistant$128,870$61.96/hr
Financial Manager$123,800$59.52/hr
Software Engineer$119,350$57.38/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$117,750$56.61/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$105,050$50.50/hr
Administrative Services Managers$104,990$50.48/hr
Electrical Power-Line Installer$104,410$50.20/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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $62,850 a year ($30.22/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for HVAC/R Technician in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?

The median annual wage is $62,850 ($30.22 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $42,180 and $83,560. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY after taxes?

On the median wage of $62,850, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,883 a year ($4,157 a month) after $12,967 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.63%, using 2026 tax rules.