SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Wausau, WI (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 + WI
COL Index: 97.68 (-2.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.6% Realized
$44,703 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $59,110 $28.42/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.37% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,860 $417.71/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 $28.42 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,547/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$426/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,488
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,665
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$857
Wisconsin Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,851
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,703 ($1,719.35 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Wausau, WI HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $59,110
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $45.4k 25th $47.5k Median: $59,110 50th (Median) $59.1k 75th $73.2k 90th $91.6k You: $59,110
10th (Entry) $45,370 $21.81/hr
25th (Junior) $47,550 $22.86/hr
50th (Median) $59,110 $28.42/hr
75th (Senior) $73,180 $35.18/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $91,560 $44.02/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Wausau, WI
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$37,010$17.79/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$57,163$27.48/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$76,055$36.56/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$104,637$50.31/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 Wausau, WI under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
25% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $940/month Requires minimum annual gross of $37,600
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,217/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,680
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.60/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.51/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 Wausau, WI.

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$59,110-$10,860$44,703$1,719.35
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$70,193-$13,516$52,466$2,017.92
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$81,276-$17,222$59,178$2,276.06
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$92,359-$20,980$65,837$2,532.21
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$103,443-$24,739$72,497$2,788.36
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 Wausau, WI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$59,110/yr
$28.42/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
18.37% Effective
-$10,860 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
25% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,785/mo
Post-$940/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 Wausau, WI: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Wausau, WI report a median annual wage of $59,110, 3.1% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $45,370 to $91,560, and HUD’s $940 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.60 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+58.7%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+44.8%
Napa, CA$84,570+43.1%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+38.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+35.5%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+34.5%
Peoria, IL$78,710+33.2%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+33.0%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+32.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+32.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Wausau, WI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$202,460$97.34/hr
Marketing Managers$141,150$67.86/hr
Financial Manager$131,320$63.13/hr
Human Resources Managers$131,240$63.10/hr
Physician Assistant$129,980$62.49/hr
Nurse Practitioner$129,720$62.37/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$129,620$62.32/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$126,530$60.83/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$125,550$60.36/hr
Sales Managers$123,230$59.25/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 Wausau, WI (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Wausau, WI is $59,110 a year ($28.42/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 Wausau, WI?

The median annual wage is $59,110 ($28.42 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $45,370 and $91,560. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $59,110, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,649 a year ($3,971 a month) after $11,461 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.39%, using 2026 tax rules.