SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Worcester, MA (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 + MA
COL Index: 128.74 (+28.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.2% Realized
$54,046 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $73,800 $35.48/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.77% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,326 $589.47/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 $35.48 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,428/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$974/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$6,432
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,576
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,070
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,249
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$54,046 ($2,078.69 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Worcester, MA HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $73,800
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.3k 25th $59.3k Median: $73,800 50th (Median) $73.8k 75th $90.1k 90th $96.8k You: $73,800
10th (Entry) $48,300 $23.22/hr
25th (Junior) $59,280 $28.50/hr
50th (Median) $73,800 $35.48/hr
75th (Senior) $90,100 $43.32/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $96,800 $46.54/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Worcester, MA
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$46,208$22.22/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$71,369$34.31/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$94,957$45.65/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$130,641$62.81/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 Worcester, MA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
35% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,587/month Requires minimum annual gross of $63,480
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,043/month Requires minimum annual gross of $81,720
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $28.47/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $26.40/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 Worcester, MA.

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$73,800-$15,326$54,046$2,078.69
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$87,638-$19,897$62,483$2,403.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$101,475-$24,467$70,919$2,727.67
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$115,313-$29,038$79,356$3,052.16
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$129,150-$33,608$87,793$3,376.64
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 Worcester, MA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$73,800/yr
$35.48/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
20.77% Effective
-$15,326 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,917/mo
Post-$1,587/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 Worcester, MA: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Worcester, MA report a median annual wage of $73,800, 21.0% above the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,300 to $96,800, and HUD’s $1,587 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $28.47 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+27.1%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+16.0%
Napa, CA$84,570+14.6%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+11.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+8.5%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+7.7%
Peoria, IL$78,710+6.7%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+6.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+6.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+6.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Worcester, MA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Natural Sciences Managers$212,600$102.21/hr
Marketing Managers$199,280$95.81/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$193,890$93.22/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$179,150$86.13/hr
Financial Manager$170,940$82.18/hr
Sales Managers$162,810$78.27/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$160,990$77.40/hr
Human Resources Managers$160,470$77.15/hr
Purchasing Managers$157,810$75.87/hr
Public Relations Managers$156,850$75.41/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 Worcester, MA (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Worcester, MA is $73,800 a year ($35.48/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living wage.

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

The median annual wage is $73,800 ($35.48 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,300 and $96,800. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $73,800, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $57,278 a year ($4,773 a month) after $16,522 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.39%, using 2026 tax rules.