Trades

HVAC Technician Salary in Wisconsin (2026)

Average HVAC Technician pay in Wisconsin

$67,410/year

≈ $32/hour before tax

Middle 50% earn $50,840–$79,100

US average: $64,780

Source: BLS, May 2025

After tax (single filer)

$53,760/year

$4,480/month · effective tax rate 20.25%

  • Federal $6,000
  • State $2,493
  • FICA $5,157
  • Take-home

Pay by role in Wisconsin

  • Senior Commercial HVAC Tech (NATE)$65,000–$98,000+ OT
  • Industrial Chiller / Cleanroom Specialist$72,000–$112,000+ OT
  • Ammonia Refrigeration Specialist (Dairy)$72,000–$108,000+ OT
  • VRF / Heat Pump Specialist$68,000–$105,000+ OT
  • HVAC Controls Technician (BACnet)$65,000–$98,000+
  • Senior Residential HVAC Tech$52,000–$78,000+ OT
See all 10 roles with notes
See the full tax breakdown
CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$53,760
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$4,480
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$2,068
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$26/hr
Federal Tax
$6,000
State Tax
$2,493
FICA Taxes
$5,157
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

20.25%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Not all HVAC Technicians earn the same — not even close

Wisconsin's HVAC technician market is anchored by the Milwaukee metro residential + commercial HVAC cluster (Milwaukee East Side + Brookfield + Wauwatosa + Mequon + the substantial Milwaukee 4-season climate + cold winter heat-pump + furnace demand + summer humidity AC demand), Madison-Dane County HVAC (Epic Systems campus + UW-Madison + UW Health + the substantial Epic cleanroom + research lab HVAC + state government), Green Bay + Fox Valley HVAC (Schreiber Foods food-grade HVAC + Kimberly-Clark paper mill industrial + Plexus + the substantial Green Bay commercial), Sheboygan-Racine-Kenosha HVAC (Kohler + SC Johnson + Snap-on Tools + Generac industrial + the substantial Lake Michigan shoreline residential), plus substantial WI industrial HVAC + chiller + cooling tower specialty at Harley-Davidson Milwaukee + Rockwell Automation + GE Healthcare Wauwatosa + Johnson Controls + Briggs & Stratton + Mercury Marine Fond du Lac + Manitowoc Cranes + Marinette Marine industrial HVAC, plus the substantial WI dairy industry ammonia refrigeration + food-grade HVAC at Schreiber Foods + Saputo + Foremost Farms + Sargento dairy plants.

Senior Commercial HVAC Tech (NATE)

$65,000–$98,000+ OT

Senior commercial tech · NATE Master + EPA 608 Universal · Milwaukee + Madison + Green Bay

Industrial Chiller / Cleanroom Specialist

$72,000–$112,000+ OT

Milwaukee manufacturing + Epic Madison cleanroom + GE Healthcare + Mercury Marine chiller

Ammonia Refrigeration Specialist (Dairy)

$72,000–$108,000+ OT

WI dairy industry ammonia refrigeration · Schreiber + Saputo + Foremost + Sargento · RETA cert

VRF / Heat Pump Specialist

$68,000–$105,000+ OT

VRF + heat pump specialty · commercial + multifamily + IRA 25C heat pump retrofit

HVAC Controls Technician (BACnet)

$65,000–$98,000+

BACnet + Tridium Niagara + building automation · commercial + industrial + hospital + Epic

Senior Residential HVAC Tech

$52,000–$78,000+ OT

Senior residential service tech · Milwaukee + Madison + Green Bay · cold winter + summer humidity

Refrigeration Technician (Commercial)

$58,000–$88,000+ OT

Supermarket + restaurant + ice plant + cold storage commercial refrigeration · EPA 608 + ammonia

HVAC Installer (New Construction)

$45,000–$65,000+ OT

New residential + light commercial installer · IRA 25C heat pump + furnace replacement

Mid-Career HVAC Tech (3-6 yrs)

$42,000–$58,000+ OT

Mid-career tech transitioning to NATE + EPA 608 Universal · WI HVAC service shops

Entry Helper / Apprentice

$32,000–$42,000+ OT

Entry helper apprentice · MATC + Madison College + NWTC + FVTC + ABC of WI pipeline

Worth knowing: Wisconsin's substantial 4-season climate + Milwaukee manufacturing industrial HVAC + Epic Madison cleanroom + dairy industry ammonia refrigeration specialty is a distinctive WI HVAC feature most national HVAC surveys understate. WI's 4-season climate (Milwaukee winter low average ~15°F + summer humidity + the substantial WI year-round HVAC operation + the substantial WI furnace replacement + heat pump retrofit demand) drives sustained residential + light commercial HVAC service. The country's substantial Wisconsin manufacturing cluster (Harley-Davidson Milwaukee + Rockwell Automation + GE Healthcare Wauwatosa + Johnson Controls + Briggs & Stratton + Kohler Sheboygan + Snap-on Tools Kenosha + SC Johnson Racine + Generac Waukesha + Mercury Marine Fond du Lac + Manitowoc Cranes + Marinette Marine) supports a large industrial HVAC + chiller + cooling tower specialty market — industrial chiller specialists at WI manufacturing plants clear $72-112K + overtime. Epic Systems Madison campus (the country's substantial US EHR company + ~13K Epic Madison employees + the substantial Epic Verona campus + the substantial Epic cleanroom + research lab + data center HVAC demand) supports substantial Madison commercial + cleanroom HVAC. The substantial WI dairy industry (the country's largest US cheese-producing state + ~1.3M dairy cattle + ~10K dairy farms + the substantial WI dairy plants + Schreiber Foods + Saputo + Foremost Farms + Sargento + the substantial dairy ammonia refrigeration + food-grade HVAC + freezing systems) supports specialized ammonia refrigeration + RETA-certified specialty work — ammonia refrigeration specialists clear $72-108K. The 2025-2026 R-410A → R-454B refrigerant transition (EPA AIM Act phase-down) + IRA 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit ($2,000 heat pump credit) + WI Focus on Energy program drive sustained residential + light commercial heat-pump installation + retrofit demand. NATE + EPA 608 Universal + commercial chiller cert + ammonia refrigeration RETA cert drive 25-50% wage premium. MATC + Madison College + NWTC + FVTC + ABC of Wisconsin pipeline. WI progressive top 7.65% + no state estate tax + WI RTW since 2015 anchor the WI HVAC proposition.

Sources & Methodology

Salary figures are market estimates for HVAC Technicians in Wisconsin and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and Wisconsin 2026 state rates. Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.

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