Best Value Trade Schools for HVAC Technicians (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Hennepin Technical College (MN) has the highest-paying HVAC technician program in EDsmart Data's analysis, at $65,592 in first-year earnings. Across 242 programs reporting earnings, the median is $33,444 with $9,500 in median federal debt.
Key Facts
- Top program: Hennepin Technical College ($65,592 year-1 earnings)
- Median year-1 earnings: $33,444
- Median federal debt: $9,500
- Programs with earnings data: 242
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Top 15 HVAC technician programs by first-year earnings
The best programs pay far above the median
Our analysis finds the top HVAC technician program pays $65,592 in year one, versus a $33,444 median across all reporting programs.
Individual programs reporting first-year earnings to College Scorecard.
Top 50 best-value HVAC technician programs by first-year earnings
| Rank · School | State | Program | Credential | Year-1 earnings | Median debt | Earnings per $1 of debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hennepin Technical College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $65,592 | $20,000 | $3.28 |
| 2. Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | OK | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $58,336 | $11,500 | $5.07 |
| 3. Perry Technical Institute | WA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $57,782 | $17,146 | $3.37 |
| 4. Ivy Tech Community College | IN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $57,323 | $7,250 | $7.91 |
| 5. St Cloud Technical and Community College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $57,178 | $10,394 | $5.50 |
| 6. Minneapolis Community and Technical College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $56,191 | $20,000 | $2.81 |
| 7. Monroe Community College | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $54,241 | — | — |
| 8. Century College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $52,870 | $13,000 | $4.07 |
| 9. Western Technical College | WI | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $52,820 | — | — |
| 10. Iowa Western Community College | IA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $52,345 | — | — |
| 11. Century College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $52,105 | $11,500 | $4.53 |
| 12. Dakota County Technical College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $52,079 | — | — |
| 13. Pennsylvania College of Technology | PA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $51,770 | $13,975 | $3.70 |
| 14. Motoring Technical Training Institute | MA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $51,281 | $9,500 | $5.40 |
| 15. Greenville Technical College | SC | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $50,802 | $12,546 | $4.05 |
| 16. Wenatchee Valley College | WA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $50,579 | — | — |
| 17. Southeast Community College Area | NE | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $49,666 | — | — |
| 18. Georgia Piedmont Technical College | GA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $49,346 | — | — |
| 19. Refrigeration School Inc | AZ | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $48,145 | $8,835 | $5.45 |
| 20. Hudson Valley Community College | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $47,134 | $12,000 | $3.93 |
| 21. Dunwoody College of Technology | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $47,076 | $17,500 | $2.69 |
| 22. Midlands Technical College | SC | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $46,803 | — | — |
| 23. Davidson-Davie Community College | NC | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $46,491 | — | — |
| 24. Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College | KY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $46,451 | — | — |
| 25. Minnesota State Community and Technical College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $46,285 | $7,500 | $6.17 |
| 26. Manatee Technical College | FL | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $45,926 | — | — |
| 27. Athens Technical College | GA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $45,356 | — | — |
| 28. Owensboro Community and Technical College | KY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,899 | — | — |
| 29. Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | MO | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,715 | — | — |
| 30. Fort Myers Technical College | FL | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,343 | — | — |
| 31. Northeast Technical Institute | ME | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,276 | $8,550 | $5.18 |
| 32. YTI Career Institute-York | PA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,157 | $9,212 | $4.79 |
| 33. American Trade School | MO | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,057 | $19,000 | $2.32 |
| 34. Adult and Continuing Education-BCTS | NJ | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $44,000 | — | — |
| 35. DeHart Technical School | CA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $43,927 | $8,950 | $4.91 |
| 36. State Technical College of Missouri | MO | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $43,723 | — | — |
| 37. Porter & Chester Institute | CT | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $43,235 | $14,120 | $3.06 |
| 38. Kansas City Kansas Community College | KS | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $43,010 | — | — |
| 39. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $42,992 | $12,000 | $3.58 |
| 40. Chippewa Valley Technical College | WI | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $42,963 | $5,500 | $7.81 |
| 41. Palm Beach State College | FL | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $42,882 | — | — |
| 42. Spokane Community College | WA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $42,862 | $17,231 | $2.49 |
| 43. University of Northwestern Ohio | OH | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $42,690 | $13,084 | $3.26 |
| 44. New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island | RI | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $42,532 | $13,437 | $3.17 |
| 45. New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Massachusetts | MA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $42,532 | $13,437 | $3.17 |
| 46. Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $42,145 | $7,422 | $5.68 |
| 47. Chattahoochee Technical College | GA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $41,978 | — | — |
| 48. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology | PA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate | $41,954 | $10,096 | $4.16 |
| 49. Industrial Management Training Institute | CT | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $41,746 | $9,500 | $4.39 |
| 50. Bluegrass Community and Technical College | KY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate | $41,731 | $8,250 | $5.06 |
Hvac technician programs with the most earnings per dollar borrowed
Programs reporting both first-year earnings and median debt.
| School | State | Program | Year-1 earnings | Median debt | Earnings per $1 of debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Tech Community College | IN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $57,323 | $7,250 | $7.91 |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College | WI | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $42,963 | $5,500 | $7.81 |
| Chattanooga State Community College | TN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $40,038 | $5,500 | $7.28 |
| Ivy Tech Community College | IN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $41,270 | $5,940 | $6.95 |
| Minnesota State Community and Technical College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $46,285 | $7,500 | $6.17 |
| Mech-Tech College | PR | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $21,521 | $3,500 | $6.15 |
| HVAC Technical Institute | IL | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $41,644 | $6,851 | $6.08 |
| Butler Technology and Career Development Schools | OH | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $41,108 | $6,840 | $6.01 |
| Maysville Community and Technical College | KY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $39,622 | $6,760 | $5.86 |
| CET-San Jose | CA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $35,970 | $6,160 | $5.84 |
| CET-Colton | CA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $35,970 | $6,160 | $5.84 |
| CET-Coachella | CA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $35,970 | $6,160 | $5.84 |
| Lone Star College System | TX | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $32,070 | $5,500 | $5.83 |
| Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $42,145 | $7,422 | $5.68 |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College | MN | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $57,178 | $10,394 | $5.50 |
| Refrigeration School Inc | AZ | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $48,145 | $8,835 | $5.45 |
| Motoring Technical Training Institute | MA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $51,281 | $9,500 | $5.40 |
| Northeast Technical Institute | ME | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $44,276 | $8,550 | $5.18 |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | OK | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $58,336 | $11,500 | $5.07 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College | KY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $41,731 | $8,250 | $5.06 |
| Orleans Technical College | PA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $37,848 | $7,521 | $5.03 |
| DeHart Technical School | CA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $43,927 | $8,950 | $4.91 |
| YTI Career Institute-York | PA | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $44,157 | $9,212 | $4.79 |
| Erie Community College | NY | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $29,804 | $6,500 | $4.59 |
| Advanced Training Institute | NV | Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | $40,633 | $8,867 | $4.58 |
What the data shows
Value means what you earn for what you pay. The ranking puts first-year earnings first because it is the outcome students feel right away; the earnings-per-dollar column shows which HVAC technician programs deliver the most pay for each dollar borrowed.
Programs missing from this list are not necessarily bad; many simply have too few federal-aid graduates for the Department of Education to publish earnings.
Methodology
Program figures come from the College Scorecard field-of-study file: one record per institution × 4-digit CIP code × credential level. Earnings are median annual earnings of federal-aid recipients who completed the program and were working and not enrolled, measured 1, 4, and 5 years after completion (in the dollar year of the Scorecard release). Debt is the median federal loan balance (Stafford and Grad PLUS) at completion; private loans and Parent PLUS are excluded. Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education and drop out of each column.
Earnings per $1 of debt = median first-year earnings ÷ median federal debt at completion. Programs without published debt show a dash.
Graduate-only health fields (dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and similar) are excluded, as are health certificates at bachelor's- or graduate-predominant universities, which are usually post-degree credentials (such as nurse anesthesia) rather than entry-level training.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-value HVAC technician program?
By first-year earnings, Hennepin Technical College in MN leads at $65,592, based on College Scorecard program data.
How much do HVAC technician program graduates earn?
The median program pays $33,444 in the first year after completion.
How much debt do HVAC technician students take on?
Median federal debt at completion is $9,500 across programs that report it.
Data sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard institution and field-of-study files (latest release in our extract)