Heating & Air Conditioning

260 schools compared · Average earnings $36,780/yr

What Heating & Air Conditioning Graduates Do

Your career in HVACR begins with your hands on the tools. As an apprentice, you’ll work alongside a senior technician, learning to use pressure gauges on a residential AC unit or a multimeter to diagnose a faulty furnace circuit board in a chilly basement. Soon, you'll be driving the service van, independently tackling everything from routine maintenance to emergency repairs on commercial rooftops. This is skilled, physical work that requires you to be on-site—it can’t be automated or outsourced.

With a few years of experience, your path and earnings expand significantly. You might become a journeyman installer leading a crew on new construction projects, or specialize in high-demand areas like commercial refrigeration for grocery stores. The strong and growing demand for skilled technicians means steady work and increasing pay as you gain certifications. Many experienced pros eventually go on to launch their own successful contracting businesses, setting their own hours and maximizing their income potential.

Schools Offering
260
Avg Grad Earnings
$36,780/yr
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
46/100
AI-Proof Rating
AI-Proof
84% of tasks AI-shielded
Apprenticeship Paths
15

Registered Apprenticeship Pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 15 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Heating & Air Conditioning. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.

Apprenticeship Training Hours Type Salary RangeSalary Growth
Air & Hydronic Balancing Technician
RAPIDS 990
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic (Existing Title: Heating & Air-Conditioner Install/Ser)
RAPIDS 0637R
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Environmental Control Syst. Install/Services (Hvac)
RAPIDS 0637R2
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Furnace Installer
RAPIDS 794
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Furnace Installer & Repairer
RAPIDS 678
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Heating & Air Conditioning Mechanic & Installer
RAPIDS 0637R1
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Heating & Air-Conditioner Install/Ser
RAPIDS 637
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Heating & Air-Conditioner Install/Ser
RAPIDS 0637CL
8500-10000 hrs Hybrid $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (Ex. Tit: Heating&Air Cond. Inst/Ser)
RAPIDS 0637HY
8500-10000 hrs Hybrid $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (Ex. Tit: Heating&Air Cond. Inst/Ser)
RAPIDS 0637R
8500 hrs
~4.2 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Oil Burner-Servicer & Installer
RAPIDS 966
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Refrigeration & Air Condition Mechanic (Existing Title: Refrigeration Maint)
RAPIDS 0666HY
7480-8800 hrs Hybrid $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Refrigeration And Air Conditioning Maintenance (Existing Title: Refrigeration Mechanic)
RAPIDS **0666R
7328 hrs
~3.7 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Refrigeration Mechanic (Any Ind)
RAPIDS 666
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%
Refrigeration Unit Repairer
RAPIDS 918
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs
Time $48K$59,810$75K 8.1%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.

Best Schools for Heating & Air Conditioning

Top 20 of 260 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and AI-proof analysis.

# School Score EarningsEarn ROI
1 St Cloud Technical and Community College
Saint Cloud, MN
71
70–71
$57,178/yr 127.1x
2 Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Clarkston, GA
71
69–71
$49,346/yr 155.4x
3 Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville, NC
71
69–71
$46,491/yr 234.0x
4 Western Technical College
La Crosse, WI
70
69–70
$52,820/yr 111.0x
5 Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
70
67–70
$44,715/yr 165.6x
6 Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, SC
69
66–69
$46,803/yr 122.6x
7 Athens Technical College
Athens, GA
69
68–69
$45,356/yr 142.0x
8 Chattahoochee Technical College
Marietta, GA
69
66–69
$41,978/yr 176.0x
9 Greenville Technical College
Greenville, SC
68
67–68
$50,802/yr 96.0x
10 Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Fergus Falls, MN
68
64–68
$46,285/yr 105.7x
11 Kansas City Kansas Community College
Kansas City, KS
68
67–68
$43,010/yr 135.5x
12 Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL
68
67–68
$42,882/yr 158.5x
13 Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park, MN
67
65–67
$65,592/yr 65.7x
14 Century College
White Bear Lake, MN
67
67–67
$52,870/yr 84.5x
15 Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount, MN
67
66–67
$52,079/yr 80.1x
16 Southeast Community College Area
Lincoln, NE
67
64–67
$49,666/yr 84.7x
17 Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
Bowling Green, KY
67
66–67
$46,451/yr 98.8x
18 Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL
67
66–67
$41,239/yr 153.3x
19 Charlotte Technical College
Port Charlotte, FL
67
66–67
$40,977/yr 131.2x
20 Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs, IA
66
66–66
$52,345/yr 76.2x

Highest Earning Heating & Air Conditioning Programs

Schools where Heating & Air Conditioning graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

Best ROI for Heating & Air Conditioning

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Heating & Air Conditioning.

School ROI Multiple Earnings Score
Davidson-Davie Community College 234.0x $46,491/yr 71
Dallas College 200.8x $28,849/yr 61
Lone Star College System 176.1x $32,070/yr 63
Chattahoochee Technical College 176.0x $41,978/yr 69
Central Georgia Technical College 173.0x $34,320/yr 64
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City 165.6x $44,715/yr 70
Palm Beach State College 158.5x $42,882/yr 68
San Jacinto Community College 158.3x $30,189/yr 61
Georgia Piedmont Technical College 155.4x $49,346/yr 71
Indian River State College 153.3x $41,239/yr 67

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Heating & Air Conditioning graduates earn?
Across 260 schools, Heating & Air Conditioning graduates earn an average of $36,780 per year in their first year after completing the program. Earnings range from $15,553 to $65,592 depending on the school.
How safe is Heating & Air Conditioning from automation and AI?
AI resilience for Heating & Air Conditioning is classified as "AI-Proof." Approximately 84% of typical job tasks are hands-on — the vast majority of the daily work involves skills that current AI technology cannot perform.
Which school has the best Heating & Air Conditioning program?
St Cloud Technical and Community College leads all 260 programs with a TradeSchoolOutlook Score of 71/100. Graduates earn $57,178/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.
Do Heating & Air Conditioning graduates get a good return on their tuition?
On average, Heating & Air Conditioning graduates earn 62.0x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.
Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, DOL RAPIDS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →