Bright outlook
Installation and repair
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Median pay
- $61,010
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Postsecondary certificate
- Operations Monitoring
- Troubleshooting
- Critical Thinking
ProgramsMechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CIP47.02
415 colleges offer Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR). See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 415
- at its most common level
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 415
- Associate's
- 246
- Bachelor's
- 1
What it covers
About Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, install, service and maintain the operating condition of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Includes instruction in diagnostic techniques, the use of testing equipment and the principles of mechanics, electricity, and electronics as they relate to the repair of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 47.02.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 415 | $49,5884 yrs after · 111 colleges | $12,96162 colleges |
| Associate's | 246 | $61,0264 yrs after · 32 colleges | $16,98226 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Associate's programs
Where Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Minneapolis, MN · Public · 19 graduates
$87,786
debt not reported
- 2
Brooklyn Park, MN · Public · 29 graduates
$86,733
debt $11,435
- 3
White Bear Lake, MN · Public · 20 graduates
$76,972
debt not reported
- 4
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofit · 25 graduates
$75,499
debt $12,000
- 5
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA · Public · 32 graduates
$75,318
debt not reported
- 6
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Okmulgee, OK · Public · 46 graduates
$68,072
debt $12,000
- 7
Colorado Springs, CO · Public · 11 graduates
$67,308
debt not reported
- 8
Southeast Community College Area
Lincoln, NE · Public · 10 graduates
$65,462
debt $7,671
- 9
Hudson Valley Community College-New York
Troy, NY · Public · 39 graduates
$64,515
debt $8,195
- 10
Indianapolis, IN · Public · 86 graduates
$63,337
debt $10,168
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
More in Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians668 colleges
- Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians273 colleges
- Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians267 colleges
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other38 colleges
- Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians26 colleges
- Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians14 colleges
- Mechanics and Repairers, General11 colleges
Questions about Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
How many colleges offer Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at these degree levels: certificate (415 colleges), associate's (246 colleges), bachelor's (1 college). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
Where do Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) graduates earn the most?
Minneapolis Community and Technical College reports the highest median earnings for associate's graduates in Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR): $87,786 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.