Arizona·Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations·SOC 49-9021

Best Heating programs in Arizona, ranked by enrollment

Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating.

17 schools in Arizona run programs that feed this job, graduating 936 people a year. The job pays a median of $59,400 in Arizona across about 10,860 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledRefrigeration MechanicService Technician (Service Tech)Refrigeration Technician (Refrigeration Tech)HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic)MechanicInstallerDuct CleanerGas Adjuster
Graduates / yr
936
in Arizona
Median pay · Arizona
$59,400
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
10,860
people employed
Schools
17
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
45%
across those schools
Median net price
$27,877
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Arizona that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

2 programs in Arizona that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Arizona (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Arizona page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 47.0201In Arizona
871
93.1%
15$35,970$10,649
2
CIP 15.0501In Arizona
65
6.9%
2$36,407$10,250

Top 17 schools in Arizona

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 3 of the 17 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Eastern Arizona College
Thatcher, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
310Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician42%
2UEI College - Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
126Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician$33,44457%$32,886
3Refrigeration School Inc
Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
107Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician$48,14576%$26,791
4UEI College - Mesa
Mesa, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
62Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician$33,44450%$35,341
5Mohave Community College
Kingman, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
61Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician38%
6East Valley Institute of Technology
Mesa, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
46Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician68%
7Miller - Motte College - Arizona Automotive Institute
Glendale, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
45Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician61%$22,442
8Universal Technical Institute of Arizona Inc
Avondale, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
37Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician70%$27,877
9Western Maricopa Education Center
Glendale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
21Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician
10Central Arizona College
Coolidge, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
20Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician27%
11Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
20Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician28%
12Carrington College - Phoenix North
Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
18Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician62%
13GateWay Community College
Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
18Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician29%
14Cochise County Community College District
Sierra Vista, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
17Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician30%
15Yavapai College
Prescott, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
16Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician34%
16Arizona Western College
Yuma, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
11Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician20%
17Coconino Community College
Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
1Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician24%

All 17 schools in Arizona

Every school in Arizona with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Arizona that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Eastern Arizona CollegeThatcherPublic3101
UEI College - PhoenixPhoenixPrivate for-profit1261
Refrigeration School IncPhoenixPrivate for-profit1071
UEI College - MesaMesaPrivate for-profit621
Mohave Community CollegeKingmanPublic611
East Valley Institute of TechnologyMesaPublic461
Miller - Motte College - Arizona Automotive InstituteGlendalePrivate for-profit451
Universal Technical Institute of Arizona IncAvondalePrivate for-profit371
Western Maricopa Education CenterGlendalePublic211
Central Arizona CollegeCoolidgePublic201
Pima Community CollegeTucsonPublic201
Carrington College - Phoenix NorthPhoenixPrivate for-profit181
GateWay Community CollegePhoenixPublic181
Cochise County Community College DistrictSierra VistaPublic171
Yavapai CollegePrescottPublic161

What heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn in Arizona

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Arizona
$59,400
Mean annual
$60,900
Jobs in state
10,860
What the range looks like
10th pct$37,950Median$59,40090th pct$80,160
Versus the national median
-2.6%

U.S. median $61,010. Arizona pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
1.27×

Concentrated here: Arizona employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.

Metro areas in Arizona

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
$61,170median
8,070 jobs
Flagstaff, AZ
$58,360median
140 jobs
Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ
$58,280median
260 jobs
Yuma, AZ
$57,290median
280 jobs
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
$56,810median
270 jobs
Tucson, AZ
$56,070median
1,380 jobs
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
$49,080median
120 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+8.1%
Much faster than average
Openings per year
40,100
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
34,500
425,200 → 459,700
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Plus long-term on-the-job training

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers page.

How to become a Heating

Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Top skills

Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningActive LearningMonitoringSpeaking

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Arizona

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 2 majors mapped to Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 15.0501Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician
  • 47.0201Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician

Common questions

Answers for people weighing heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers programs in Arizona.

What degree do you need to become a Heating?+

Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician, which awarded 871 degrees in Arizona in 2024-25, 93.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Heating?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Heating, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians. Together they graduate about 936 people a year in Arizona.

How much do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn in Arizona?+

The median is $59,400 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 2.6% below the U.S. median of $61,010. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers growing?+

BLS projects a +8.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 40,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Arizona?+

17 institutions in Arizona reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Refrigeration Mechanic, Service Technician (Service Tech), Refrigeration Technician (Refrigeration Tech), HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 49-9021.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in other statesCaliforniaTexasFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisNorth CarolinaPennsylvaniaMichigan

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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