Best institutions to study Heating
Compare 611 U.S. colleges offering Heating by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 50 states.
Heating programs report a median of $36,485 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 47.02 and the Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Heating programs
The Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician program prepares students for careers in the mechanical and repair technologies field. This program focuses on the essential skills needed to install, maintain, and repair heating and cooling systems, making it ideal for those who enjoy hands-on work and problem-solving in technical environments.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in mechanical systems, building construction, customer service, and engineering technology. Core coursework includes studying blueprints, testing electrical circuits, and understanding the configuration of heating and cooling equipment components.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN Public · Associate degree | $65,592 | 142 | 42% | — | $20,000 |
| 2 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee, OK Public · Associate degree | $58,336 | 54 | 42% | — | $11,500 |
| 3 | Perry Technical Institute Yakima, WA Private not-for-profit · Certificate degree | $57,782 | 47 | 79% | $24,069 | $17,146 |
| 4 | St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN Public · Certificate degree | $57,178 | 38 | 45% | — | $10,394 |
| 5 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN Public · Associate degree | $56,191 | 40 | 20% | — | $20,000 |
| 6 | Monroe Community College Rochester, NY Public · Associate degree | $54,241 | 22 | 27% | — | — |
| 7 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN Public · Certificate degree | $52,870 | 163 | 31% | — | $13,000 |
| 8 | Western Technical College La Crosse, WI Public · Certificate degree | $52,820 | 31 | 34% | — | — |
| 9 | Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Public · Certificate degree | $52,345 | 17 | 40% | — | — |
| 10 | Dakota County Technical College Rosemount, MN Public · Certificate degree | $52,079 | 26 | 58% | — | — |
| 11 | Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA Public · Associate degree | $51,770 | 69 | 53% | — | $13,975 |
| 12 | Motoring Technical Training Institute Seekonk, MA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $51,281 | 63 | 89% | $18,778 | $9,500 |
| 13 | Greenville Technical College Greenville, SC Public · Certificate degree | $50,802 | 100 | 21% | — | $12,546 |
| 14 | Wenatchee Valley College Wenatchee, WA Public · Associate degree | $50,579 | 11 | 43% | — | — |
| 15 | Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE Public · Associate degree | $49,666 | 38 | 38% | — | — |
| 16 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston, GA Public · Certificate degree | $49,346 | 82 | 44% | — | — |
| 17 | Refrigeration School Inc Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $48,145 | 107 | 76% | $26,791 | $8,835 |
| 18 | Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY Public · Associate degree | $47,134 | 37 | 35% | — | $12,000 |
| 19 | Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $47,076 | 28 | 66% | $25,132 | $17,500 |
| 20 | Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC Public · Certificate degree | $46,803 | 40 | 18% | — | — |
| 21 | Davidson - Davie Community College Thomasville, NC Public · Certificate degree | $46,491 | 77 | 46% | — | — |
| 22 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green, KY Public · Certificate degree | $46,451 | 81 | 58% | — | — |
| 23 | Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls, MN Public · Certificate degree | $46,285 | 38 | 47% | — | $7,500 |
| 24 | Manatee Technical College Bradenton, FL Public · Certificate degree | $45,926 | 22 | 64% | — | — |
| 25 | Athens Technical College Athens, GA Public · Certificate degree | $45,356 | 118 | 51% | — | — |
| 26 | Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro, KY Public · Certificate degree | $44,899 | 68 | 54% | — | — |
| 27 | Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City Kansas City, MO Public · Certificate degree | $44,715 | 78 | 34% | — | — |
| 28 | Northeast Technical Institute Scarborough, ME Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $44,276 | 87 | 90% | $34,910 | $8,550 |
| 29 | YTI Career Institute - York York, PA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $44,157 | 30 | 45% | $17,792 | $9,212 |
| 30 | American Trade School Saint Ann, MO Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $44,057 | 51 | 72% | $18,963 | $19,000 |
| 31 | Adult and Continuing Education - BCTS Hackensack, NJ Public · Certificate degree | $44,000 | 29 | 91% | — | — |
| 32 | DeHart Technical School Modesto, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $43,927 | 69 | 93% | $26,653 | $8,950 |
| 33 | State Technical College of Missouri Linn, MO Public · Associate degree | $43,723 | 39 | 84% | — | — |
| 34 | Porter & Chester Institute Bridgeport, CT Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $43,235 | 140 | 45% | $18,216 | $14,120 |
| 35 | Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City, KS Public · Certificate degree | $43,010 | 81 | 42% | — | — |
| 36 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY Public · Associate degree | $42,992 | 34 | 55% | — | $12,000 |
| 37 | Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI Public · Certificate degree | $42,963 | 67 | 50% | — | $5,500 |
| 38 | Spokane Community College Spokane, WA Public · Associate degree | $42,862 | 23 | 33% | — | $17,231 |
| 39 | University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, OH Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $42,690 | 10 | 54% | $19,592 | $13,084 |
| 40 | New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island Pawtucket, RI Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $42,532 | 117 | 81% | $16,684 | $13,437 |
| 41 | New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Massachusetts North Andover, MA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $42,532 | 91 | 74% | $16,860 | $13,437 |
| 42 | Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Liverpool, NY Public · Certificate degree | $42,145 | 35 | 73% | — | $7,422 |
| 43 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA Public · Certificate degree | $41,978 | 188 | 38% | — | — |
| 44 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA Public · Associate degree | $41,954 | 48 | 71% | — | $10,096 |
| 45 | Industrial Management Training Institute Waterbury, CT Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $41,746 | 14 | 78% | $49,940 | $9,500 |
| 46 | Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington, KY Public · Certificate degree | $41,731 | 85 | 43% | — | $8,250 |
| 47 | Institute for Business and Technology San Jose, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $41,695 | 173 | 84% | $26,509 | $9,316 |
| 48 | National Career Education Citrus Heights, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $41,695 | 133 | 83% | $25,889 | $9,316 |
| 49 | Lamson Institute San Antonio, TX Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $41,695 | 125 | 80% | $26,614 | $9,316 |
| 50 | HVAC Technical Institute Chicago, IL Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $41,644 | 155 | 86% | $23,492 | $6,851 |
Offered across 50 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 49-9021, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, and its national outlook.
Graduates can expect a strong job outlook, with an annual growth rate of 8.1% and approximately 40,100 annual openings in the field. The median wage for positions in this area is $59,810, and a postsecondary nondegree award is typically required for entry-level roles.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Heating
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 47.02.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 47.02 (Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)) maps to 1 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupation, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 49-9021 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installersprimary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Heating programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
Concentrations within Heating
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0201
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
Common questions
What is the focus of the Heating program?+
The program focuses on heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration maintenance.
What skills will I learn?+
You will learn critical thinking, mechanical knowledge, and customer service skills.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with an annual growth rate of 8.1%.
What education is required to enter this field?+
Typically, a postsecondary nondegree award is required for entry-level positions.
How much do Heating graduates earn?+
Heating graduates report median earnings of $36,485 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers occupation pays about $64,780 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Heating?+
Heating maps to CIP 47.02 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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