How long is HVAC training?

Here is a breakdown of the timelines and costs of three different avenues for attending HVAC school:

• Vocational Schools and Technical Colleges

Technical colleges and vocational schools offer HVAC certificate programs and associate's degrees. These programs generally take two years to complete.

An HVAC certificate program normally lasts anywhere between six to 12 months, costing in the range of $1,200 to $15,000. While an associate's degree can take 18 to 24 months to obtain and cost anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000.

• Community College

Those wanting to be HVAC techs can also choose to enroll in a community college for a certificate or associate's program. These programs also normally take around two years to complete, but you can choose to just take a selection of HVAC courses, opting to not get a degree, thus making the process shorter.

The average cost for tuition at public community colleges in the United States is $4,864, while out-of-state students tend to pay $8,622 on average. Private community colleges charge on average around $15,100 for a two-year program in HVAC.

• Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are some of the best opportunities for HVAC technicians in terms of real-world education and training. These programs can last anywhere from two to five years.

An apprenticeship is by far the cheapest option for HVAC training and education. In fact, most apprenticeships pay the HVAC apprentices for their time training, learning, and working.