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Hvac controls technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hvac controls technician. Hvac controls technicians usually study electrical engineering technology, electrical engineering, or environmental control technologies/technicians. 49% of hvac controls technicians hold a associate degree, and 21% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 310 real hvac controls technician resumes to see exactly what hvac controls technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for hvac controls technicians are the Bryant and Stratton College - Greece Campus and the Bryant and Stratton College - Greece Campus.

There are also many online hvac controls technician courses to help get the education required to be a hvac controls technician.

What education do you need to become a hvac controls technician?

What degree do you need to be a hvac controls technician?

The most common degree for hvac controls technicians is associate degree, with 49% of hvac controls technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 16%.
  • Associate, 49%
  • Bachelor's, 21%
  • High School Diploma, 16%
  • Master's, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a hvac controls technician?

You should major in electrical engineering technology to become a hvac controls technician. 17% of hvac controls technicians major in electrical engineering technology. Other common majors for a hvac controls technician include electrical engineering and environmental control technologies/technicians.

Most common colleges for hvac controls technicians

Hvac controls technicians often get their degrees at Bryant and Stratton College - Greece Campus, DeVry University, and Ferris State University. Here are the most common colleges for hvac controls technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Hvac controls technician common collegePercentages
Bryant and Stratton College - Greece Campus10.34%
DeVry University10.34%
Ferris State University6.90%
University of California, Berkeley6.90%
Austin Community College6.90%

Best majors for hvac controls technicians

Best colleges for hvac controls technicians

The best colleges for hvac controls technicians are Duke University, Northeastern University, and Stanford University.

A hvac controls technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hvac controls technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become hvac controls technicians.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Enrollment

4,169

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$22,046

Enrollment

1,294

8. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$15,180

Enrollment

13,385

20 best online courses for hvac controls technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hvac controls technicians

The most affordable schools for hvac controls technicians are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.

If the best universities for hvac controls technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for hvac controls technicians.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

10. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hvac controls technicians

The hardest universities for hvac controls technicians to get into are Duke University, Northeastern University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for hvac controls technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for hvac controls technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

5. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

6. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA • Private

Admissions rate

33%

SAT average

1,353

9. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,366

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hvac controls technicians

The easiest schools for hvac controls technicians to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - altoona.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hvac controls technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for hvac controls technicians.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

4. Suffolk University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

8. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

9. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

10. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

Average hvac controls technician salary by education level

Hvac controls technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $56,634 annually. With a Associate degree, hvac controls technicians earn a median annual income of $56,315 compared to $52,939 for hvac controls technicians with an High School Diploma degree.
Hvac controls technician education levelHvac controls technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$52,939
Bachelor's Degree$56,634
Some College/ Associate Degree$56,315

Hvac controls technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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