Hvac operations technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hvac operations technician. Hvac operations technicians usually study heating and air conditioning, mechanical engineering, or environmental control technologies/technicians. 24% of hvac operations technicians hold a associate degree, and 18% hold an diploma. We analyzed 100 real hvac operations technician resumes to see exactly what hvac operations technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for hvac operations technicians are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

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

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

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

The most common degree for hvac operations technicians is associate degree, with 24% of hvac operations technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 18% and diploma degree at 18%.

Associate, 24%

Diploma, 18%

High School Diploma, 18%

Bachelor's, 18%

Other Degrees, 22%

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

You should major in heating and air conditioning to become a hvac operations technician. 22% of hvac operations technicians major in heating and air conditioning. Other common majors for a hvac operations technician include mechanical engineering and environmental control technologies/technicians.

Heating And Air Conditioning, 22%

Mechanical Engineering, 10%

Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, 10%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 8%

Other Majors, 50%

Most common colleges for hvac operations technicians

Hvac operations technicians often get their degrees at Northeastern University, Bloomfield College, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for hvac operations technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Hvac operations technician common college	Percentages
Northeastern University	15.38%
Bloomfield College	7.69%
New York University	7.69%
University of Vermont	7.69%
University of Southern Indiana	7.69%

Show more common hvac operations technician colleges

Best majors for hvac operations technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Heating And Air Conditioning	22.4%
2	Mechanical Engineering	10.2%
3	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10.2%
4	Electrical Engineering Technology	8.2%
5	Business	6.1%

Show more common hvac operations technician majors

Best colleges for hvac operations technicians

The best colleges for hvac operations technicians are Purdue University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.

A hvac operations 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 operations 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 operations technicians.

1. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

2. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

9. Vermont Technical College

Randolph, VT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,108

Enrollment

1,350

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for hvac operations technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hvac operations technicians

The most affordable schools for hvac operations technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - long beach, and california state polytechnic university, pomona.

If the best universities for hvac operations 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 operations technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

4. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Cost of attendance

13,997

5. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$4,118

Cost of attendance

12,223

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

8. Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Durant, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$6,750

Cost of attendance

15,839

9. Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,326

Cost of attendance

17,330

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hvac operations technicians

The hardest universities for hvac operations technicians to get into are Purdue University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for hvac operations 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 operations 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. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

5. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,269

8. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

9. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,415

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

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

The easiest schools for hvac operations technicians to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, central washington university, and ferris state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hvac operations 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 operations technicians.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,062

3. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

4. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

5. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

6. Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,019

7. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

997

8. Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, CO • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,022

9. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

10. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,140

Average hvac operations technician salary by education level

According to our data, hvac operations technicians with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $60,690 annually. Hvac operations technicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $59,120.

Hvac operations technician education level	Hvac operations technician salary
Master's Degree	$60,690
High School Diploma or Less	$55,530
Bachelor's Degree	$58,159
Some College/ Associate Degree	$59,120

Hvac operations technician education FAQs

What is the best college for Hvac Operations Technicians?

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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