Hvac technician education requirements

Q: How long is HVAC school?

HVAC school lasts anywhere between six months to three years in the United States. This depends on what type of school you attend, or if you choose to get an education through a professional HVAC certification process, or training program.

Q: How much is HVAC school?

HVAC school costs are in the range of $1,500 to $15,000 for tuition. This is the case for most HVAC trade schools. While associate's programs in HVAC at vocational schools can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000.

Q: On-the-job HVAC training

You get on-the-job HVAC training through an apprenticeship program. An HVAC apprentice may accompany a technician to acquire hands-on experience in the field and the skills needed to become a successful technician. If you're considering an HVAC apprenticeship, it's essential to learn about the steps you need to take.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hvac technician. Hvac technicians usually study heating and air conditioning, environmental control technologies/technicians, or business. 29% of hvac technicians hold a associate degree, and 24% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 22,169 real hvac technician resumes to see exactly what hvac technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for hvac technicians are the Ferris State University and the Ferris State University.

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

There are certain hvac technician certifications that you should consider. These hvac technician certifications include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

What education do you need to become a hvac technician?

What degree do you need to be a hvac technician?

The most common degree for hvac technicians is associate degree, with 29% of hvac technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 24% and high school diploma degree at 17%.

Associate, 29%

High School Diploma, 24%

Diploma, 17%

Bachelor's, 10%

Other Degrees, 20%

What should I major in to become a hvac technician?

You should major in heating and air conditioning to become a hvac technician. 33% of hvac technicians major in heating and air conditioning. Other common majors for a hvac technician include environmental control technologies/technicians and business.

Heating And Air Conditioning, 33%

Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, 21%

Business, 7%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 7%

Other Majors, 32%

Most common colleges for hvac technicians

Hvac technicians often get their degrees at Ferris State University, University of Phoenix, and Pennsylvania College of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for hvac technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Hvac technician common college	Percentages
Ferris State University	9.95%
University of Phoenix	9.48%
Pennsylvania College of Technology	6.87%
Vista College	6.40%
Central State University	6.40%

Show more common hvac technician colleges

Best majors for hvac technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Heating And Air Conditioning	33.1%
2	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	21.4%
3	Business	7.3%
4	Electrical Engineering Technology	6.7%
5	General Studies	4.4%

Show more common hvac technician majors

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

20 best online courses for hvac technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hvac technicians

The most affordable schools for hvac technicians are New Mexico State University, eastern new mexico university, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.

If the best universities for hvac 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 technicians.

1. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

2. Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,326

Cost of attendance

17,330

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

4. University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK • Private

In-state tuition

$8,580

Cost of attendance

19,942

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Guayama

Guayama, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,893

6. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

7. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Cost of attendance

23,713

8. 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

9. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,633

Cost of attendance

19,235

10. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,389

Cost of attendance

22,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hvac technicians

The hardest universities for hvac technicians to get into are University of Tulsa, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Duke University.

Some great schools for hvac 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 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. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

2. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

4. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,214

5. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,366

6. Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA • Private

Admissions rate

33%

SAT average

1,353

7. Creighton University

Omaha, NE • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,276

8. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

61%

SAT average

1,227

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,269

10. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,214

4. Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,158

5. Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, MA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,078

6. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

7. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,011

9. Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,091

10. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

1,120

Average hvac technician salary by education level

Hvac technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $57,143 annually. With a Associate degree, hvac technicians earn a median annual income of $56,720 compared to $52,281 for hvac technicians with an High School Diploma degree.

Hvac technician education level	Hvac technician salary
High School Diploma or Less	$52,281
Bachelor's Degree	$57,143
Some College/ Associate Degree	$56,720

Hvac technician education FAQs

How long is HVAC school?

How much is HVAC school?

On-the-job HVAC training

What is the best college for Hvac Technicians?

Have more questions? See all answers to common installation, maintenance and repair questions.

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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.

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Hvac Technician Education

Updated January 8, 2025

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