Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR): is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 243 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) pays
Career outlook for Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) graduates
The job market for the occupations Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | 425,200 | +8.1% | $59,810 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) vs similar majors
How Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) stacks up against the closest fields in Mechanic & Repair Technologies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Mechanic & Repair Technologies · this major | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other | Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 30 F | 57 C | 47 D | 32 F |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $47,142 | $61,654 | $59,031 | $49,288 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $36,545 | $51,061 | $64,462 | $38,624 |
| ROI vs cost | -72% | +119% | +95% | -44% |
| Typical debt | $11,313 | $11,347 | — | $10,927 |
| Colleges offering it | 243 | 83 | 16 | 63 |
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL | Certificate | $84,422 | — | +13,835% | Strong return |
| 2 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA | Certificate | $57,553 | — | +3,585% | Strong return |
| 3 | Elgin Community College Elgin, IL | Certificate | $66,349 | — | +3,443% | Strong return |
| 4 | South Central College North Mankato, MN | Certificate | $76,675 | — | +3,388% | Strong return |
| 5 | Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC | Certificate | $59,159 | — | +2,947% | Strong return |
| 6 | Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC | Certificate | $58,589 | — | +2,824% | Strong return |
| 7 | Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque, NM | Certificate | $55,846 | — | +2,247% | Strong return |
| 8 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN | Certificate | $78,403 | $14,751 | +2,035% | Strong return |
| 9 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN | Certificate | $75,499 | $10,500 | +1,970% | Strong return |
| 10 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN | Certificate | $65,406 | — | +1,887% | Strong return |
| 11 | South Central College North Mankato, MN | Certificate | $62,793 | — | +1,859% | Strong return |
| 12 | St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN | Certificate | $63,498 | — | +1,820% | Strong return |
| 13 | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City, MO | Certificate | $60,480 | — | +1,743% | Strong return |
| 14 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV | Certificate | $56,489 | — | +1,637% | Strong return |
| 15 | Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE | Certificate | $60,687 | — | +1,611% | Strong return |
| 16 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS | Certificate | $66,809 | — | +1,438% | Strong return |
| 17 | Erie Community College Buffalo, NY | Certificate | $56,738 | — | +1,412% | Strong return |
| 18 | Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins, GA | Certificate | $55,342 | — | +1,367% | Strong return |
| 19 | Adult and Continuing Education-BCTS Hackensack, NJ | Certificate | $60,484 | — | +1,362% | Strong return |
| 20 | Southern Maine Community College South Portland, ME | Certificate | $60,742 | — | +1,320% | Strong return |
| 21 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN | Certificate | $74,261 | $20,000 | +1,287% | Strong return |
| 22 | Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, SC | Certificate | $54,681 | $8,875 | +1,210% | Strong return |
| 23 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston, GA | Certificate | $62,233 | — | +1,152% | Strong return |
| 24 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA | Certificate | $57,033 | — | +1,140% | Strong return |
| 25 | Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls, MN | Certificate | $62,937 | $5,500 | +1,132% | Strong return |
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.