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Selecting an HVAC school is an important career decision that deserves careful consideration.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that new HVAC technicians can earn on-the-job experience through three- to five-year apprentice programs. These days, however, more and more employers seek HVAC mechanics and installers who have shown a commitment to learning the modern complexities of HVAC systems by earning a six-month vocational certificate or a two-year associate’s degree. Sometimes, an apprenticeship and an educational program can be pursued concurrently.

In any case, investing in a practical education can pay dividends in the lifetime of a career through gaining classroom knowledge and hands-on experience.

Before choosing an HVAC school, prospective students should research to understand how to advance through an HVAC program into an established HVAC career. The best HVAC schools can help with career searches, offering information on job leads and opportunities or training for special certifications that provide advancement in a field.

Prospective students are advised to inquire if a program includes Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 608 technician certification required for all professionals who handle refrigerants. Students should also ask if there are state or city requirements for licensure in the states or municipalities where they plan to work.

For these reasons, aspiring HVAC professionals should consider the whole picture when selecting an HVAC school and be sure they understand what they can expect from a specific program before committing time and tuition dollars.

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Top States For HVAC Programs

In most cases, students will first want to know what HVAC schools exist in the state or city where they live for maximum convenience. Next, determining if a program holds regional or programmatic accreditation by an industry organization such as HVAC Excellence or Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) is essential. In the absence of program approval from one of those entities, be sure to seek out a regionally accredited institution.

Other questions to consider are:

  • Does the program cover the general HVAC curriculum, or are courses geared towards specialized systems such as wind turbines or solar panel technology?
  • Will graduates receive a certificate, an associate degree, or a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the program?
  • Does the program include Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) training—a national safety standard for construction and mechanical contractors?

All these factors and more should play into deciding to commit to a specific HVAC school.

HVACClasses.org groups together the HVAC programs available in various states. Our site provides useful data on each school, including the number of students who graduated from the school’s HVAC program within the most recent year (when that data is available). We also sort the programs by size and enrollment. Finally, details on occupational demand within the state, licensing requirements, and school accreditation are also provided.

Top Cities For HVAC Programs

Students will find that career growth for HVAC jobs is particularly strong in some U.S. cities. This may be due to a city’s location in a very warm or cold setting, the availability or lack of certain types of fuels, or new energy-saving regulations recently passed. In this section, HVACClasses.org provides job details for those seeking HVAC careers.

The details on individual city pages include forecasted HVAC career growth sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, programs and HVAC schools available there, and local resources for certification and licensing. City pages also use all available data to provide the career outlooks for U.S. cities where HVAC job growth is expected to be strong, and this site is updated with new cities and outlooks when forecasts change.

Rachel Drummond, MEd

Rachel is a freelance writer, educator, and yogini from Oregon. She’s taught English to international university students in the United States and Japan for more than a decade and has a master’s degree in education from the University of Oregon. A dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioner, Rachel is interested in exploring the nuanced philosophical aspects of contemplative physical practices and how they apply in daily life. She writes about this topic among others on her blog (Instagram: @racheldrummondyoga).

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