HVAC Technician Schools

Get Degrees can help you easily find and compare popular online HVAC Technician schools. Review our most popular HVAC Technician degree options below and request information from the school you like best.

Top HVAC Technician Schools

Find Your Perfect Program

About HVAC Technician Schools

HVAC technicians, sometimes called HVACR, work on heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. They tend to specialize in either installation or maintenance and repair. Some may also choose to specialize on one type of equipment, like solar panels or water-based heating systems called hydronics.

What Are HVAC Degrees?

Many technical schools, community colleges, and the Armed Forces offer HVAC programs ranging from 6-months to 2-years. Coursework involves learning about:

  • Blueprint reading
  • Care of tools
  • Construction
  • Electronics
  • Equipment design
  • Installation
  • Maintenance
  • Mechanical and electrical components of HVAC systems
  • Repair
  • Safety practices
  • Temperature control

It's useful to choose a program accredited by one of the three HVAC accrediting agencies: HVAC Excellence, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, or the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation.

Upon completing a program, the graduate will usually become an apprentice to an experienced technician. Or you could choose to go through a formal apprenticeship program which combines classroom work with paid on-the-job training and lasts from 3 to 5 years.

Some states do require HVAC technicians to be licensed, but the requirements vary.

Career Opportunities

55% of HVAC technicians in 2006 worked for air-conditioning, heating, and plumbing contractors. 13% were self-employed. The others worked for a variety of industries including fuel oil dealers, refrigeration and air-conditioning repair shops, stores that sold HVAC systems, or even directly for a hospital, the government, or office building. Their median earnings were $18.11 per hour.

Related HVAC Technician Articles

  • HVAC Training and the Environment

    Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians are employed throughout the country to install, maintain, and repair climate control systems at commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.

    Online HVAC technician schools introduce students to the principles of...

Copyright © 2000-2009 Get Degrees ®. All Rights Reserved. Get Degrees is a registered trademark. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical without permission in writing from the publisher. All logos, trademarks and other propriety marks belong to their respective owners.