2026 Best Value Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in Ohio

[Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/environmental-control-technology/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-engineering-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician schools.
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2026 Best Value Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician Schools
Stark State College earned the #1 spot for value among heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician schools in Ohio. Stark State College is a large public school located in the suburb of North Canton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,790, compared with $7,886 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician graduates is $17,349. Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/technician graduates of Stark State College earn a median of $42,724 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Columbus State Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician schools. Set in the city of Columbus, Columbus State Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,488 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,224 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician graduates is $9,041. Graduates go on to earn a median of $39,435 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $9,041 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Terra State Community College one of the best values for heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician. Terra State Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Fremont. In-state tuition and fees average $5,748, with out-of-state students paying around $8,544. Students borrow a median of $24,070 to complete the heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician degree recipients from Terra State Community College generally make around $63,495. Set against $24,070 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Polaris Career Center came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician schools. Set in the suburb of Middleburg Heights, Polaris Career Center is a small public institution. Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Engineering Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $6,365 in student loans. Early-career heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician graduates make about $37,480. Set against $6,365 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration engineering technology/technician will find it at Portage Lakes Career Center, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Uniontown, Portage Lakes Career Center is a small public institution. Median earnings reach $38,316 ten years out.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.