2026 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in South Carolina

[Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/heating-air-conditioning-ventilation-refrigeration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration students.
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2026 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools
Trident Technical College tops our 2026 list of the best value heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration schools in South Carolina. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,546, compared with $8,620 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $18,116. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. Set against $18,116 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Horry Georgetown Technical College one of the best values for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,518 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,978 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration program here. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Horry Georgetown Technical College earn a median of $40,480 early in their careers. Set against $9,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration will find it at Florence Darlington Technical College, which ranked #3. Located in the rural area of Florence, Florence Darlington Technical College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,636, with out-of-state students paying around $6,772. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $7,230 in student loans. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $34,948. Set against $7,230 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at York Technical College earned it the #4 place for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Located in the city of Rock Hill, York Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,036, compared with $13,340 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,907 to complete the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration program here. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $37,626. That is a strong return on a $10,907 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Midlands Technical College one of the best values for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Midlands Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of West Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,100, compared with $14,700 for out-of-state students. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $17,611 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Midlands Technical College generally make around $46,803. That is a strong return on a $17,611 median debt.
Tri County Technical College placed #6 among the best values for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Pendleton, Tri County Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,448, while out-of-state students pay about $12,007. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $15,787. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Tri County Technical College earn a median of $43,438 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,787 median debt.
Technical College Of The Lowcountry came in at #7 for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Set in the city of Beaufort, Technical College Of The Lowcountry is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,156, compared with $11,916 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,110 to complete the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration program here. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Technical College Of The Lowcountry generally make around $44,556. Set against $17,110 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Williamsburg Technical College landed the #8 spot for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration value this year. Set in the town of Kingstree, Williamsburg Technical College is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,488, with out-of-state students paying around $8,592. Median earnings reach $29,935 ten years out.
Greenville Technical College landed the #9 spot for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration value this year. Greenville Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Greenville. In-state tuition and fees average $5,495, with out-of-state students paying around $10,775. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $12,546 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $50,802. That is a strong return on a $12,546 median debt.
Spartanburg Community College placed #10 among the best values for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Located in the suburb of Spartanburg, Spartanburg Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,071 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $10,135. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $10,148 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Spartanburg Community College generally make around $41,598. That is a strong return on a $10,148 median debt.
Piedmont Technical College came in at #11 for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Located in the town of Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,775, compared with $6,923 for out-of-state students. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $17,652 in student loans. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $36,577. Set against $17,652 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fortis College Columbia earned the #12 position for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Fortis College Columbia is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Columbia. Students from in state pay about $14,777 in tuition and fees. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $13,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Fortis College Columbia generally make around $35,785. Set against $13,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.