2027 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in Iowa
[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. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration students.
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2027 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools
Leading the list is Western Iowa Tech Community College, our #1 best value for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration in Iowa. Set in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,186, with out-of-state students paying around $5,330. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $11,886. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $36,401. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Kirkwood Community College one of the best values for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $15,779 in student loans. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $41,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hawkeye Community College earned it the #3 place for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Located in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,525 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,612. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration program here. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Hawkeye Community College earn a median of $41,902 early in their careers. Set against $17,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
North Iowa Area Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Mason City, North Iowa Area Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,653, while out-of-state students pay about $9,551. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $12,043 in student loans. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $44,466. That is a strong return on a $12,043 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Des Moines Area Community College earned it the #5 place for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,790 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $14,956. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $43,121. That is a strong return on a $14,956 median debt.
Eastern Iowa Community College District ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration schools. Located in the city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community College District is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,848, with out-of-state students paying around $6,456. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $15,995 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Eastern Iowa Community College District generally make around $41,510. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Iowa Western Community College earned the #7 position for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Located in the suburb of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,930, with out-of-state students paying around $7,080. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $15,153 in student loans. Early-career heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates make about $52,345. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
