by our College Data Analytics Team
[Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/heating-air-conditioning-ventilation-refrigeration/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 40 schools on the early-career earnings of their heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Perry Technical Institute, our #1 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate salaries in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Yakima, Perry Technical Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Perry Technical Institute typically earn about $71,486 annually.
Brownson Technical School produces some of the highest-paid graduates in heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration, landing the #2 spot this year. Brownson Technical School is a private for-profit school located in the city of Anaheim. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Brownson Technical School earn a median of about $56,357 a year early in their careers.
Institute For Business And Technology came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration schools. Institute For Business And Technology is a private for-profit school located in the city of San Jose. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from Institute For Business And Technology make a median of around $68,881 per year.
National Career Education came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration schools. Set in the suburb of Citrus Heights, National Career Education is a private for-profit institution. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from National Career Education make a median of around $68,881 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at San Joaquin Valley College Lancaster earned it the #5 place for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Located in the suburb of Lancaster, San Joaquin Valley College Lancaster is a private for-profit institution. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from San Joaquin Valley College Lancaster make a median of around $67,788 per year.
San Joaquin Valley College Hesperia placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Hesperia, San Joaquin Valley College Hesperia is a private for-profit institution. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from San Joaquin Valley College Hesperia make a median of around $67,337 per year.
San Joaquin Valley College Trades Education Center placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. San Joaquin Valley College Trades Education Center is a private for-profit school located in the city of Fresno. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of San Joaquin Valley College Trades Education Center earn a median of about $67,024 a year early in their careers.
San Joaquin Valley College Temecula placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. San Joaquin Valley College Temecula is a private for-profit school located in the city of Temecula. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from San Joaquin Valley College Temecula typically earn about $66,971 annually.
San Joaquin Valley College Visalia placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is a private for-profit school located in the city of Visalia. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of San Joaquin Valley College Visalia earn a median of about $66,961 a year early in their careers.
San Joaquin Valley College Bakersfield earned the #10 position for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. San Joaquin Valley College Bakersfield is a private for-profit school located in the city of Bakersfield. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $66,383.
San Joaquin Valley College Rancho Mirage came in at #11 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Rancho Mirage, San Joaquin Valley College Rancho Mirage is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $66,032.
San Joaquin Valley College Ontario placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Located in the city of Ontario, San Joaquin Valley College Ontario is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $65,793.
Capstone College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration schools. Located in the city of Pasadena, Capstone College is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,207.
College Of Southern Nevada landed the #14 spot for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration salaries this year. Located in the city of Las Vegas, College Of Southern Nevada is a public institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $56,489.
Charter College Anchorage landed the #15 spot for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration salaries this year. Located in the city of Anchorage, Charter College Anchorage is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $52,293.
Dehart Technical School came in at #16 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Dehart Technical School is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of Modesto. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Dehart Technical School earn a median of about $43,927 a year early in their careers.
Institute Of Technology Inc earned the #17 position for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Clovis, Institute Of Technology Inc is a private for-profit institution. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from Institute Of Technology Inc make a median of around $44,857 per year.
Intercoast Colleges West Covina came in at #18 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Intercoast Colleges West Covina is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of West Covina. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from Intercoast Colleges West Covina make a median of around $45,750 per year.
Wenatchee Valley College earned the #19 position for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Wenatchee, Wenatchee Valley College is a public institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,579.
Cet Coachella came in at #20 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Coachella, Cet Coachella is a private not-for-profit institution. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Cet Coachella earn a median of about $48,636 a year early in their careers.
Cet Colton placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Colton, Cet Colton is a private not-for-profit institution. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Cet Colton earn a median of about $48,636 a year early in their careers.
Cet San Jose landed the #22 spot for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration salaries this year. Set in the city of San Jose, Cet San Jose is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $48,636.
Advanced Training Institute came in at #23 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Las Vegas, Advanced Training Institute is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $40,633.
Northwest Hvac R Training Center ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration schools. Northwest Hvac R Training Center is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Northwest Hvac R Training Center typically earn about $39,949 annually.
Mayfield College came in at #25 for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Cathedral City, Mayfield College is a private for-profit institution. Early-career heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates from Mayfield College make a median of around $44,585 per year.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration ranking:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 40 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.