by our College Data Analytics Team
[Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/heating-air-conditioning-ventilation-refrigeration/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the early-career earnings of their heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates.
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If you want to know which schools send heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Moraine Valley Community College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Palos Hills, Moraine Valley Community College is a public institution. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Moraine Valley Community College typically earn about $84,422 annually.
A rank of #2 makes Eti School Of Skilled Trades one of the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Willowbrook, Eti School Of Skilled Trades is a private for-profit institution. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Eti School Of Skilled Trades earn a median of about $48,180 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Hvac Technical Institute earned it the #3 place for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the city of Chicago, Hvac Technical Institute is a private for-profit institution. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Hvac Technical Institute earn a median of about $41,644 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes Southwestern Illinois College one of the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a public institution. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Southwestern Illinois College typically earn about $43,770 annually.
Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration, landing the #5 spot this year. Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College is a private for-profit school located in the city of Rockford. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College typically earn about $33,403 annually.
Lincoln Land Community College landed the #6 spot for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration salaries this year. Set in the rural area of Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College is a public institution. Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation Refrigeration graduates of Lincoln Land Community College earn a median of about $32,199 a year early in their careers.
Elgin Community College placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration. Set in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a public institution. After graduating, heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration degree recipients from Elgin Community College typically earn about $66,349 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries heating air conditioning ventilation refrigeration graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 7 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.