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2023 Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

18 Ranked Colleges
288 Degrees Awarded
$48,828 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 19,594 people earned their degree in heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration, making the major the 192nd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,998 and had an average of $11,353 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,030 heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,579 and $14,790 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 288 heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,723 and $22,140 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region associate degree vets studying hvacr.

Top 18 Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1
Hennepin Technical College crest
Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hennepin Technical College. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate. Hennepin Technical College is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 associates’s HVACR degrees to qualified students.

Hennepin Technical College also took the #1 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 66 of the 4,094 students enrolled at Hennepin Technical College were GI Bill® students, of which 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,023. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Hennepin Technical College Veteran Student Life Report

2
Dunwoody College of Technology crest
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dunwoody College of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate list. Dunwoody College of Technology is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 associates’s HVACR degrees to qualified students.

Dunwoody College of Technology also made our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3.Our most recent data shows that 176 of the 1,281 students enrolled at Dunwoody College of Technology were GI Bill® students, of which 109 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,410. In addition to receiving other benefits, 27 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Dunwoody College of Technology]](/colleges/dunwoody-college-of-technology/student-life/veterans/)

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s HVACR degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree vets studying hvacr list, Minneapolis Community and Technical College has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 6,429 students enrolled at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 127 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 96 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,795. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Minneapolis Community and Technical College]](/colleges/minneapolis-community-and-technical-college/student-life/veterans/)

4
Southeast Tech crest
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southeast Technical College. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate. Southeast Technical College is a small school located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that handed out 12 associates’s HVACR degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree vets studying hvacr list, Southeast Tech has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Southeast Tech supports 2,330 students, and 193 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 86 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,618. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Southeast Technical College Veteran Student Life Report

5
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Century College landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and it awarded 16 associates’s HVACR degrees in 2020-2021.

Century College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, Century College supports 8,203 students, and 197 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 135 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,525. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

6

St Cloud Technical and Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified associates’s HVACR students in 2020-2021.

St Cloud Technical and Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, St Cloud Technical and Community College supports 3,931 students, and 126 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 71 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,012. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. St Cloud Technical and Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

7
Central Community College crest
Central Community College
Grand Island, Nebraska

Central Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified associates’s HVACR students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree vets studying hvacr list, Central Community College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 5,974 students enrolled at Central Community College, 14 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 7 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,530. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Central Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

8

Metropolitan Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 5 associates’s HVACR degrees in 2020-2021.

MCC also took the #11 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 13,244 students enrolled at Metropolitan Community College, 653 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 283 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $835. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full MCC Veteran Student Life Report

9

Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking, coming in at #9. Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSU Tech, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 4,606 students enrolled at WSU Tech, 163 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 110 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,096. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. WSU Tech does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full WSU Tech Veteran Student Life Report

10

North Iowa Area Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate list. Mason City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s HVACR degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

North Iowa Area Community College also made our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13.Among the 2,681 students enrolled at North Iowa Area Community College, 51 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 28 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,828. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

11

Des Moines Area Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Ankeny, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s HVACR degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

DMACC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 23,051 students enrolled at DMACC, 500 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 221 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,709. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Des Moines Area Community College]](/colleges/des-moines-area-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

12

Southeast Community College Area did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified associates’s HVACR students in 2020-2021.

Southeast Community College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 9,328 students enrolled at Southeast Community College Area, 17 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 7 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,488. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Southeast Community College Area Veteran Student Life Report

13

Ozarks Technical Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking, coming in at #13. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s HVACR degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

OTC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, Ozarks Technical Community College supports 11,237 students, and 564 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 219 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,819. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ozarks Technical Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full OTC Veteran Student Life Report

14

Northeast Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Northeast is a public institution located in Norfolk, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Northeast not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 5,105 students enrolled at Northeast, 62 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,545. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Northeast Community College]](/colleges/northeast-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

15

Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 11 associates’s HVACR degrees in 2020-2021.

MCC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 13,085 students enrolled at Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City, 100 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 76 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,977. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at MCC]](/colleges/metropolitan-community-college-kansas-city/student-life/veterans/)

16

State Technical College of Missouri landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking. Located in Linn, Missouri, this small public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified associates’s HVACR students in 2020-2021.

STC also made our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9.Our most recent data shows that 83 of the 1,756 students enrolled at State Technical College of Missouri were GI Bill® students, of which 44 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,461. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full STC Veteran Student Life Report

17

Iowa Central Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate list. Iowa Central Community College is located in Fort Dodge, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 associates’s HVACR degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa Central Community College, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 100 of the 4,704 students enrolled at Iowa Central Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,481. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Iowa Central Community College Veteran Student Life Report

18
Western Dakota Tech crest
Western Dakota Technical Institute
Rapid City, South Dakota

Western Dakota Technical Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for HVACR for an Associate ranking, coming in at #18. Western Dakota Tech is located in Rapid City, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 associates’s HVACR degrees to qualified students.

Western Dakota Tech also made our “Best Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18.According to our most recent data, Western Dakota Technical Institute supports 1,324 students, and 125 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 61 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,360. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Western Dakota Technical Institute]](/colleges/western-dakota-technical-institute/student-life/veterans/)

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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