Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County

At just under $9,500 in debt, this HVAC program offers one of the more affordable paths into the skilled trades—though the small graduating class means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Graduates start around $38,800, which puts them in the 60th percentile among Ohio's 32 HVAC programs and notably above both state and national medians. The debt load sits about 27% below Ohio's typical HVAC program debt of nearly $13,000.

The essentially flat earnings trajectory (dropping just $359 over four years) is worth noting. While HVAC technicians often see steady income rather than dramatic growth, some Ohio programs like Butler Technology show graduates earning above $41,000. The difference might reflect local job markets—Newark's smaller metro area versus Columbus or Cleveland—or variations in specialized certifications covered in training.

With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24, graduates can realistically pay off their loans within months while earning a livable wage immediately. For parents weighing trade school options in central Ohio, this represents a low-risk entry point into a stable field, though the small sample size means prospective students should talk directly to recent graduates about actual job placement and whether earnings align with these figures.