Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Centura College-Chesapeake

With Virginia's HVAC programs producing some of the lowest graduate earnings among the 29 schools statewide, Centura College-Chesapeake falls right in the middle—not particularly competitive, but not the worst choice either. At $29,395 in first-year earnings, graduates here earn about $2,300 less than the state median and trail substantially behind the top performers like Virginia Western Community College ($40,629) and Advanced Technology Institute ($38,761). Nationally, the picture looks even less impressive: this program ranks in just the 13th percentile, meaning 87% of similar HVAC programs deliver better graduate outcomes.

The positive here is manageable debt—$14,750 represents the typical Virginia HVAC student loan burden and keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.50, which is reasonable for a quick-credential program. Graduates should be able to handle these payments, though the relatively low starting salary means less financial cushion than you'd see at better-performing schools. With 84% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are already stretching their budgets.

For families shopping HVAC programs in Virginia, this is a backup option rather than a first choice. The same certificate from Virginia Western or Advanced Technology Institute could mean $10,000 more annually—that's real money that compounds over a career. If Centura College-Chesapeake is the most accessible option geographically or timing-wise, the debt load won't crush you, but exhaust other Virginia options first.