Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Chippewa Valley Technical College

Based on comparable HVAC programs nationally, first-year earnings around $41,400 paired with estimated debt of $12,000 creates a manageable 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe roughly three months of their first-year salary. This falls well below the concerning 1.0 threshold where debt equals an entire year's pay. The estimated debt also comes in $5,500 below what's typical nationally for these programs, which matters when you're starting a career in the skilled trades where every dollar counts early on.

The catch is that both figures are estimates drawn from peer programs since this specific cohort was too small for the Department of Education to publish. What we know for certain is that Wisconsin has seven schools offering HVAC associate degrees, but none have enough recent graduates with reported outcomes to establish a clear state benchmark. This makes it harder to assess whether Chippewa Valley's program delivers the same value as its in-state competitors or where it sits relative to Wisconsin's job market for HVAC technicians.

For parents, the preliminary numbers suggest a reasonable investment in a field with steady demand, but the lack of program-specific data means you're making this decision with less visibility than ideal. Prioritize connecting with recent graduates directly and verifying local HVAC employers' hiring patterns in the Eau Claire area before committing.