Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Collins Career Technical Center

In Ohio's HVAC trade schools, debt levels vary dramatically—some programs saddle students with $13,000 or more, while others keep borrowing minimal. Collins Career Technical Center appears to fall on the favorable side of this spectrum, with peer programs at similar public career centers suggesting debt around $8,725, well below the state median. That's a significant advantage for a field where first-year earnings typically hover around $37,000.

The estimated earnings here align closely with what other Ohio HVAC programs produce. While top performers like Butler Technology push into the low $40,000s for recent grads, the projected $36,981 puts Collins in the middle of the pack—neither outstanding nor concerning. What matters more is the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24, which suggests students could reasonably pay off their loans within the first few years of work. For a program serving primarily low-income students (68% receive Pell grants), keeping debt manageable is arguably more important than chasing slightly higher starting wages.

The practical question is whether this specific program delivers on what comparable schools suggest. With actual outcomes suppressed due to small class sizes, there's inherent uncertainty about how Collins graduates fare versus the state averages used here. However, the estimated debt burden is low enough that even if earnings fall somewhat short, students wouldn't face crushing repayment challenges in a field with steady demand for skilled technicians.